Tax collection in SpaSphere is a simple toggle-and-rate configuration that automatically applies the correct tax amount to every checkout. You set your rates once, and SpaSphere calculates tax on every invoice from that point forward -- no manual math, no forgotten charges, no end-of-day discrepancies.

SpaSphere is not a tax advisor

SpaSphere provides tools to collect and track sales tax, but we do not provide tax advice. Tax laws vary by state, county, and city, and the rules for taxing services versus products differ significantly across jurisdictions. It is your responsibility to determine the correct tax rates and rules for your business location. We strongly recommend consulting a tax professional or your local tax authority to confirm which rates apply to your spa services and retail products. SpaSphere applies exactly the rates you configure -- we do not validate whether those rates are correct for your jurisdiction.

Why This Matters for Your Spa

Collecting the right amount of sales tax is a legal requirement in most jurisdictions, and getting it wrong creates problems in both directions. Under-collecting means you owe the difference out of pocket when you file. Over-collecting erodes client trust and can create compliance issues of its own. Manual tax calculation at the register is error-prone, especially during busy periods when your front desk is processing multiple clients back to back. By configuring your rates in SpaSphere, every invoice, receipt, and transaction record shows the exact tax amount -- which makes bookkeeping straightforward and tax filing predictable.

Key Capabilities

Configure separate tax rates for products and services
Enable or disable tax collection independently for each category
Set a custom tax label that appears on invoices and receipts (e.g., "CA Sales Tax", "CT Services Tax")
Tax is automatically calculated during checkout on every transaction
Tax breakdown is visible on the order summary before payment is collected

Configuring Tax Rates

Open Tax settings

Click Settings in the sidebar, then select Tax Collection. The page has two sections: Product Sales Tax and Service Sales Tax. Each section can be configured independently.

SpaSphere Settings page showing Tax Collection with separate sections for product and service sales tax — The Tax Collection page lets you configure product and service tax rates independently.

Enable product tax collection

In the Product Sales Tax section, toggle the switch to enable tax collection on retail product sales. Two fields appear:

Tax Rate (%): Enter your product sales tax rate as a percentage. For example, enter 7.75 for a 7.75% rate. The rate must be between 0% and 20% and supports up to two decimal places.
Tax Label (optional): Enter a label that will appear on invoices and receipts, such as "CA Sales Tax" or "State Sales Tax". If left blank, SpaSphere displays "Tax" by default.

Enable service tax collection

In the Service Sales Tax section, toggle the switch to enable tax collection on spa services. The same two fields appear:

Tax Rate (%): Enter your service tax rate. Note that many jurisdictions tax services at a different rate than products, or do not tax services at all. Check your local tax rules.
Tax Label (optional): Enter a label for service tax, such as "CT Services Tax". This is especially useful if your product and service tax rates differ, so clients can see which rate applies to which line item.

Save your settings

Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page. Your tax rates take effect immediately on all new checkouts. Existing unpaid invoices will use the updated rates the next time they are opened in checkout.

Check whether your state taxes spa services

Not all states require sales tax on personal services like facials, massages, or waxing. Some states tax only retail products, while others tax both. A few states have different rates for different service categories. Before enabling service tax collection, verify your local requirements. Your state's Department of Revenue website or a local CPA can confirm the correct approach for your business.

How Tax Appears in Checkout

Once tax collection is enabled, SpaSphere automatically calculates and displays tax during every checkout:

The Order Summary shows a tax line item between the subtotal and the total, with your configured label (e.g., "CA Sales Tax: $3.88")
If both product and service tax are enabled and the order contains both types, each tax is calculated separately based on the applicable rate and shown as individual line items
The total amount due includes all applicable taxes
Receipts and confirmation pages display the full tax breakdown

Common Tax Configurations

Scenario	Product Tax	Service Tax	Example
State taxes products only	Enabled (e.g., 7.25%)	Disabled	Texas, Nevada
State taxes both at the same rate	Enabled (e.g., 6%)	Enabled (6%)	Florida, Hawaii
State taxes both at different rates	Enabled (e.g., 8%)	Enabled (e.g., 5%)	Varies by locality
No sales tax	Disabled	Disabled	Oregon, Montana, Delaware

Tax is calculated automatically -- no manual steps during checkout

Your staff does not need to remember tax rates or manually add tax to orders. Once you configure your rates in Settings, every checkout automatically includes the correct tax amount. The tax line appears on the order summary before payment is collected, so both your staff and your clients can see exactly how much tax is being charged. This eliminates the most common source of tax errors: human calculation during a busy checkout.

How to Set Up Tax Collection for Your Spa in SpaSphere