The UK, certain EU countries, and Australia require companies that provide business-to-business (B2B) services to confirm they are working with registered businesses to ensure compliance with their current legislation. Registering your ShipStation account with your country's required tax ID is the method we use to determine your company's business status.
Additionally, you'll want to enter your Tax ID Number to ensure correct invoicing and avoid account-billing complications. A notification to add your Tax ID registration number may appear each time you log in until you have added one.
If you instead need details on how to add your Tax Identifier Number to customs declarations, see our Tax Identifier Number Guide.
This Guide is Not Legal Advice
This article is only a guide and not a substitute for legal advice. Please consult a tax expert to discuss your specific business needs.
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🇦🇺 Australia accounts: An Australian Business Number (ABN) is a unique 11-digit identifier issued by the Australian Business Register (ABR) operated by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The law requires each entity that carries on a business in Australia to have an ABN and that the ABN appear on each tax invoice and other tax-related documents issued by the entity.
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🇨🇦 Canada accounts: The Business Number (BN)The Business Number (BN) is a unique 9-digit identifier issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). It acts as a common identifier for businesses when dealing with federal, provincial, and municipal governments.
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🇫🇷 France accounts: The Numéro de TVA is used to identify businesses approved to charge VAT. You receive this number when you register as a business.
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🇩🇪 Germany accounts: The Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer (USt-IdNr) is used to identify businesses as approved to charge VAT.
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🇬🇧 UK accounts: A VAT Registration number (sometimes known as a VAT ID) is a number that identifies your business as approved to charge VAT. Businesses can sign up online for a VAT registration number.
In the coming months, ShipStation Canada will update its billing process. As part of these changes, GST/HST charges will be applied to subscription fees and shipping labels, as applicable. Tax will be calculated based on the applicable rules including the "place of supply" rules for your specific province.
In the coming months, ShipStation Australia will update its billing process. As part of these changes, GST charges will be applied to subscription fees and shipping labels, as applicable.
To add your Tax ID:
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Click the Add a Tax Identifier Button.
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Enter your Tax Identification Number and give it a descriptive nickname so you can pick the correct one when creating shipments.
The Tax ID Number field only accepts numbers. You do not need to enter dashes or country codes.
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🇫🇷 🇧🇪 🇪🇺 🇦🇺 EU and AU-based merchants: Enter your Tax ID number, and click Save.
This image shows the Australian ABN. The text will be specific to your country.
🇬🇧 UK-based Merchants: Enter your Tax ID number, Tax ID Address, and click Save.
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Click the Add Tax Identifier button to save.
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Click Add Another Tax Identifier to add your other TIN.
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🇫🇷 🇧🇪 🇪🇺 🇦🇺 EU and AU-based merchants: Enter your Tax ID number, and click Save.
This image shows the Australian ABN. The text will be specific to your country.
🇬🇧 UK-based Merchants: Enter your Tax ID number, Tax ID Address, and click Save.
🇬🇧 UK-based Merchants: Tax ID Address Information Required
For merchants in the UK, a Tax ID Address is mandatory when you add a Tax ID number. This address must be in the same country as the Issuing Authority where your Tax ID was registered (for a VAT ID number, the Tax ID Address should be located in the UK).
Failure to provide a Tax ID Address may render your invoice incomplete or invalid for tax purposes, even if you are VAT-ID registered.
If the address where your VAT ID is registered differs from your payment method billing address, please enter it in this section. If you do not provide an invoicing address, your invoice may be incomplete or invalid for tax purposes, regardless if you are VAT-ID registered.
ShipStation applies regional taxes to subscription fees, labels purchased through ShipStation Carriers, and other transactions for sellers who do not provide a valid tax ID:
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UK & EU accounts: Subject to VAT.
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Canada accounts: Subject to GST/HST.
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Australia accounts: Subject to GST.
VAT/GST/HST charges (as applicable) will be applied to:
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Subscription fees
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Labels purchased via ShipStation Carriers
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Other transactions related to ShipStation services
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Exception: VAT/GST/HST will NOT be applied to labels purchased through your own carrier accounts.
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For accounts that have added their registration number, ShipStation does not charge VAT/GST/HST for subscription fees or ShipStation Carrier label purchases. To be more accurate, it is a 0% rate for these services.
If you purchase labels through your own carrier accounts, it is up to that carrier whether they charge VAT/GST/HST for their label purchases.
VAT/GST/HST invoices will be available in the Transaction History section within your ShipStation account. For more details, see View Invoices & Data Archives.
Ensure your registration number is accurate and up-to-date. The best way to check your ID number is to check your local tax ID registration website. You can also utilize VIES to look up your ID.
🇦🇺 Merchants in Australia can look up an Australian Business Number (ABN) here.
Yes. ShipStation only uses your registration number to confirm we are selling our services to verified businesses. See our Privacy Policy for more details on how we manage private information.