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🧾 How to Apply a Tax Exemption for Stripe M2 Terminal Hardware Orders

 

If your organization is a registered non-profit, you may be eligible to have sales tax waived on Stripe Terminal hardware orders, such as the M2 card reader. This process is handled directly with Stripe and requires submitting your state sales tax exemption certificate. This article walks through exactly what to do.

⚠️If your organization is tax exempt, submit your exemption certificate to Stripe Support before purchasing your M2 card reader. If you have already purchased and were charged tax, you can request a refund by following the Step 2. below. 

ℹ️ This process applies per account. Each non-profit organization needs to submit its own exemption certificate to Stripe. Exemption rules are also state-specific, so not every state grants blanket sales tax exemption to non-profits.

📋 Before You Start

Make sure you have the following ready before reaching out to Stripe:

Your state sales tax exemption certificate: this must be for the state that matches the shipping address on your hardware order. A 501(c)(3) IRS determination letter alone may not be enough. Many states require a separate state-level exemption form in addition to or instead of the federal determination letter.

Your Stripe account information: the legal entity name and business address on your Stripe account should match what appears on your exemption certificate. If they do not match, Stripe may not be able to process the exemption.

Your Stripe account ID: Contact your Account Manager in your admin under Training/Support>Request Support to receive your Stripe Account Id


📧 Step 1: Submit Your Certificate to Stripe Support

Email support@stripe.com with the following information:

  • Your Stripe account ID 
  • Your signed exemption certificate as a PDF attachment
  • A written request to apply the exemption to future Terminal hardware orders

ℹ️ If your state's exemption form requires a seller name, use: Stripe, Inc., 354 Oyster Point Blvd, South San Francisco, CA 94080

💰 Step 2: Request a Refund for Past Orders (If Applicable)

If sales tax was already charged on a previous hardware order, you can request a refund in the same email. Include the following in your support request:

  • The order number(s) for any past orders where tax was charged
  • The corresponding invoice(s)

Stripe will review your request and issue a refund for the tax amount on those orders if your exemption is approved.

✅ What Happens Next

Stripe will review your submission and confirm once the exemption has been applied to your account. Once approved, future Terminal hardware orders placed through your Stripe account will not be charged sales tax.

💡 Keep a copy of your submitted exemption certificate and the confirmation from Stripe for your records. If your exemption certificate has an expiration date, you will need to resubmit when it expires.

⚠️ Things to Keep in Mind

Each non-profit organization must submit its own certificate, this cannot be done as a group submission on behalf of multiple accounts. If your organization operates in multiple states or ships hardware to different states, you may need separate exemption certificates for each state. When in doubt, check with your state's department of revenue or a tax advisor for guidance on what your state requires.