This free service allows businesses to submit their customer address database and receive the location code and sales tax rate for each Washington State address. Follow the instructions below to send us your customer address database.
What we’ll send you
The results should be available within two business days. You will receive an email when the results are ready. The following files will be returned:
- The results file will contain the original data with results for each record. Location code and tax rate will be listed if found.
- To make it easier for you to identify addresses that could not be found, an error file will be created that contains only those records where a location code and tax rate could not be found. An explanation of why will be included.
The links and files will remain available until the last day of the current quarter.
Note: Tax rates provided for King County do not include the King County food and beverage tax. If you operate a restaurant, tavern, or bar you must add the .5% King County Food & Beverage tax to the tax rate.
File Format Requirements
- File must be in a comma or tab delimited text format.
- Comma Delimited example: Cust01,123 Oak St,Olympia,WA,98502
- Tab Delimited example: Cust01 123 Oak St Olympia WA 98502
- One address per record.
- Do not include column headers containing field names in the file.
- All records must have the same number of fields.
- Zip and +4 are either in a single field for all records, or ZIP and +4 are in separate fields for all records.
Example:
- 01,123 Oak St,Olympia,WA,985021234
- 02,987 Pine St,Olympia,WA,985069876
OR
- 01,123 Oak St,Olympia,WA,98502,1234
- 02,987 Pine St,Olympia, WA,98506,9876
- Only the following fields will be accepted in the following order:
| Field Name |
Description |
Format |
Length |
| Record No or Customer Name |
Field used to correlate the results back to your database. |
alpha/numeric |
n/a |
| Address |
Number, street name, direction (Suite, Apt, Lot are not required) |
alpha/numeric |
n/a |
| City |
Name of city |
alpha |
n/a |
| State |
Two character state abbreviation (WA only) |
alpha |
2 |
| Zip Code and +4 |
5, 9 or 10 digits (i.e. 98513, 98513-2452, 985132452) |
numeric/character |
10 |
| Plus 4 Zip Code |
4 digit zip (5 digit zip in the field above ONLY) |
Numeric |
4 |
Examples of acceptable file formats:
Tab-delimited file
Comma-delimited file
How to save your database in the correct format before submitting
Comma delimited:
- Click FILE
- Choose SAVE AS
- In the SAVE AS TYPE drop-down box, select CSV (*.csv)
- Click the SAVE button
Tab delimited:
- Click FILE
- Choose SAVE AS
- In the SAVE AS TYPE drop-down box, select Text (*.txt)
- Click the SAVE button
Examples of results and error files
Results file
Error file
Location codes and tax rates change quarterly
Tax rates and location codes can change on a quarterly basis. It is your responsibility to make sure your database has the current tax rates and location codes.
To ensure your database has the most up-to-date information:
- Refer to our Local Sales & Use Tax Rates & Changes publication to update your database with the current tax rates and location codes; or
- Submit your database at the beginning of every quarter. The quarters begin on the following dates:
- Quarter 1 January 1
- Quarter 2 April 1
- Quarter 3 July 1
- Quarter 4 October 1
Are you ready to submit your customer database?
Questions?
For questions about the Customer Database Conversion Service, call Tracye Fralick at (360) 902-7016, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST, or send an e-mail to TracyeF@dor.wa.gov.
For questions about Destination-based Sales Tax and other tools, call 1-800-647-7706 or send an email.
Join the Customer Database Conversion Listserv and we’ll e-mail you information about this service.