Sales & Use Tax

A general guide but not an all-inclusive discussion of Iowa sales and use tax law. Generally considered the primary guidance resource for sales & use tax.

See Iowa Tax Issues for Nonprofit Entities for nonprofit entities that qualify for exemption.

On May 30, 2018, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 2417 (SF 2417), an extensive state tax reform bill to improve the tax structure in Iowa. This law modernizes and expands the types of businesses required to collect Iowa sales tax and local option sales tax. Specifically, marketplace facilitators and remote sellers that exceed a certain amount of revenue or transactions must charge Iowa sales tax and applicable local option sales tax the same as retailers with a physical presence in Iowa. The 2019 legislature modified those new requirements.

On May 30, 2018, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 2417 (SF 2417), an extensive state tax reform bill to improve the tax structure in Iowa. This law modernizes and expands the types of businesses required to collect Iowa sales tax and local option sales tax. Specifically, marketplace facilitators and remote sellers that exceed a certain amount of revenue or transactions must charge Iowa sales tax and applicable local option sales tax the same as retailers with a physical presence in Iowa.

In 2018, the Iowa legislature enacted Senate File 2417, a state tax reform bill that includes extensive changes to the state’s tax structure. Effective January 1, 2019, Iowa law began requiring marketplace facilitators to collect and remit Iowa sales tax and applicable local option sales tax for sales made or facilitated on the business’s marketplace. Generally, a marketplace facilitator is a business that provides infrastructure or support for retail sales to occur and collects the sales price, processes payments, or receives compensation from the retail sale.

In 2018, the Iowa legislature enacted Senate File 2417, a state tax reform bill that includes extensive changes to the state’s tax structure. Beginning January 1, 2019, under Iowa Code section 423.2(6)(bq), the sale of storage services for tangible or electronic files, documents, and other records are subject to Iowa sales tax and applicable local option sales tax. Storage of household goods, mini-storage, and warehousing of raw agricultural products were taxable prior to January 1, 2019 and remain taxable.

The 2020 Iowa legislature defined the term “computer peripheral” and added that term to the existing sales tax exemption for computers used in processing or storage of data or information by an insurance company, financial institution, or commercial enterprise (see Iowa Code section 423.3(47)). The Department is providing the following guidance, including non-exhaustive lists of devices, so taxpayers know whether certain devices are taxable or exempt as a computer or computer peripheral.

Many Iowa retailers have established or strengthened their online presence to make sales to their customers or perhaps reach new ones. The Department is providing this guidance to make sure these businesses are aware of their tax compliance obligations for sales across Iowa and into other states. Topics included within this guidance: Law Changes, Local Option Sales Tax, Marketplace Sales, Remote Sales, Streamlined Sales Tax.

In 2018, the Iowa legislature enacted Senate File 2417, a state tax reform bill that includes extensive changes to the state’s tax structure.

On May 30, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 2417, an extensive state tax reform bill to improve the tax structure in Iowa. The 2018 Iowa Tax Reform Bill recognizes that the method of delivering photography and retouching services has changed and that the service may or may not result in a physical product. This law modernizes the language of the code so that photography and retouching services are taxed consistently regardless of whether the final product is physical or electronic.

During the 2019 Legislative Session, the General Assembly added a new exemption from sales and use tax under House File 779 for grain bins and grain bin materials, effective July 1, 2019. The Department has adopted administrative rules to implement the new exemption. The rules went into effect August 19, 2020. This guidance summarizes the exemption and new administrative rules and addresses some common questions and issues taxpayers may have about the exemption.