California Sales Tax Module

response to creeperkat, jeremy7786, wickedstangs, perhaps others:

Regarding the message displayed on the Order Total section of the checkout process that reads "select zip from local_zips where zip='#####'" where ##### is a zip code:

First, if the message also mentions "does not exist" then do as DrByte mentions: verify that your local_zips table has been installed in your database. If you have a unique table prefix, you must go through the code in includes/modules/order_total/ot_zip_tax.php and add the prefix to every instance of 'local_zips'. For instance, I use the characters"as" for the prefix to my tables so I changed each instance of 'local_zips" to 'as_local_zips'.

This should eliminate the "does not exist" message, however you may still get the rest of the message ("select zip from local_zips where zip='#####'). If you would like to remove this message from your displays then open the following file in an editor:

file: [I][B]includes/modules/order_total/ot_zip_tax.php[/B][/I]
Find the following lines:
[I]$selstr = "select zip from local_zips where zip='$zip'";[/I]
[I]echo $selstr;[/I]
 
Change to:
[I]$selstr = "SELECT zip FROM local_zips WHERE zip='$zip'";[/I]
[I]// echo $selstr;[/I]

That should clear it up.

Also, I found an error in the included readme.txt file for this contribution:

In the instructions "to install the database version:" in step 3 there are two files you should copy to your store. The second one reads includes/modules/ot_zip_tax.php when it should read includes/modules/order_total/ot_zip_tax.php.

It's possible a similar error appears in step 2 of the instructions "to install inline zip version" but I didn't use that method so have not verified it as an error.

Once I made the above changes I found this contribution to work very smoothly.
Ron

ronlee67 Nice fix thanks..

A desireable enhancement would be to provide for additional taxes for specific zip codes.

For instance, in my case I have four separate jurisdictions to consider. Each covers different or overlapping geographical/political areas.

My store is located in all four areas.

The four jurisdictions are:

1. State
2. County
3. Rural Transport Authority (RTA)*
4. City

*The RTA tax involves several communities within the county but does not cover the entire county.

Since I am located in all four, I have to collect tax for one of these combinations depending on where the order is delivered:

1. Out of state (no tax)
2. In state, but not in my city or county (2.9%)
3. In-state, in-county (2.9% + 1%=3.9%)
4. in-state, in-county, within RTA areas (2.9%+1%+1%=4.9%)
   5 in-state, in-county, in city (and by default: within RTA because my city is within RTA). (2.9%+1+1%+2.5%=7.4%)

In my case differentiating these areas by zip code combinations would work fine. It still leaves a problem when a zip code extends outside a taxing area. The only idea that comes to mind would be to add a flag table in the database that would allow the administrator to flag specific accounts to override default tax or taxes. (This could also be used by the administrator to flag any accounts that are tax exempt). In order to do that efficiently, code would need to be written to provide this functionality in the admin console.

Anybody got any thoughts on this or perhaps someone willing to write a new version?

I had thought this was functioning correctly when I installed it - at least it appeared to be! Today I've been alerted to an issue.

Everything is being taxed. I have one tax class: Taxable Goods - items that are set to none are getting taxed. It does appear to be working correctly with that execption. Any thoughts appreciated.

Oh, and one other thing... I used the above comment to get rid of

"select zip from local_zips where zip='#####'"

Now it just displays FALSE

I'm in Vermont, so the zip codes begin with zero which is left off when the above was displayed before I commented out "echo $selstr;"

Thanks...

I been lookin' for something like this too! Can't wait to try it out (it's pretty far down the development list right now).

Is it coincidence that BOE could also mean 'Bane Of my Existance'?

Due to needing it, I modified this..modification.. to store the relative tax rates along with the zip codes in the database, and automatically plug in the correct one in a customers order.

In the attached archive is the modified ot_zip_tax.php to go in the '/includes/modules/order_total' folder, as well as an SQL file that has the information for every zip code in California (I believe...).

So, replace the file, run the SQL statements, and you should be good.

-Joel

PS - I hope it was alright to modify this and share it, all copyright info was left intact. Just let me know if this isn't kosher.

PPS - I'm not really a PHP coder, but it worked fine in my store.

Heh, forgot to attach. Here ya go :lookaroun

CFE, great job on the mod. I did work on similar mod and worked but yours is a cleaner implementation. I could share my sql which has more zip entries and tax rates (ie. i noticed you didn't include 8.275%, 7.875%)

Again, nice work!

Whoops, here is the sql I mentioned about.
Disclaimer: The file is 'Use as is'. :smile:

Thx woogle, glad it worked for you.

Where did you get your zips?

How is this different from the old zip file? I still have the old zip file on my site. Everything in my zip code gets charged 7.75% and every other city in California 7.25% out of state no tax...

cfe,
I got them via melissa data

wickedstangs,

cfe's mod determines the appropriate tax rates via a zip code-based lookup table. The lookup table is created using BOE's publication of CA District Taxes as a reference.

w00gle:

wickedstangs,

cfe's mod determines the appropriate tax rates via a zip code-based lookup table. The lookup table is created using BOE's publication of CA District Taxes as a reference.

Oh that is cool thanks for the info..

Does this work with 1.3.8?

This question was asked previously but I think not answered.

Does anyone know if this will work with NY State?

Has anyone been successful in implementing this plugin for NY?

Thanks.

Just wandered into this thread ... not sure which version in these 4 pages to download/use? Thanks SO much to the talented folks who have developed these mods ... can't wait to implement, but want to be sure I'm using the right one :)

We are an Ohio company with a presence in CA. Is it possible to use this module still? What would we need to modify in order to make it work correctly? Thanks in advance.

After a few rounds of email to Adam Lieberman who wrote the QuickBooks Integration module (QBI), I would like to share my findings for those store owners with a business presence in California.

If you ship your products from your home or from a sales/shipping office in California using a carrier (FedEx, UPS) to do the pickup and delivery, you could save yourself a lot of complicated processing both in Zen Cart as well as in QuickBooks and also be BOE compliant with your CA sales tax returns.

Stating that your company ships FOB Shipping Point means that the customer assumes title to the product at the point that the carrier picks up the order for shipping. This also means that you must charge the customer the CA sales tax based on your shipping location -- not the customers shipping destination. One tax rate (for your shipping office / store location in CA) would then apply to all online sales inside CA. Of course you would not need to charge sales tax to customers outside of CA (if you only have a presence in CA).

You have another benefit with FOB Origin. If there is damage to the products in transit, the customer claims directly from the carrier without your intervention as the title to the goods has passed to the customer upon pickup by the carrier.
It would always be good customer service to help your customer with their claim.

It is also important when you have free shipping, that FOB Shipping Point is replaced or supplemented by the International Commerce term (Incoterm) "Free Shipping FCA".

All these terms can be easily researched. Please feel free to check this out with your accountant, commerical attorney as well as with BOE.

I hope this helps to uncomplicate a really complicated CA sales tax situation.

Richard.