Florida Sales Tax Basics for Tampa Business Owners

Florida Sales Tax Basics for Tampa Business Owners

Sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sale of certain goods and services. The requirement for business owners in the State of Florida to collect and remit sales tax for specified business activities began in 1949. As outlined in Chapter 212 of the Florida Statutes, the Florida Sales Tax Law can have serious consequences for business owners in Tampa, FL when violated.

The following article provides an overview of the Florida sales tax requirements, as well as the risks associated with not paying delinquent sales tax and missing your sales tax deadlines.

Tampa Business Activities with Sales Tax Requirements

Before you register your business with the State of Florida, our tax attorneys in Tampa, FL recommend finding out if your business activities will require you to collect and remit sales tax. Once you have registered your business with the State of Florida, working with an experienced tax professional would help ensure you are properly charging and paying sales tax for your business activities.

The following list features some of the activities that would require a Florida-based business to collect and remit Sales Tax:

• Producing or manufacturing goods sold at retail
• Retail sales of items that will be taxed
• Short-term rentals, including:
  • Beach rentals
  • Condominiums
  • Motel/hotel rooms
  • Timeshare resorts
  • Travel parks
  • Vacation homes
• Property rentals, leases, and licenses, including:
  • Commercial office space
  • Warehouses
• Taxable service providers, including:
  • Investigative and crime protection services
  • Interior cleaning services (nonresidential)
  • Pest control services (nonresidential)
• Sales of service warranty contract
• Tangible personal property repairs or alterations
• Admission charges for entertainment, recreation or sports venues
• Vending or amusement machine operations

Not sure if your business activities would require you to collect and remit sales tax? Our Tax Attorneys in Tampa, FL can help. Click here to request a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with our firm or click here to learn more about our Florida Sales Tax Services.

When to Pay Florida Sales Tax & Penalties

If your business collects over $1,000 in sales tax annually, you are required to file monthly sales tax reports (on or before the 20th of every month). Florida Sales Tax is reported using Form DR-115. The Florida Department of Revenue has an online portal for you to electronically file and pay sales tax each month. When you file and pay on time, you get a credit up to $30. When you file and pay late, they will assess a 10% penalty, as well as a floating interest rate which is applied to both under and late sales tax payments. If your return is incomplete, further penalties can be charged.

Florida Sales Tax Filing Tips

When you file late or file an incomplete report, the penalties add up quickly. Some filing tips to ensure you stay compliant with the sales tax requirements include:

• Always file before the monthly deadline (on or before the 20th of each month)
• Set a reminder on your calendar
• Be sure to calculate the sales tax correctly
• Be sure to complete your forms accurately
• Do not ignore any delinquent sales tax letters

We Can Help with Delinquent Sales Tax

If you do not resolve your sales tax issues, the State will steadily take action starting with assessing fees followed by collection attempts that will get aggressively worse to the point of shutting down your business if you don’t resolve them immediately.

If you have been contacted by the State of Florida regarding your delinquent sales tax, our tax attorneys in Tampa, FL can help. Click here to request a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with our firm or click here to learn more about our Florida Sales Tax Services.