Sales Tax PolicyUpdated 14 hours ago

1. The short version

If your order ships to one of the 33 states or Puerto Rico listed below, we collect sales tax at checkout. Your local rate is calculated automatically based on your shipping address.

If your order ships to any other US state, we don't collect sales tax. You may still owe use tax in your state. That's between you and your state's tax authority.

International orders are tax-free at our checkout, but you're responsible for any duties, customs fees, and brokerage charges your country applies on arrival.

2. Where we collect US sales tax

We collect sales tax on orders shipped to the following 33 states and Puerto Rico:

The exact rate depends on your shipping address. State, county, and city rates all combine into the total tax line you see at checkout.

Why these states and not others? Every state sets its own rules for when an out-of-state seller has to collect sales tax. For most of these states it's economic nexus: once we cross a sales threshold (typically $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions per year), we're required to register and collect. Indiana is our home state, so we've always collected there.

We add states as our sales footprint changes. If a state isn't on the list today and your order ships there, no tax is collected at checkout.

3. How sales tax is calculated

Tax is calculated automatically by Shopify Tax at checkout using your shipping address. The line on your receipt shows the combined state, county, and local rate that applies to that address.

We don't mark items up to cover tax. The tax line is what gets remitted to the state. None of it stays with HeliDirect.

4. Tax-exempt orders (resellers, schools, government, nonprofits)

If you qualify for sales tax exemption (resale certificate, government purchase order, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, or other valid exemption), email [email protected] with:

1. Your business or organization name
2. A copy of your valid exemption certificate for the state you're shipping to
3. The order or quote you want exempted (if you've already started one)

We'll review and apply the exemption to your account. Once approved, future orders to that shipping state ship tax-free under the same certificate.

We can only exempt orders for states where we collect tax. If you're shipping to a state we don't collect in, there's nothing to exempt.

5. International orders and customs

For orders shipping outside the US, we don't collect any sales tax or VAT at our checkout. What you may owe on arrival:

• Import duties and customs fees set by your country
• VAT, GST, or local sales tax assessed at the border
• Carrier brokerage fees, especially common on UPS shipments to Canada

These charges are set and collected by your country's customs agency and your delivery carrier. HeliDirect doesn't collect them, can't estimate them in advance, and can't refund or reimburse them.

A few things to know before you order:

• We ship at the full declared customs value with accurate paperwork. We don't undervalue shipments or modify documents.
• If you refuse a package or don't pay the duties on arrival, the order is abandoned at customs. We can't refund or reship in that case.
• Check your country's import rules before placing the order. Customs sites or a quick call to your local customs office is the safest way to estimate what you'll owe.

Canadian customers using UPS

UPS isn't a bonded carrier in Canada, so they charge a brokerage fee on top of standard duties for clearing your package through Canadian customs. This fee is set by UPS, paid by you, and outside our control.

If you'd rather avoid the UPS brokerage fee, choose USPS at checkout when available. Canada Post handles USPS deliveries and brokerage on those shipments is typically lower.

6. Common questions

I live in a state on your list. Can I avoid the tax?

Only with a valid exemption certificate (see Section 4). Otherwise sales tax is a legal requirement, not a HeliDirect choice.

I live in a state that isn't on your list. Do I still owe tax?

We don't collect sales tax at checkout for your state. Most states require buyers to self-report and pay "use tax" on out-of-state purchases through their state income tax return. Whether you do so is between you and your state.

Why did you start collecting tax in my state recently?

States set economic nexus thresholds (usually $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions per year). When our sales to your state cross the threshold, we're legally required to register and start collecting.

I'm a reseller / school / nonprofit. How do I set up tax-exempt purchasing?

Email [email protected] with your exemption certificate. Section 4 covers the details.

My international order has a huge customs bill. Can you help?

We can't reduce, refund, or absorb duties or brokerage fees. Those are set by your country's government and your carrier. If the bill is higher than you expected and you refuse the package, the order is forfeited.

Will you mark my international order as a gift or use a lower value?

No. We declare the full purchase value with accurate documentation. Falsifying customs paperwork is illegal in both the US and the destination country.

Still have questions? Email [email protected] with your order number.