Skip links

US West Virginia sales tax digital streaming services

The US state of West Virginia has confirmed that streaming media services are liable to sales and use tax.  However, other digital services remain exempted from the taxes. There is ambiguity on US sales tax on digital services which are sometimes overlooked in states. Around 40 of the 45 taxing states plus Washington DC tax digital or non-tangible goods. Non-resident providers of streaming services are also potentially liable to tax obligations.

The Tax Department in West Virginia has now confirmed that taxable status of streaming TV, film, games and music in a guidance published on 1 September 2021. In addition to the 6% state sales tax, local municipalities may charge a further 1%.

VAT Calc’s global VAT and GST on digital services blog keeps a live update on how countries are imposing indirect taxes on non-resident providers and electronic marketplaces.

Non-residents subject to state tax obligations

As with regular goods and services, out-of-state or foreign providers of digital streaming services are liable to sales tax collection and remittance obligations. This is subject to the annual selling thresholds following the Supreme Court South Dakota vs Wayfair economic nexus ruling of 2018.

US Sales Tax rates and selling thresholds

State State sales tax rate Remote seller annual thresholds Digital services taxable?
$ threshold Transactions threshold
Alabama 4.0% 1 Oct 2018 $250,000 Yes
Alaska 0% - n/a No state-wide tax
Arizona 5.6% 1 Oct 2019 $100,000 - Yes
Arkansas 6.5% 1 July 2019 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
California 6.0% 1 April 2019 $500,000 - No
Colorado 2.9% 1 Dec 2018 $100,000 - Yes
Connecticut 6.35% 1 Dec 2018 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Delaware 0.0% - n/a No state sales tax
Florida 6.0% 1 July 2021 $100,000 - No Communications Tax. E-books exempt
Georgia 4.0% 1 Jan 2019 $100,000 200 transactions No
Hawaii 4.0% 1 July 2018 $100,000 200 transactions Yes General Excise Tax
Idaho 6.0% 1 June 2019 $100,000 Yes Software exempt
Illinois 6.25% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 200 transactions No
Indiana 7.0% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 - (since Jan 2024) Yes
Iowa 6.0% 1 Jan 2019 $100,000 - Yes
Kansas 6.5% 1 July 2021 $100,000 - No
Kentucky 6.0% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Louisiana 4.45% 1 July 2020 $100,000 - (since Aug 2023) Yes
Maine 5.5% 1 July 2018 $100,000 - (since 2022) Yes
Maryland 6.0% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Massachusetts 5.6% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 No
Michigan 6.0% 30 Sep 2018 $100,000 200 transactions No
Minnesota 6.875% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Mississippi 7.0% 1 Sep 2018 $250,000 - Yes
Missouri 4.225% 1 Jan 2023 $100,000 - No
Montana 0.0% - n/a No state sales tax
Nebraska 5.5% 1 April 2019 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Nevada 4.6% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 200 transactions No
New Hampshire 0.0% - n/a
New Jersey 6.625% 1 Nov 2018 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
New Mexico 5.0% 1 July 2019 $100,000 - Yes
New York 4.0% 21 July 2018 $500,000 100 transactions No
North Carolina 4.75% 1 Nov 2018 $100,000 - (since 2024) Yes
North Dakota 5.0% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 - No
Ohio 5.75% 1 Aug 2019 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Oklahoma 4.5% 1 Nov 2019 $100,000 - No
Oregon 0.0% - n/a No state sales tax
Pennsylvania 6.0% 1 July 2019 $100,000 Yes
Puerto Rico 10.5% 1 Jan 2021 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Rhode Island 7.0% 1 July 2019 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
South Carolina 6.0% 1 Nov 2018 $100,000 - No
South Dakota 4.5% 1 Nov 2018 $100,000 - (since Jul 2023) Yes
Tennessee 7.0% 1 July 2019 $100,000 - Yes
Texas 6.25% 1 Oct 2019 $500,000 - Yes Only if physcial equivilaent is taxable (e.g. books)
Utah 4.7% 1 Jan 2019 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Vermont 6.0% 1 July 2018 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Virginia 4.3% 1 July 2019 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
Washington 6.5% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 - Yes
Washington, DC 6.0% 1 Jan 2019 $100,000 200 transactions Yes
West Virginia 6.0% 1 Jan 2019 $100,000 200 transactions Yes Streaming services only
Wisconsin 5.0% 1 Oct 2018 $100,000 - (since 2021) Yes
Wyoming 4.0% 1 Feb 2019 $100,000 - (since 2024) Yes

Newsletter

Get our latest news right in your mailbox