The answer depends on whether you have “nexus” in that state. Nexus is the legal connection that gives a state the authority to require you to collect and remit sales tax. There are two types you need to understand.

Physical nexus exists when you have a tangible presence in a state. This includes employees working there, inventory stored in a warehouse, leased office space, or salespeople who travel there regularly. If you have physical presence, you almost certainly have sales tax obligations in that state regardless of how much you sell there.

Economic nexus is based purely on sales volume, regardless of physical presence. Since the 2018 Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, states can require out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax once they cross certain thresholds. Most states set this at $100,000 in annual sales or 200 transactions, though the specifics vary. Some states dropped the transaction count and only use the dollar amount. A few states like California set the bar higher at $500,000.

For e-commerce businesses, economic nexus is usually the trigger. If you’re shipping products to customers in multiple states from your Massachusetts location, you need to track sales by state. Once you approach the threshold in any state, you need to register, start collecting, and file returns on schedule.

Service businesses face a more complicated picture. Many states don’t tax services at all. Others tax certain services but not others. SaaS and digital products add another layer of complexity since states treat them inconsistently. You need to know exactly what you’re selling and how each state classifies it before assuming you don’t have obligations.

Here’s the practical approach. Track your sales by destination state from the beginning. Your accounting software should generate this report easily. Review those numbers quarterly so you’re not caught off guard when you cross a threshold in a new state.

Check each state’s specific rules before you hit their threshold. Some measure on a calendar year basis while others use trailing twelve months. Getting this wrong means you might miss your registration deadline or register prematurely.

Register before you collect. Collecting sales tax without being registered in that state creates problems. Once you register, you’re committed to filing returns on schedule even in periods when you owe nothing.

The consequences of ignoring nexus can be painful. States conduct audits and can assess back taxes plus interest and penalties going back several years. In some situations, business owners face personal liability for uncollected taxes. The cost of getting compliant now is almost always less than the cost of an audit later.

If you’re selling into multiple states and unsure where you stand, this is exactly the kind of situation where professional help makes sense. Sales tax compliance requires ongoing attention as your sales patterns change and as states update their rules. A small business bookkeeping service with multi-state experience can identify your current obligations, get you registered where needed, and keep you compliant going forward.