The Sales Tax Burden Index

The Sales Tax Burden Index

The Sales Tax Burden Index

Selling digital products is EASY. The taxes that follow…? Not so much.

Selling digital products is EASY. The taxes that follow…? Not so much.

Selling digital products is EASY. The taxes that follow…? Not so much.

Your online course doesn't care about borders. Tax authorities do. Depending on where your customer lives, the tax rate, filing deadline, and registration requirements all change. See which regions cause the biggest tax headaches - or let CopeCart handle the entire tax burden for you - or let CopeCart handle the entire tax burden for you

Your online course doesn't care about borders. Tax authorities do. Depending on where your customer lives, the tax rate, filing deadline, and registration requirements all change. See which regions cause the biggest tax headaches - or let CopeCart handle the entire tax burden for you - or let CopeCart handle the entire tax burden for you

Your online course doesn't care about borders. Tax authorities do. Depending on where your customer lives, the tax rate, filing deadline, and registration requirements all change. See which regions cause the biggest tax headaches - or let CopeCart handle the entire tax burden for you - or let CopeCart handle the entire tax burden for you

Tax Risk Calculator 2024 – 2025

Your monthly revenue

10,000
€1,000€1,000,000
Potential tax liability
4,800 – €12,000

Due to incorrect VAT handling

Late payment penalties
1,680

Estimated additional costs for delays

Tax Risk Calculator 2024 – 2025

Your monthly revenue

10,000
€1,000€1,000,000
Potential tax liability
4,800 – €12,000

Due to incorrect VAT handling

Late payment penalties
1,680

Estimated additional costs for delays

Tax Risk Calculator 2024 – 2025

Your monthly revenue

10,000
€1,000€1,000,000
Potential tax liability
4,800 – €12,000

Due to incorrect VAT handling

Late payment penalties
1,680

Estimated additional costs for delays

+530K successful
Vendors

Important Notice: This is a simplified risk assessment, not tax advice and no individual tax assessment. Specific numbers always depend on your actual country mix, product type, and legal form.

This is a high-level risk estimate, not a tax assessment.

Tax situation in digital B2C/B2B sales

Tax situation in digital B2C/B2B sales

Tax situation in digital B2C/B2B sales

Admin effort

Alphabetical

tax rate

Maximum penalty

Overall rating

Jurisdiction

VAT rate

Admin effort

Maximum penalty

Overall rating

B2C to EU customers (OSS total)

17–27 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩😩😩

Multi-year EU claims + interest; correction of reporting states

Switzerland (digital services)

8.1 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩😩

Swiss VAT arrears + Late payment interest

UK (digital services)

20 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩😩

HMRC penalties, retroactive registration

Small business vs. EU B2C

0 % / 17–27 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩

Loss of small business status + retroactive VAT

Austria

20 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Additional claim + fine

Spain

21%

🔥🔥

😩😩😩

Hacienda penalties

Netherlands

21%

🔥🔥

😩😩 Tax Authority Penalties

France

20 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Tax Penalties

Italy

22 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Punishments + Late fees

Poland

23%

🔥🔥

😩😩

High fines

Hungary

27 %

🔥🔥

😩😩
NAV-Penalties

Belgium

21%

🔥🔥

😩😩

Additional charge + fine

Sweden

25 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Tax Agency Penalty

Denmark

25 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

High penalties + late fees

Czech Republic

21%

🔥🔥

😩

Subsequent request

Portugal

23%

🔥🔥

😩😩

AT-Penalties

Greece

24%

🔥🔥

😩😩

AADE Penalties

Romania

21%

🔥🔥

😩

ANAF Claims

Bulgaria

20 %

🔥🔥

😩
Additional demand + fine

Croatia

25 %

🔥🔥

😩

Tax Office Penalties

Slovenia

22 %

🔥🔥

😩

FURS Penalties

Slovakia

23%

🔥🔥

😩
Financial Administration Penalties

Lithuania

21%

🔥

😩
Supplementary request

Latvia

21%

🔥

😩
VID Request

Estonia

24%

🔥

😩
Late payment interest

Finland

25.5 %

🔥

😩
Supplementary request

Ireland

23%

🔥

😩
Supplementary request

Luxembourg

17%

🔥

Minor fines

Malta

18 %

🔥

😩

CfR penalties

Sale only to DE customers

19%

🔥

😩

Subsequent payment

Germany (B2C Domestic)

19%

🔥

😩😩
Estimation + Late Fees

Reverse Charge (B2B EU)

0 %

🔥

😩

Wrong RC → full tax liability

Austria (B2B, Reverse Charge)

19%

🔥

😩

UID error → Additional payment

Admin effort

Alphabetical

tax rate

Maximum penalty

Overall rating

Jurisdiction

VAT rate

Admin effort

Maximum penalty

Overall rating

B2C to EU customers (OSS total)

17–27 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩😩😩

Multi-year EU claims + interest; correction of reporting states

Switzerland (digital services)

8.1 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩😩

Swiss VAT arrears + Late payment interest

UK (digital services)

20 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩😩

HMRC penalties, retroactive registration

Small business vs. EU B2C

0 % / 17–27 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩

Loss of small business status + retroactive VAT

Austria

20 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Additional claim + fine

Spain

21%

🔥🔥

😩😩😩

Hacienda penalties

Netherlands

21%

🔥🔥

😩😩 Tax Authority Penalties

France

20 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Tax Penalties

Italy

22 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Punishments + Late fees

Poland

23%

🔥🔥

😩😩

High fines

Hungary

27 %

🔥🔥

😩😩
NAV-Penalties

Belgium

21%

🔥🔥

😩😩

Additional charge + fine

Sweden

25 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Tax Agency Penalty

Denmark

25 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

High penalties + late fees

Czech Republic

21%

🔥🔥

😩

Subsequent request

Portugal

23%

🔥🔥

😩😩

AT-Penalties

Greece

24%

🔥🔥

😩😩

AADE Penalties

Romania

21%

🔥🔥

😩

ANAF Claims

Bulgaria

20 %

🔥🔥

😩
Additional demand + fine

Croatia

25 %

🔥🔥

😩

Tax Office Penalties

Slovenia

22 %

🔥🔥

😩

FURS Penalties

Slovakia

23%

🔥🔥

😩
Financial Administration Penalties

Lithuania

21%

🔥

😩
Supplementary request

Latvia

21%

🔥

😩
VID Request

Estonia

24%

🔥

😩
Late payment interest

Finland

25.5 %

🔥

😩
Supplementary request

Ireland

23%

🔥

😩
Supplementary request

Luxembourg

17%

🔥

Minor fines

Malta

18 %

🔥

😩

CfR penalties

Sale only to DE customers

19%

🔥

😩

Subsequent payment

Germany (B2C Domestic)

19%

🔥

😩😩
Estimation + Late Fees

Reverse Charge (B2B EU)

0 %

🔥

😩

Wrong RC → full tax liability

Austria (B2B, Reverse Charge)

19%

🔥

😩

UID error → Additional payment

Jurisdiction

VAT rate

Admin effort

Penalty for mistakes

Overall rating

B2C to EU customers (OSS total)

approx.

17–27 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩😩😩

Multi-year EU claims + interest; correction of reporting states

Switzerland (digital services)

8.1 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩😩

Swiss VAT arrears + Late payment interest

UK (digital services)

20 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩😩

HMRC penalties, retroactive registration

Small business vs. EU B2C

0 % / 17–27 %

🔥🔥🔥

😩😩

Loss of small business status + retroactive VAT

Austria

20 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Additional claim + fine

Spain

21%

🔥🔥

😩😩😩

Hacienda penalties

Netherlands

21%

🔥🔥

😩😩 Tax Authority Penalties

France

20 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Tax Penalties

Italy

22 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Punishments + Late fees

Poland

23%

🔥🔥

😩😩

High fines

Hungary

27 %

🔥🔥

😩😩
NAV-Penalties

Belgium

21%

🔥🔥

😩😩

Additional charge + fine

Sweden

25 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

Tax Agency Penalty

Denmark

25 %

🔥🔥

😩😩

High penalties + late fees

Czech Republic

21%

🔥🔥

😩

Subsequent request

Portugal

23%

🔥🔥

😩😩

AT-Penalties

Greece

24%

🔥🔥

😩😩

AADE Penalties

Romania

21%

🔥🔥

😩

ANAF Claims

Bulgaria

20 %

🔥🔥

😩
Additional demand + fine

Croatia

25 %

🔥🔥

😩

Tax Office Penalties

Slovenia

22 %

🔥🔥

😩

FURS Penalties

Slovakia

23%

🔥🔥

😩
Financial Administration Penalties

Lithuania

21%

🔥

😩
Supplementary request

Latvia

21%

🔥

😩
VID Request

Estonia

24%

🔥

😩
Late payment interest

Finland

25.5 %

🔥

😩
Supplementary request

Ireland

23%

🔥

😩
Supplementary request

Luxembourg

17%

🔥

Minor fines

Malta

18 %

🔥

😩

CfR penalties

Sale only to DE customers

19%

🔥

😩

Subsequent payment

Germany (B2C Domestic)

19%

🔥

😩😩
Estimation + Late Fees

Reverse Charge (B2B EU)

0 %

🔥

😩

Wrong RC → full tax liability

Austria (B2B, Reverse Charge)

19%

🔥

😩

UID error → Additional payment

Or you use CopeCart US as your Merchant of Record

Instead of building a mini tax department for 50 states, you can make CopeCart US your Merchant of Record:

Instead of building a mini tax department for 50 states, you can make CopeCart US your Merchant of Record:

Start Free

Start Free

CopeCart appears as the legal seller on the transaction.

We determine and apply the correct state + local sales tax for every sale.

We collect and remit sales tax to the right states and local jurisdictions.

We manage economic nexus, registrations, filings, and audits on the MoR side.

CopeCart appears as the legal seller on the transaction.

We determine and apply the correct state + local sales tax for every sale.

We collect and remit sales tax to the right states and local jurisdictions.

We manage economic nexus, registrations, filings, and audits on the MoR side.

What “Merchant of Record” means in the US

What “Merchant of Record” means in the US

When CopeCart US is your Merchant of Record:

  • Your customer’s contract is with CopeCart, not directly with your business.

  • CopeCart takes on the sales tax obligation at the transaction level.

  • CopeCart handles:

    • Determining taxability,

    • Calculating the correct tax,

    • Collecting it at checkout,

    • Remitting it to the right authorities.

  • You receive your payouts from CopeCart – we deal with the states.

    Whether your customer is in California, Texas, New York, or Florida - correct sales tax is our problem, not yours.

Or you use CopeCart US as your Merchant of Record

Instead of building a mini tax department for 50 states, you can make CopeCart US your Merchant of Record:

Start Free

CopeCart appears as the legal seller on the transaction.

We determine and apply the correct state + local sales tax for every sale.

We collect and remit sales tax to the right states and local jurisdictions.

We manage economic nexus, registrations, filings, and audits on the MoR side.

What “Merchant of Record” means in the US

When CopeCart US is your Merchant of Record:

  • Your customer’s contract is with CopeCart, not directly with your business.

  • CopeCart takes on the sales tax obligation at the transaction level.

  • CopeCart handles:

    • Determining taxability,

    • Calculating the correct tax,

    • Collecting it at checkout,

    • Remitting it to the right authorities.

  • You receive your payouts from CopeCart – we deal with the states.

    Whether your customer is in California, Texas, New York, or Florida - correct sales tax is our problem, not yours.

The sales tax rates, nexus thresholds, and penalty ranges shown here are based on publicly available information as of December 2025. US state tax laws change frequently. This page does not constitute tax advice. For specific guidance on your situation, consult a qualified US sales tax professional or CPA.

The sales tax rates, nexus thresholds, and penalty ranges shown here are based on publicly available information as of December 2025. US state tax laws change frequently.

This page does not constitute tax advice. For specific guidance on your situation, consult a qualified US sales tax professional or CPA.