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
Due to incorrect VAT handling
Estimated additional costs for delays
Tax Risk Calculator 2024 – 2025
Your monthly revenue
Due to incorrect VAT handling
Estimated additional costs for delays
Tax Risk Calculator 2024 – 2025
Your monthly revenue
Due to incorrect VAT handling
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.