This is general information to help you ask the right questions. It is not legal or tax advice, rules change, and your situation is specific. Confirm current requirements with the official source linked and a qualified professional.
Reviewed September 2026
Your setup
1. Where is your business based?
2. Where do you sell to? (pick all that apply)
3. Do you ship physical goods across borders?
What applies to you
- Business and registration: pick where you are based above and the matching card below will be highlighted.
- Sales tax and VAT: pick where you sell to above and the matching destination cards will be highlighted.
- Duties and customs: answer question 3 to see whether the customs section applies to you.
Business and registration, by seller country
Everything starts with how and where the business is registered. Find your base country below and confirm the current position with the source named on the card.
United States
Register the business and get an EIN. Sales tax is state level and can be triggered by economic nexus where you sell enough. Ask an accountant which states you have nexus in.
Verify with: IRS and your state Department of Revenue
Canada
Get a business number from the CRA. GST/HST applies once you pass the small-supplier registration threshold, and some provinces add their own PST or QST. Ask whether you are past the threshold and which provincial taxes apply.
Verify with: CRA
United Kingdom
Register with HMRC. VAT registration is required above the VAT threshold, with separate rules for imports. Ask whether you are over the threshold or should register voluntarily.
Verify with: gov.uk
European Union
Register locally. VAT applies, with One Stop Shop (OSS) for cross-border EU sales. Ask where you are registered and whether OSS fits.
Verify with: Your national tax authority and the European Commission VAT pages
Australia
Get an ABN. GST applies once you pass the GST turnover threshold. Ask whether you need to register for GST.
Verify with: ATO
Somewhere else
Register locally and check your country's sales tax or VAT registration rules with your national tax authority and an accountant.
Verify with: Your national tax authority
Sales tax and VAT, by destination
Selling into another country can create a tax obligation there. Check whether each destination you sell to expects overseas sellers to register or collect.
United States
US sales tax is state level and selling in can create economic nexus in some states. Ask a US sales-tax specialist which states you may need to collect in.
Verify with: The relevant state Department of Revenue
European Union
EU VAT applies to imports, and IOSS can simplify VAT on low-value consignments. Confirm current rules and whether IOSS fits.
Verify with: European Commission
United Kingdom
UK VAT applies to imports, with specific rules for low-value consignments where the seller may collect VAT at the point of sale. Confirm current rules before relying on them.
Verify with: gov.uk
Canada
GST/HST and possibly provincial tax can apply to imports. Confirm which taxes apply to your shipments and whether registration is expected.
Verify with: CRA and CBSA
Australia
GST can apply to low-value imported goods, and overseas sellers over the threshold may need to register. Confirm whether your sales volume triggers registration.
Verify with: ATO
Rest of world
Every destination sets its own tax rules. Check the destination's tax authority or use a landed-cost tool.
Verify with: The destination's tax authority
Duties and customs, for cross-border physical goods
Every cross-border parcel needs an HS code and a country of origin on each product, and missing either can hold a parcel. The customs setup tool walks what each destination expects from those two fields.
Decide whether to collect duties and taxes at checkout so buyers are not surprised on delivery. Ask your carrier or a customs broker about delivered-duty-paid versus delivered-at-place.
Rules changed across 2025 and 2026 (US de minimis, EU low-value VAT). Verify the current position for each destination at its customs authority before relying on old thresholds.
Common questions
Do I need to register for tax in every country I sell to?
Not usually, but some destinations require overseas sellers to register once they pass a threshold, for example under VAT or GST schemes. It depends on where you are, where you sell, and how much. Confirm each destination's rules with its tax authority and an accountant.
What is the difference between duties and sales tax on an order?
Sales tax or VAT or GST is a tax on the sale, while duties are charged by customs on imported goods based on their HS code, value, and country of origin. A cross-border order can involve both.
Does Shopify handle customs and tax for me?
Shopify can collect duties and taxes at checkout and store the customs fields, but you are responsible for registering where required and entering correct HS codes and country of origin. The data has to be right for it to work.
This is general information to help you ask the right questions. It is not legal or tax advice, rules change, and your situation is specific. Confirm current requirements with the official source linked and a qualified professional.
Reviewed September 2026
Free · Beta · Read-only
- Free to use, in beta.
- The free check reads only your public storefront. No access to your store required.
- The connected audit uses Shopify's official read-only permissions. Storecheck can look, never write, place orders, or change anything.