What is trailing nexus?

Most states make you keep filing for a while after you drop below their threshold. California runs through the next full calendar year. Texas uses a rolling twelve months. We track each state's rule so you cancel on the right date, not too early.

Will I get in trouble for canceling a permit?

Not if you do it in the right order. We file every outstanding and final return first, then guide the cancellation. The real risk is canceling early or skipping a final return, which is exactly what we prevent.

Which platforms do you support?

Amazon, Shopify and WooCommerce, with BigCommerce, Etsy, Walmart and eBay supported through manual entry. You can also enter your states by hand on any platform.

Do you file my returns?

Yes. During the wind-down we file the zero-dollar returns so nothing lapses, and once you're deregistered in a state there's nothing left to file.

How is this different from Avalara or TaxJar?

They help you register and file more. We help you deregister and file less. We only charge for the states you keep.

No. TrailingZero is software that flags deregistration opportunities and handles filings. For complex situations we tell you when to bring in your accountant.

Is TrailingZero live?

Yes. Free audits are live now — run yours in minutes. Connect a store read-only or enter your registered states by hand to see which you can cancel and what it saves.

If I only sell on Amazon, do I need to register in California?

Often no for those facilitated sales, since the marketplace collects and remits. But the sales still count toward your threshold, so direct sales can change the answer.

No. This page is general education built from public sources and the rules change often. Confirm your specific situation with the state's tax authority or your accountant before you register or deregister.

Marketplace facilitator law

California marketplace facilitator law

If you sell on Amazon, Etsy, eBay or Walmart, California's marketplace facilitator law decides who collects the tax — the platform or you. Here's how it works and what it means for your own registration.

By John DoeReviewed by Jane Doe, CPAUpdated June 2026How we verify

Has a marketplace law?: Yes
Facilitator collects & remits?: Yes
In effect since: October 2019
Counts toward your threshold?: Yes

Source: California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA)

Does California have a marketplace facilitator law?

California's Marketplace Facilitator Act (AB 147, amended by AB 1402 effective January 1, 2022) designates the marketplace facilitator as the retailer and requires it to collect and remit sales/use tax on all sales facilitated through its platform for California delivery. The Act became operative October 1, 2019. Marketplace sellers selling exclusively through a registered facilitator are generally not required to hold their own CDTFA seller's permit.

Do you still need your own permit?

If you sell only through registered marketplaces in California, the platform collects and remits the tax, so you often don't need your own permit for those sales. But the catch: those sales still count toward your economic-nexus threshold, so direct sales through your own store can still require you to register.

Direct sales (Shopify, WooCommerce) are different

Sales through your own store aren't facilitated by anyone — you collect California tax on those yourself once you're registered. Many sellers are registered in California only because of marketplace sales the platform already handles, which is exactly the kind of registration worth reviewing.

Where TrailingZero fits

TrailingZero connects to your store read-only, maps where you actually have nexus state by state, and separates your marketplace-collected sales from your direct sales in California, so you only stay registered where you truly need to be. During any wind-down it can file the zero-dollar returns so nothing lapses — and you only pay for the states you genuinely keep. Run a free audit anytime; this page is free education either way.

California Marketplace law FAQ

Does California require marketplaces to collect sales tax?: Yes. California's Marketplace Facilitator Act (AB 147, amended by AB 1402 effective January 1, 2022) designates the marketplace facilitator as the retailer and requires it to collect and remit sales/use tax on all sales facilitated through its platform for California delivery.
If I only sell on Amazon, do I need to register in California?: Often no for those facilitated sales, since the marketplace collects and remits. But the sales still count toward your threshold, so direct sales can change the answer.
Is this tax advice?: No. This page is general education built from public sources and the rules change often. Confirm your specific situation with the state's tax authority or your accountant before you register or deregister.

See what you can stop paying in California

Run a free audit and see which registrations you can drop — in minutes, no card required.

Start free →Free audit · no card required.

Other states

See all states →

Sources

Primary sources reviewed for this page. Data current as of June 2026.

TrailingZerois software, not a CPA or law firm, and this page is general education — not tax or legal advice. State rules and thresholds change frequently; confirm your situation with the state's tax authority or your accountant before you register or deregister. See how we research and review this data in our editorial & accuracy policy.