Understand how taxes are handled on Whop, when Whop collects and remits tax, and when sellers are responsible
As a seller, you may be required to charge taxes on your sales and report and remit those taxes to the appropriate government authorities. Tax laws vary by jurisdiction, product type, and buyer location and may change over time.Whop helps handle indirect tax collection in certain situations. In other cases, you are responsible for handling taxes yourself. This article explains when Whop collects and remits tax on your behalf and when sellers are responsible.
Whop provides tools and, in some cases, tax handling to help with compliance. However, you are responsible for understanding and meeting your tax obligations. If you’re unsure what applies to your business, consider consulting a tax professional.
Tax handling depends on how a sale occurs. Sales may come through Discover, where a customer finds and makes their purchase on Whop’s marketplace, or direct-to-consumer, where a sale is made directly by the merchant to the customer.
When a transaction occurs through Discover, it is generally treated as a marketplace sale. For Discover-attributable sales, Whop may be responsible for sales or other indirect tax and will, where required by law:
Determine whether the transaction is taxable based on product type, buyer location, and state or country specific rules
Calculate and collect applicable sales tax or similar indirect taxes at checkout
Remit collected taxes to the appropriate tax authorities
For Discover sales, Whop handles indirect tax collection and remittance in jurisdictions where it is legally required to do so. No extra action is needed from you for those Discover transactions.
When a transaction occurs through checkout links, embedded checkouts, or other external channels, it is not attributable to Discover.For these sales, you are responsible for:
Determining where you must charge tax
Registering with the appropriate tax authorities (where required)
Calculating and collecting the correct tax from buyers
Reporting and remitting taxes to the appropriate authorities
If you sell outside of Discover, you may be required to register with tax authorities, collect tax from buyers, and file returns. Requirements vary by location and sales volume.
Whop collects and remits applicable U.S. sales tax for eligible Discover-attributable transactions where required by law.Starting March 1, 2026, Whop will collect and remit U.S. sales tax on eligible Discover sales in the following jurisdictions:
ConnecticutDistrict of ColumbiaGeorgiaHawaiiIllinoisIndianaKentuckyLouisianaMarylandMichiganNew JerseyNorth CarolinaOhioPennsylvaniaSouth CarolinaTexasWashingtonWest Virginia
For sales outside Discover, you are responsible for determining where you have sales tax obligations, collecting the correct tax, and remitting it to the appropriate state or local authorities.
In the U.S., sales tax requirements differ by state and sometimes by city or county. Make sure your tax setup reflects where your buyers are located.
Whop currently maintains indirect tax registrations in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions, including the European Union and the United Kingdom.Under Whop’s current operating model, Whop generally collects and remits applicable indirect taxes on transactions processed through the platform.Foreign indirect tax collection and remittance are administered through third-party service providers, including Stripe and Taxually. Tax invoices issued for these transactions identify Whop as the party handling indirect tax.
In many countries, indirect taxes are determined by where the buyer is located, not where you’re based. If you are unsure what applies, consider consulting a tax professional.
Your responsibilities under Whop’s Terms of Service
Under Whop’s Terms of Service, all sellers are responsible for determining which taxes or fees apply to their products and services and for assessing, collecting, reporting, and remitting applicable taxes. Where required by law, Whop may withhold, collect, and remit taxes on your behalf.
You’re being charged sales tax because the tax rules in your location apply to this purchase. Based on where you’re located and what you’re buying, sales tax may be required and is added at checkout. If sales tax applies to your order, you’ll see it clearly at checkout before completing payment.
Is this a Whop fee?
No. Sales tax is a government tax, not a Whop fee. When Whop collects sales tax, we remit it to the appropriate tax authority as required.
Will I always see sales tax in these states?
Not necessarily. Whether tax applies depends on the delivery address and whether the item/service is taxable under local rules. If it applies, it will appear during checkout.
Why didn't I see sales tax before?
Starting March 1, 2026, Whop collects and remits sales tax for applicable Discover sales in the jurisdictions listed in our Help Center when required. Outside those jurisdictions (or for non-taxable items), sales tax may not appear.
I think the sales tax amount is wrong. What should I do?
Share your order number and the delivery ZIP code (and a screenshot of checkout if possible). We’ll review the order details and escalate for investigation if anything looks incorrect.
What happens to sales tax if I get a refund?
If an order is refunded, any applicable sales tax is generally refunded and adjusted along with the purchase (based on the refunded amount and transaction details).
I'm tax-exempt. Can you remove sales tax?
Tax exemption rules vary by jurisdiction and may require documentation. Contact Support with your order number (if available) and any exemption documentation so we can review what options are available.
Can you tell me what I owe for taxes?
We can explain how sales tax is handled for Discover transactions, but we can’t provide personalized tax advice. If you need guidance for your specific situation, consider speaking with a tax professional.
For Discover sales, when Whop is required to collect sales tax, Whop handles tax calculation, collection, and remittance for those transactions. No additional action is needed for those specific Discover orders.
Is sales tax included in the price presented to the buyer?
For Discover sales, when Whop is responsible for collecting sales tax, the tax is calculated and presented to the buyer at checkout in addition to the listed price.
Do I still have tax responsibilities as a seller?
Possibly. Even if Whop collects and remits sales tax on certain Discover sales, sellers may still have tax obligations in other situations (for example, non-Discover sales or other tax types). Requirements vary, so consider consulting a tax professional.
What about sales outside of Discover?
For non-Discover sales (such as checkout links, embedded checkouts, or other external/direct channels), the seller is generally responsible for determining applicable taxes, collecting them when required, and filing/remitting to tax authorities.
Where can I see how much sales tax was collected?
Sales tax, when applied, is shown on the order receipt and order details. Sellers can also use available reporting and exports to view tax amounts by order.
Will sales tax change my payout?
Sales tax is collected from the buyer (when applicable) and is separate from seller earnings. If you have a question about a specific payout, share the order number and we can help confirm how it appears in the order and payout details.
Can you provide proof that Whop remitted the sales tax?
We don’t provide copies of confidential tax returns or filings. Sellers can use transaction receipts and order records showing tax collected, plus the Help Center reference page listing where Whop currently collects and remits sales tax on Discover sales. If a tax authority requests additional documentation, we can escalate the request for review.
How often does Whop remit the sales tax?
Tax authorities set filing schedules (monthly, quarterly, etc.), which can vary. Whop remits taxes on the schedule required by the relevant tax authority.
Why am I being charged VAT (or another non-U.S. tax)?
Indirect taxes like VAT can apply based on the buyer’s location and what’s being purchased. If tax applies to your order, it will be included in your checkout total and/or reflected on the tax invoice for the transaction.
Is this a Whop fee?
No. VAT (or a similar indirect tax) is a government tax, not a Whop fee. When Whop is responsible for collecting it, Whop remits it to the appropriate tax authority.
Why does my invoice show Whop as the party handling VAT?
For certain non-U.S. transactions where Whop is responsible for indirect tax handling, tax invoices identify Whop as the party handling indirect tax for that transaction.
I need a VAT invoice. How do I get one?
If a tax invoice is available for your purchase, it will be accessible from your order details/receipt. If you cannot find it, share your order ID and we can help locate the correct invoice.
I think the VAT amount is wrong. What should I do?
We can help investigate. Please share your order ID, your billing country (and VAT ID if applicable), and a screenshot of the invoice/receipt showing the tax line. We’ll review and escalate if something looks off.
What happens to VAT if I get a refund?
If an order is refunded, any applicable indirect tax is generally adjusted accordingly based on the refunded amount and the transaction details.
Whop currently maintains indirect tax registrations in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions, including the EU and UK. Under the current operating model, Whop generally collects and remits indirect tax on transactions processed through the platform.
Can I request to handle VAT myself?
No. When Whop is required to collect and remit VAT (or other indirect taxes) for certain transactions processed through the platform, we can’t shift that responsibility to individual sellers.
Will this affect my payout?
Indirect taxes like VAT are charged to the buyer when applicable and are separate from seller earnings. If you have a question about a specific payout, share an order ID and we can confirm how tax appears in a transaction record.
Can you provide proof that Whop remitted the VAT?
We don’t provide copies of confidential tax returns or filings. Sellers can use transaction receipts and order records showing tax collected, plus the Help Center reference page listing where Whop currently collects and remits VAT. If a tax authority requests additional documentation, we can escalate the request for review.
How often does Whop remit the VAT?
Tax authorities set filing schedules (monthly, quarterly, etc.), which can vary. Whop remits taxes on the schedule required by the relevant tax authority.