Shopify automated tax filing is ending. How to file sales tax yourself in 2027.
Updated October 19, 2026
Short answer: automated filing with Shopify Tax files your returns for sales made through December 31, 2026 (in New York, also the December 2026 to February 2027 quarterly return). After your last automated return, you file with each state yourself or use a filing service. Shopify Tax keeps calculating your sales tax and keeping your tax reports current at no extra cost. Download every automated return report before April 30, 2027.
This guide is general information, not tax advice. Check your filing obligations with a tax professional or your state's tax agency.
What's changing
- Automated filing stops after your last automated return. It doesn't continue past the returns in the table below.
- It's closed to new enrollment. Only stores that are already enrolled can use it.
- Tax calculation doesn't stop. Shopify Tax continues to calculate sales tax for your store, and you don't need to turn automated filing off.
- Charges stop too. You're charged for each return automated filing generates, up to and including your last one, and not after.
- A last return can still fail. If your last automated return is skipped, or has issues that aren't resolved by the filing date, its status changes to Not filed. Then download its return report and file that return yourself.
Your last automated return
| Filing frequency | Last automated return | State due date |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | December 2026 | January 2027 |
| Quarterly | October to December 2026 | January 2027 |
| Quarterly in New York | December 2026 to February 2027 | March 2027 |
| Semi-annually | July to December 2026 | January 2027 |
| Semi-annually in Pennsylvania | July to December 2026 | February 2027 |
| Annually | 2026 | January 2027 |
The exact due date depends on the state. Starting with the return after your last automated return, you file it yourself or through a filing service.
Before April 30, 2027: download your filing records
You can download your filing records until April 30, 2027. Keep a copy of each automated return; a filing service might ask for your past returns.
- From your Shopify admin, go to Finance > Tax filing.
- Click the tax return that you want to download.
- In the Documents section, click Return report.
- Repeat for each return you want to keep.
Filing yourself: which Shopify reports to use
| Report | What Shopify says it's for |
|---|---|
| US sales tax: Jurisdiction report | Preparing a return yourself. Sales and tax collected for each jurisdiction and rate (state, county, city or special district), which matches how most state returns ask you to report. |
| US sales tax: Detailed transactions | Line-item detail for every tax line on every order, to export into other software, recalculate taxes elsewhere, or support an audit. |
| Total sales by order | A CSV with gross sales, net sales, taxes, returns and shipping charges, for you or your accountant to work on returns. |
| Taxes finance report | A summary of the sales taxes applied to your sales. Use it to export more than one month at a time. |
Two limits to plan around. The US sales tax report shows at most 1,000 rows on screen, so export a CSV to see everything. And a CSV exported from it holds at most one month of data. If you file quarterly, semi-annually or annually, export each month or use the Taxes finance report for a longer-period summary.
Checks before you file a return by hand
- Start with the right return. Begin with the return after your last automated one, so no return is filed twice or missed.
- Handle marketplace sales on purpose. Marketplace facilitators such as Amazon, Etsy and TikTok collect and remit sales tax on sales through their platforms, but some states and localities require you to report those sales in your gross sales totals; Shopify's automated filing considerations page lists which states. Shopify's US sales tax report leaves third-party marketplace orders out of its state and jurisdiction views, and hides them by default in the transaction view. The Filed by channel column shows which sales a marketplace files for you. Meta stopped acting as a marketplace facilitator for orders created from August 26, 2025, so you're responsible for tax compliance on those Facebook and Instagram orders.
- Compare tax due with tax collected. Shopify notes that the tax due on a return should generally equal the tax collected during the period, with possible differences in states that impose additional gross receipts taxes or allow filing discounts. A bigger gap is worth explaining before you file.
- Look for refunds entered as a custom amount. When a refund isn't tied to a line item, Shopify doesn't refund the tax, and it stays in the US sales tax report. More on this and other tax discrepancies.
- Export recent periods early. With a one-month CSV limit, collecting a quarter or a year of exports takes longer than you'd expect the week a return is due.
If you'd rather use a filing service
Shopify lists two third-party filing services with promotions for merchants moving from automated filing, and says you don't need to use either: you can file yourself with your Shopify Tax reports, work with a tax professional, or use another service. Pricing and services are set by each service, not by Shopify. Shopify's points to compare:
- Pricing: some charge per return, others per state per month. Compare against how many states you file in and how often.
- Included services: some include state registrations, local filings and help with state notices; others charge separately.
- Start date: the service needs to start with the return after your last automated return.
- Authorization: some states require a power of attorney or login credentials before a service can file for you.
Where TaxDelta fits
We make TaxDelta, a Shopify app that checks the tax you collected for common errors before you file. It looks for orders where more tax was refunded than the refunded items and shipping should have carried, refunds entered without line items or shipping, and, once you tell it which states you're registered in, tax collected for any other state. What you see for each check depends on your plan. TaxDelta doesn't file returns or produce a return for you; it only reads your orders. Read how TaxDelta works. Free and paid plans available. See the TaxDelta listing on the Shopify App Store for features and plans.
Filing by hand in 2027? We're considering a filing-ready report in TaxDelta: state-by-state totals ready for a hand-filed return. Join the waitlist and we'll tell you if we build it.
Common questions
When does Shopify automated tax filing end?
Automated filing with Shopify Tax files your returns for sales made through December 31, 2026. In New York it also files the full December 2026 to February 2027 quarterly return. Your last automated return depends on how often you file: December 2026 for monthly filers, October to December 2026 for quarterly, July to December 2026 for semi-annual, and 2026 for annual.
Can I still sign up for Shopify automated tax filing?
No. Shopify says automated filing is closed to new enrollment, and only stores that are already enrolled can use it.
What do I need to download before automated filing ends?
A copy of each automated return. From your Shopify admin, go to Finance > Tax filing, click the return, and in the Documents section click Return report. Repeat for each return. You can download your filing records until April 30, 2027.
Do I need to turn off automated filing?
No. Automated filing ends after your last return is filed, and Shopify Tax continues to calculate sales tax for your store. You aren't charged for automated filing after your last return.
Do I report marketplace sales when I file myself?
Marketplace facilitators such as Amazon, Etsy and TikTok collect and remit sales tax on sales through their platforms, but some states and localities require you to report those sales in your gross sales totals. Shopify's US sales tax report leaves marketplace orders out of its state and jurisdiction views and hides them by default in the transaction view, and the Filed by channel column shows which sales a marketplace files for you.
Related guides
Sources
- Shopify Help Center: Filing your taxes after automated filing ends
- Shopify Help Center: Automated filing with Shopify Tax
- Shopify Help Center: Eligibility and considerations for using automated filing with Shopify Tax
- Shopify Help Center: Tax reports
- Shopify Help Center: Finance reports (United States sales tax report)
Questions: support@alpenglowsoftware.com