United States · Resellers · Explainer

Sales tax on eBay sales: who collects it.

What eBay says about collecting and remitting sales tax, what that means for the fees you pay and the income you report, and what is still your job.

eBay says that as a marketplace facilitator it calculates, collects and remits sales tax on behalf of sellers when state or federal law requires, and that sellers cannot opt out. That handles the buyer's sales tax on eBay orders. It does not remove your income reporting, and sales you make elsewhere are not covered by this eBay page.

Tax year 2026Sources retrieved October 2026Results vary: uses the numbers you enter

What eBay says, in its own words

eBay's taxes page (retrieved October 2026) says: "As a marketplace facilitator, eBay collects and remits taxes when required to do so by state and/or federal law." It adds that eBay calculates, collects and remits sales tax on behalf of sellers, that no action is required and there are no charges or fees for this, and that sellers can't opt out of eBay automatically collecting sales tax. eBay lists the states and territories where it does so; check that list for yours, because requirements differ by place.

What stays your job

Income. Sales tax collected by the marketplace is not your revenue, but the sale price you receive is. You still report it. See do you pay taxes on reselling.
Sales outside the marketplace. The eBay page describes eBay orders. Sales through your own site, in person or on other platforms follow the rules of that channel and your state. Ask your state revenue department.
State registration questions. Whether you need a seller's permit or must file a return even though the marketplace remits is a state question; we have not verified any state answer here.

Poshmark and other platforms

We did not retrieve a Poshmark or other platform primary source for this page, and third-party summaries disagree on coverage, so we do not state a rule for them. Look for the platform's own help article on sales tax and your state revenue department's marketplace-facilitator page.

How sales tax changes the money you see

Two effects matter to a reseller's numbers. First, eBay's selling fees page says the total sale amount the percentage fee applies to includes the item price, shipping and handling collected from the buyer, and sales tax. Sales tax therefore raises the fee even though it is not yours. Second, the tax may or may not be counted in a platform's 1099-K gross, so reconcile it (see 1099-K for resellers).

Worked example with an assumed order

A $40.00 item with $8.00 buyer-paid shipping and $3.50 sales tax has an order total of $51.50. At eBay's default 13.6% plus the $0.40 per-order fee for orders over $10.00, the fee is $7.40. Without the sales tax, a 13.6% fee on $48.00 would be $6.53 plus $0.40: the tax adds about $0.47 to the fee. Your revenue for this order is $48.00, not $51.50. Rates are editable inputs in the calculator because platforms change them.

What this page does not cover

Whether you must register for sales tax, or how to file in any state.
Local taxes in places where a marketplace does not collect.
Exemptions and resale certificates.
Canadian GST/HST.

Sources (retrieved October 2026)

Cite this page: TNAADO Tools, "Sales Tax on eBay Sales: Who Collects It," tools.tnaado.ca/calculators/business/reseller-tax-calculator/sales-tax-on-ebay-sales-who-collects/, checked October 19, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Does eBay collect sales tax for sellers?

eBay says that as a marketplace facilitator it calculates, collects and remits sales tax on behalf of sellers where required by state or federal law, at no charge, and that sellers cannot opt out. Check eBay's taxes page for the jurisdictions it lists.

If eBay collects sales tax, do I still report the sale as income?

Yes. Sales tax and income tax are separate. The marketplace remits the buyer's sales tax, but the money you receive for the item is income you report.

Does eBay charge fees on sales tax?

eBay's selling fees page says the total sale amount that the fee percentage applies to includes sales tax along with the item price and shipping collected. Use the exact base on the page for your category.

Does Poshmark collect sales tax?

This page does not state a rule because we did not retrieve a primary Poshmark source. Check Poshmark's help center and your state revenue department.

What about sales I make on my own website?

The eBay page addresses eBay orders. Other channels follow their own rules, so ask your state revenue department what applies to you.

Not tax advice

This page is general information built from the IRS and platform sources listed above. It is not tax, legal or accounting advice and it does not know your situation. Results vary: every figure comes from the assumptions you enter or the labelled example, not from a prediction of what you will earn. Confirm anything that matters with the IRS instructions, your state revenue department or a tax professional. A Canadian version is not covered here.