Which state has the lower sales tax nexus threshold, Pennsylvania or Washington?

Both Pennsylvania and Washington publish the same economic nexus dollar threshold of $100,000, so a remote seller would reach each state's published threshold at the same level of in-state sales. These are the thresholds published by each state's tax authority as of 2026-05-30; confirm against the official source before registering.

Do both Pennsylvania and Washington have marketplace facilitator laws?

Yes. Both Pennsylvania and Washington have marketplace facilitator laws, so marketplaces such as Amazon, Etsy, and eBay collect and remit sales tax on the sales they facilitate in both states. Direct-to-consumer sales you make outside a marketplace remain your own responsibility once you cross each state's threshold. Verified 2026-05-30.

Which has the lower sales tax rate, Pennsylvania or Washington?

Pennsylvania has the lower combined state and local sales tax rate at 6.34%, compared with 9.51% in Washington. These are the statewide base rate plus the average local rate; the exact rate depends on the customer's delivery address. As of 2026-05-30.

Do I need to register for sales tax in both Pennsylvania and Washington?

It depends on where you cross each state's economic nexus threshold (or have physical presence there). Pennsylvania's published threshold is $100,000, and Washington's is $100,000. You generally register in a state only once you cross its threshold, so you may have an obligation in one, both, or neither. Run the nexus calculator with your actual sales and confirm with each state's official source. Thresholds as of 2026-05-30.

When did economic nexus take effect in Pennsylvania and Washington?

Pennsylvania's economic nexus rule took effect on 2019-07-01, and Washington's took effect on 2020-01-01. Both stem from the 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair Supreme Court decision, which let states require remote sellers to collect once an economic threshold is met.

Pennsylvania vs Washington Sales Tax: 6.34% vs 9.51%, Nexus 2026

Updated 2026-06-26

Reviewed by Nexus by State research team using official state tax sources. Last reviewed 2026-06-26.

Compare Pennsylvania and Washington sales tax rates: Pennsylvania shows a 6.34% combined state and average local rate with a $100,000 economic nexus threshold, while Washington shows 9.51% with a $100,000 threshold. This guide focuses on seller sales-tax obligations rather than personal income-tax returns.

Metric	Pennsylvania	Washington
Economic nexus threshold	$100,000	$100,000
Transaction threshold	None	None
State rate	6.00%	6.50%
Avg. local rate	0.34%	3.01%
Combined state + local	6.34%	9.51%
Marketplace facilitator	Yes	Yes
Effective since	2019-07-01	2020-01-01

Which state is easier for sellers?

For low-revenue sellers: nexus triggers first in both states because of its threshold. If you cross that first, you register there first.

On rate: Pennsylvania is friendlier for customers with a combined state + local rate of 6.34% vs 9.51%.

Neither state has a transaction-count trigger — only the dollar threshold matters.

Pennsylvania — nexus note

Pennsylvania sales tax nexus and economic nexus threshold: more than $100,000 in annual Pennsylvania gross sales, measured by calendar year, creates economic presence for remote sellers and marketplace facilitators (eff. 2019-07-01 under Act 13 of 2019 and Sales and Use Tax Bulletin 2019-01). Pennsylvania uses a sales-only threshold -- no transaction-count test. Gross sales include taxable and nontaxable sales across channels. A marketplace facilitator with no Pennsylvania physical presence counts both facilitated and direct Pennsylvania sales; a marketplace seller counts direct sales plus marketplace sales only when the facilitator does not collect Pennsylvania sales tax on its behalf. After the first collection year, Pennsylvania measures prior calendar-year sales and starts the annual collection period in the second quarter. The state rate is 6%, with local add-ons in Allegheny County (+1%) and Philadelphia (+2%). Pennsylvania 2026 sales/use tax filing calendars list monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and monthly-with-prepayment filer tracks; returns are due even when no taxable transactions occur in the period. Sellers without physical presence can use a Pennsylvania-certified service provider for registration, filing, collection, and remittance support. Pennsylvania DOR source data last retrieved 2026-05-30.

Washington — nexus note

Washington sales tax nexus and economic nexus threshold: $100,000 in gross receipts sourced or attributed to Washington in the current or prior year (eff. 2020-01-01). The transaction-count threshold was eliminated when this unified threshold took effect. Crossing the threshold registers a remote seller for both retail sales tax AND Business & Occupation (B&O) tax — Washington classifies remote-seller revenue under the Retailing B&O classification, and a "No Local Activity" deduction is available when the seller has no in-state physical B&O nexus. Marketplace facilitator law (RCW 82.08.0531; marketplace facilitator defined at RCW 82.08.010(15)) applies the same $100,000 Washington-receipts threshold to marketplaces — Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and Walmart collect and remit Washington sales tax on third-party transactions they facilitate, and have provided monthly Washington-sales reports to their sellers since 2019-07-01. Direct-to-consumer Washington sales you make outside any marketplace continue to count toward your own $100,000 economic-nexus calculation.

What to do next

Use the nexus calculator to check exactly which of Pennsylvania and Washington you've already triggered. Then read each state's full guide:

Pennsylvania overview →Washington overview →

Frequently asked questions

Which state has the lower sales tax nexus threshold, Pennsylvania or Washington?: Both Pennsylvania and Washington publish the same economic nexus dollar threshold of $100,000, so a remote seller would reach each state's published threshold at the same level of in-state sales. These are the thresholds published by each state's tax authority as of 2026-05-30; confirm against the official source before registering.
Do both Pennsylvania and Washington have marketplace facilitator laws?: Yes. Both Pennsylvania and Washington have marketplace facilitator laws, so marketplaces such as Amazon, Etsy, and eBay collect and remit sales tax on the sales they facilitate in both states. Direct-to-consumer sales you make outside a marketplace remain your own responsibility once you cross each state's threshold. Verified 2026-05-30.
Which has the lower sales tax rate, Pennsylvania or Washington?: Pennsylvania has the lower combined state and local sales tax rate at 6.34%, compared with 9.51% in Washington. These are the statewide base rate plus the average local rate; the exact rate depends on the customer's delivery address. As of 2026-05-30.
Do I need to register for sales tax in both Pennsylvania and Washington?: It depends on where you cross each state's economic nexus threshold (or have physical presence there). Pennsylvania's published threshold is $100,000, and Washington's is $100,000. You generally register in a state only once you cross its threshold, so you may have an obligation in one, both, or neither. Run the nexus calculator with your actual sales and confirm with each state's official source. Thresholds as of 2026-05-30.
When did economic nexus take effect in Pennsylvania and Washington?: Pennsylvania's economic nexus rule took effect on 2019-07-01, and Washington's took effect on 2020-01-01. Both stem from the 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair Supreme Court decision, which let states require remote sellers to collect once an economic threshold is met.

More sales tax comparisons

Selling into more than two states? Compare Pennsylvania and Washington against other major markets for nexus thresholds, rates, and marketplace facilitator rules.

More Pennsylvania comparisons

More Washington comparisons

Sources

date_retrieved: Pennsylvania 2026-05-30 · Washington 2026-05-26