What is the sales tax for businesses in New York state?
I got a bill for an expensive item sold to me in upstate New York near Syracuse. The sales tax was 8.5%.
I read a sales tax guide by New York City Department of Finance that seems to say that the sales tax in New York state is 4% and the tax in New York City is an additional 4.5%. I interpret this as meaning that I should be paying the additional 4.5% only on items purchased in New York City. Did I interpret this wrong? Is the sales tax on general goods 8.5% no matter where they are purchased in New York?
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While NY City does have a sales tax above the NY State base rate it isn't the only jurisdiction with a higher rate.
Sales tax rates
The combined sales and use tax rate equals the state rate (currently
4%) plus any local tax rate imposed by a city, county, or school
district. An additional sales tax rate of 0.375% applies to taxable
sales made within the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District
(MCTD). The combined rates vary in each county and in cities that
impose sales tax.
Local taxing jurisdictions
New York's retail sales tax is a destination tax. The point of
delivery or the point at which possession is transferred by the seller
to the purchaser determines the rate of tax to be collected. Sales
delivered outside New York State are exempt from tax.
The state has a tool to look up the tax by address becasue it doesn't follow zip code boundaries. It also have a PDF showing the various rates.
Here are some example rates across the state:
Allegany 8½
Erie 8¾
Onondaga 8%
Ontario 7½
Orange 8?
Rockland 8?
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