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New York State Sales Tax Guide
Records and bookkeeping

Keeping your New York sales tax records straight

Missed due dates and missing exemption certificates are the two things that hurt sales tax filers most, and both are paperwork problems. These are the ordinary tools people use to prevent them, linked to Amazon search results. This page earns a commission on some purchases.

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First, what you are required to keep

Which records a New York vendor must keep, and for how long, is set by the Department of Taxation and Finance — not by a product listing. Confirm the current requirements with the Department and see our forms and resources page. None of what follows is required.

Due dates you can see

Our due date calculator works out your next deadline; a wall planner keeps it in front of you.

Exemption certificates and receipts

A customer's exemption certificate only helps you if you can produce it later. Our exemption certificates page explains what each one is for; a binder with page protectors is the usual way to keep them by customer.

Storing and disposing of paper

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