--- title: "How to configure tax rates for payments | Helcim Learn" slug: "set-up-taxes" description: "Learn how to customize your tax settings, edit regional rates, and set up custom labels for accurate tax calculation on Helcim." updated: 2025-12-15T16:29:16Z published: 2025-12-15T16:29:16Z canonical: "learn.helcim.com/set-up-taxes" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.helcim.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Set up taxes for your Helcim account Before you start selling, you need to make sure your tax rates are accurate. While Helcim comes with default rates, it is important to review them to ensure you are collecting the right amount. This guide covers how to access your tax settings, edit rates, and choose how taxes are calculated based on location. --- **In this article** - [Accessing your tax settings](/v1/docs/set-up-taxes#accessing-your-tax-settings) - [Editing tax regions and rates](/v1/docs/set-up-taxes#editing-tax-regions-and-rates) - [Adding an international tax region](/v1/docs/set-up-taxes#adding-an-international-tax-region) - [Business location vs. customer location](/v1/docs/set-up-taxes#business-location-vs-customer-location) - [Next steps](/v1/docs/set-up-taxes#next-steps) - [FAQs](/v1/docs/set-up-taxes#faqs) --- ## Accessing your tax settings --- You can manage all your tax rates in the **Checkout Charges** section of your account. 1. Log in to your Helcim account. 2. Select **Settings** from the main menu or the **All Tools** menu . 3. Select **Checkout Charges** from the menu on the left . Here, you will see a list of tax regions, such as Canada or the United States. ![Setting up your taxes in the 'checkout charges' section of Helcim settings page.](https://cdn.document360.io/4e721329-1a9d-4ef0-8d2f-497e0c1f185a/Images/Documentation/setup-taxes.png) ## Editing tax regions and rates --- If the default rate for your province or state has changed, or if you need to adjust the tax name, you can edit these settings easily. 1. In the **Checkout Charges** page, click **Edit** next to the tax region you want to change (e.g. United States). 2. To change the country-wide tax, edit the **Tax Name** and **Tax Rate** at the top. 3. To change a specific state or province, scroll down to the list of regions. 4. Update the **Tax Name** or **Tax Rate** for that specific area. 5. You can also select whether the state or province rate is: - Added to the country tax. - Used instead of the country tax. - Applied after the country tax. 6. Click **Save** to apply your changes. ![Changing the tax name, rate and calculation in the Helcim settings page.](https://cdn.document360.io/4e721329-1a9d-4ef0-8d2f-497e0c1f185a/Images/Documentation/editing-a-tax-region.png) ## Adding an international tax region --- Currently, Helcim supports **one** additional tax region outside of Canada and the US. This is labeled as an "International" tax region . 1. In the **Checkout Charges** page, click **Add region**. 2. Choose a country name from the dropdown. 3. Enter a **Tax Name** and **Tax Rate** for your international customers. 4. Click **Save**. ## ![Adding tax regions in the 'checkout charges' settings page for a Helcim account](https://cdn.document360.io/4e721329-1a9d-4ef0-8d2f-497e0c1f185a/Images/Documentation/editing-tax-region.png)Business location vs. customer location --- When creating an invoice with Helcim, you can choose the default logic Helcim uses to calculate tax. This setting determines which tax rate is pulled when a transaction occurs. - **Customer location:** The system calculates tax based on the shipping or billing address of the customer. - **Business location:** The system calculates tax based on your business's physical address, regardless of where the customer is located. You can adjust this preference with the steps below. 1. In the **Checkout Charges** settings page we referenced above, look for **Invoice tax location**. 2. Use the dropdown to select one of the following - **Based on merchant terminal:** Defaults to the business location. - **Based on customer:** Defaults to the customer location. 3. The setting will be saved once you select and click away from the dropdown. --- ### Important note for US merchants Sales tax rules in the US can be complex. Some states are **origin-based** (charging tax based on where you, the seller, are located), while others are **destination-based** (charging tax based on where the buyer receives the product). We recommend consulting with a tax professional or accountant to determine which setting is compliant for your specific business and state. --- ## Next steps --- Now that you've set up your taxes, you're well on your way to accepting payments! Next, let's get you set up with what you need to process transactions. - To look at how to actually apply these taxes when making a sale, check out our article on [taxes during checkout.](/v1/docs/applying-taxes-during-checkout) - If your business takes payments in-person, check out our article on [ordering equipment](https://learn.helcim.com/docs/order-helcim-equipment) to choose the best option for your business. - If you have a team that will be processing payments for you, check out our article on [adding employees](https://learn.helcim.com/docs/add-employees-to-your-helcim-account) to your Helcim account - If you’re ready to take a payment, skip ahead to our article on [processing your first transaction.](https://learn.helcim.com/docs/take-your-first-payment) --- ### FAQs **Can I create a tax rate for a specific city or county?** Not directly. Helcim is set up for country, state, or provincial taxes only. However, you can use the custom label fields to rename a state tax to something specific (like "NYC Tax") if that helps your staff identify it. **How often should I review my tax settings?** We recommend checking them at least once a year. Since Helcim’s default rates do not update automatically, checking them annually helps ensure you remain compliant. **Can I add more than one tax rate for a single state?** No. Each state or province can only have one assigned tax rate. If you have multiple taxes that apply to one region, you should combine the percentages into one total rate.