Seller's guide
Sales tax in Michigan
Everything an online seller needs to know about sales tax in Michigan: the rate, when you have to register, marketplace rules, filing, and when you can cancel — in plain English.
- Statewide base rate
- 6%
- Economic threshold
- $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions
- Marketplace law
- Yes
- Trailing nexus
- ≈ 12 mo
- Tax authority
- Michigan Department of Treasury
Source: Michigan Department of Treasury
Nexus & savings calculator
Estimate whether you still have nexus in Michigan — and what canceling could save.
- Physical presence
- Sales over $100,000
- Over 200 transactions
You likely still have nexus in Michigan because of more than 200 transactions — Michigan still counts transactions. Keep filing here for now.
Trailing nexus: Michigan applies trailing nexus — expect to keep filing for roughly 12 months after your nexus ends. Confirm the exact window before canceling.
Filing cost here today
$600/ yr
Estimate only — general education, not tax advice. Confirm with Michigan's tax authority before you register or deregister.
Do you need to collect sales tax in Michigan?
You have a duty to collect once you have nexus: physical presence (inventory, staff, an office) or economic nexus from crossing $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions over previous calendar year (January 1 – December 31). Michigan still counts transactions: crossing 200 transactions creates nexus even on modest revenue.
The Michigan rate
Michigan has a flat 6% statewide sales tax with no local sales taxes — the 6% rate applies uniformly across the entire state. A reduced 4% rate applies to residential use of natural gas, electricity, and home heating fuels.
Marketplace and direct sales
Marketplaces like Amazon collect Michigan tax for you, but those sales still count toward your threshold. Direct sales on your own store you collect yourself.
Filing and zero returns
Once registered, Michigan requires a return every assigned period even when you owe $0 — miss one and you can face penalties. Filing frequency is assigned by the Michigan Department of Treasury based on projected and then actual tax liability.
When you can cancel
If your Michigan returns are mostly $0, you may be over-registered. Canceling your Michigan sales tax registration makes sense once a full calendar year has passed in which your sales into the state fell below both $100,000 in gross revenue AND 200 transactions — at that point you can close the account effective January 1 of the following year and stop filing. The key catch is the trailing obligation: if you dropped below thresholds in 2025, you must still file and collect throughout all of 2025 before canceling on January 1, 2026, so deregistering too early creates back-tax liability.
Where TrailingZero fits
TrailingZero connects to your store read-only, maps where you actually have nexus state by state, and maps your real nexus in Michigan and flags whether you should register, keep filing, or cancel. 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.
Michigan Sales tax guide FAQ
- Does Michigan have a sales tax?
- Yes. The statewide base rate is 6%. Remote sellers collect it once they have nexus.
- When do I have to register for sales tax in Michigan?
- When you have physical presence there or cross $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions over previous calendar year (January 1 – December 31).
- Can I cancel my Michigan registration if I'm under the threshold?
- Generally yes, after clearing Michigan's trailing-nexus window and filing a final return.
- 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.
More on Michigan sales tax
See what you can stop paying in Michigan
Run a free audit and see which registrations you can drop — in minutes, no card required.
Other states
See all states →Sources
Primary sources reviewed for this page. Data current as of June 2026.
- https://www.michigan.gov/taxes/-/media/Project/Websites/treasury/RAB/2021/RAB-2021-21-SUW---Nexus-Remote-Sellers.pdf%20(RAB%202021-21%20%E2%80%94%20primary%20authority,%20Michigan%20Dept%20of%20Treasury)
- https://www.salestaxinstitute.com/resources/economic-nexus-state-guide%20(Sales%20Tax%20Institute%20economic%20nexus%20chart,%20data%20date%205/4/2026)
- https://www.taxjar.com/blog/nexus/economic-nexus-michigan%20(TaxJar%20Michigan%20economic%20nexus%20guide)
- https://www.avalara.com/taxrates/en/state-rates/michigan/michigan-sales-tax-guide.html%20(Avalara%20Michigan%20sales%20tax%20guide)
- https://www.avalara.com/blog/en/north-america/2021/12/can-remote-seller-deregister-if-sales-drop-below-economic-nexus-threshold.html%20(Avalara%20deregistration%20blog)
- https://www.numeral.com/blog/michigan-sales-tax-guide%20(Numeral%20Michigan%20guide)
- https://thetaxvalet.com/blog/how-to-cancel-your-sales-tax-permit%20(TaxValet%20permit%20cancellation%20guide)
- https://www.streamlinedsalestax.org/state-details/michigan%20(SST%20state%20details%20%E2%80%94%20Michigan%20full%20member%20since%2010/1/2005)
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.