Tax settings in Dapple connect your organisation to Stripe Tax, so US sales tax, UK VAT or EU VAT is calculated on submission fees and applicants get the right paperwork. Open Organisation Settings → Settings → Payments and click Manage tax settings, then complete all four sections: Organisation tax, Business details, Tax registrations and Tax IDs. Until every section is filled in, Stripe Tax stays off and applicants receive a receipt with no tax added. Once setup is complete, Stripe calculates tax at checkout and, where the applicant enters a business VAT or tax number, sends them an invoice. Tax rules are complicated, so this article links to Stripe's own guides throughout.
What's Dapple's role in tax?
Dapple is software, not the merchant of record. Stripe processes every payment and calculates tax; your organisation is the seller and is responsible for registering, collecting and paying any tax due.
Dapple passes your tax settings to Stripe and records every receipt and invoice on your Payments page.
Stripe Tax calculates the tax on each payment from your settings and the applicant's location.
You decide where you're registered and how you file returns.
Dapple doesn't give tax advice. Check your setup with a qualified tax adviser or accountant before you open a paid project.
How does tax on submission fees differ in the US, UK and EU?
Stripe Tax handles all three, but the rules are very different. Start with the row for where your organisation is based.
| United States | United Kingdom | European Union |
Tax | Sales tax, set by each state (and sometimes city or county) | VAT, set by HMRC | VAT, set by each EU country |
When you register | In each state where you have "nexus" — a physical presence, or sales above that state's threshold | When your taxable turnover passes HMRC's threshold, or you register voluntarily | In your home country; One Stop Shop (OSS) for cross-border sales to individuals |
Is an application fee taxed? | Depends on the state — many don't tax services like this | Usually yes, at the standard rate, if you're VAT-registered | Usually yes, if you're VAT-registered |
Tax number field at checkout | Not shown to US applicants | Shown — UK and EU VAT numbers | Shown — EU VAT numbers |
Usual pricing | Exclusive (tax added at checkout) | Inclusive for individuals | Inclusive for individuals |
Stripe's country guides: United States, United Kingdom and European Union.
What happens with and without tax settings in Dapple?
Stripe Tax only switches on when every tax setting is complete. Until then, payments work as normal but no tax is calculated.
Your tax setup | What happens at checkout | What the applicant receives |
Not started or incomplete | Stripe Tax is off. No tax is calculated or added. | A receipt |
Complete — applicant doesn't enter a tax number (including all US applicants) | Stripe calculates sales tax or VAT for the applicant's location and your registrations. | A receipt |
Complete — applicant enters a VAT or tax number | Stripe calculates VAT, or applies reverse charge where the rules allow. | An invoice showing their tax number and yours |
Every receipt and invoice is recorded on your Payments page. See How to View, Filter and Export Your Payment History in Dapple.
How do I open tax settings in Dapple?
Click your organisation name in the top left-hand corner to open Organisation Settings.
Select the Settings tab, then the Payments sub-tab.
Scroll to Tax settings. If anything is missing you'll see Tax setup is incomplete.
Click Manage tax settings.
You need a connected Stripe account first. See How to Connect a Stripe Account to Dapple.
Should tax be included in my price or added at checkout?
Set this in Organisation tax → Tax handling. It applies to every payment field across your projects.
Option | Example | Usual for |
Exclusive – tax added at checkout | A $50 fee in a state charging 6% sales tax: the applicant pays $50 + $3.00 = $53.00. | US organisations, and fees aimed mainly at businesses |
Inclusive – tax included in the price | A £50 fee with 20% UK VAT: the applicant pays £50.00, of which £41.67 is your fee and £8.33 is VAT. | UK and EU organisations charging individuals |
With exclusive pricing, say "+ sales tax" or "+ VAT" in your fee description so applicants aren't surprised at checkout.
With inclusive pricing, the applicant always pays the advertised fee. When no tax is due (for example, reverse charge), you keep the full amount.
Stripe's guide: Tax codes and tax behaviour.
How do I set my tax address and product tax code?
Both live in Business details. Stripe uses them to decide which rules apply and whether your fee is taxable.
In Tax settings, select Business details.
Next to Tax address, click Edit and enter your Head office address — your organisation's registered or main business address.
Next to Product tax code, click Edit and choose the code that best describes what applicants pay for.
Save each section.
In the US, your head office address matters: in some states Stripe charges tax based on where you are rather than where the applicant is.
Which product tax code should I choose?
The product tax code tells Stripe what kind of thing you're selling. It decides whether a US state taxes the fee at all, which VAT rate applies, and whether cross-border business purchases are reverse charged. General Services is usually fine a default tax code.
Please note: Do not use General - Services if based in Europe with cross border VAT requirements. Choose a more specific code, such as Professional Services, and confirm the right code for your fees with your tax adviser.
Choose the most specific code Stripe offers for your fee. Stripe recommends the "General" codes only when nothing more specific fits.
In the US, the same fee can be taxable in one state and exempt in another depending on the code. Stripe applies each state's rules for you.
One code applies to all payment fields in your organisation.
Browse Stripe's full list of product tax codes.
How do I add a tax registration?
A tax registration tells Stripe where your organisation is registered to collect tax. Stripe only charges tax in places you've added — everywhere else, it calculates zero tax.
In Tax settings, select Tax registrations.
Click Add registration.
Choose the country — and for the US, the state.
Choose the registration type and enter the start date your tax authority gave you.
Save. The registration appears in the list with its Status and Start date.
US organisations: add one registration for each state where you hold a sales tax permit.
UK organisations: add one United Kingdom registration once you're VAT-registered with HMRC.
Use the All Registrations, Active and Expired tabs to filter the list. To stop collecting tax somewhere, open the ••• menu on that registration.
Adding a registration here doesn't register you with a tax authority. Register with the authority first, then add it. Stripe's guides: Registering for tax, US sales tax and economic nexus and HMRC: how VAT works.
How does US sales tax work on Dapple?
US sales tax is charged state by state. You only collect it in states where you're registered, and only if that state taxes the kind of fee you charge.
Where to register: usually your home state, plus any state where you pass its economic nexus threshold. Many states use $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions a year — check each state.
What gets taxed: many states don't tax services such as application or entry fees. Stripe works this out from your product tax code and the applicant's address.
No tax number field: US sales tax doesn't use business tax numbers at checkout, so US applicants receive a receipt.
Tax-exempt applicants: Stripe doesn't check exemption certificates. If an exempt organisation applies, handle it with them directly.
To see where you might need to register, click Open Stripe Dashboard and go to Tax → Locations. Stripe can also register for you in US states as a paid service. Stripe's guides: Collect tax in the United States and Use Stripe to register.
Being a non-profit doesn't automatically mean your fees are exempt from sales tax. Check with your state or your adviser.
How do VAT numbers and reverse charge work?
When tax setup is complete, UK and EU applicants see an optional field to enter a business VAT number at checkout. What Stripe does next depends on where you and the applicant are.
Who is paying | What Stripe does |
A business in the same country as you, with a VAT number (e.g. UK to UK) | Charges VAT as normal. The VAT number appears on their invoice. |
A business in a different country, with a valid-format VAT number (e.g. UK to EU, or EU to EU) | Usually applies reverse charge: no VAT is charged and the invoice says why. |
An individual, or anyone who leaves the field empty | Charges VAT under the normal rules for individuals. |
An applicant in the US | No VAT number field. Stripe follows its rules for sales outside the UK or EU. |
Reverse charge only works when your product tax code supports it — see the General - Services warning above.
Stripe checks that a VAT number has the right format, not that it's genuine, and applies reverse charge on format alone. Check numbers yourself if accuracy matters for your returns.
Stripe's guides: Zero tax amounts and reverse charges and Collect customer tax IDs with Checkout.
How do I add my VAT number or tax ID to invoices?
Your tax number appears on every invoice Stripe sends to applicants. Add it in Tax IDs.
In Tax settings, select Tax IDs.
Type your number into the field — for example a UK VAT number (GB123456789) or a US EIN.
Click Add. Stripe checks the format and marks it as Default on invoices.
The Legacy organisation VAT number field below keeps the number used on older invoice records. Leave it as it is and manage current numbers in Tax IDs.
Stripe's guide: Account and customer tax IDs on invoices.
Where do I find invoices, receipts and tax reports?
In Dapple: Organisation Settings → Settings → Payments → View your payments. The Tax column shows the tax on each payment and Documents links to its receipt or invoice.
In Stripe: click Open Stripe Dashboard, then go to Tax → Reports for state-by-state or country totals to file your returns. See Stripe's tax reports guide.
Is income from fees and tips taxable?
Generally, yes. Submission fees, add-ons and tips are usually income for your organisation, whether or not you charge sales tax or VAT on them. Keep your Stripe reports and declare this income in line with local law.
Tax on Dapple: frequently asked questions
Question | Answer |
Does Dapple collect or pay tax for me? | No. Stripe calculates and collects tax using your settings. You pay it to your tax authority. |
Do I have to set up tax? | Only if you're registered for sales tax, VAT or GST. Without it, applicants get receipts and no tax is added. |
Why is no tax being charged? | Check that all four sections are complete, that you have an active registration for the applicant's state or country, and that your product tax code is right. In the US, the state may simply not tax your fee. |
Why don't US applicants see a tax number field? | US sales tax doesn't use business tax numbers at checkout. The field only appears for locations that do, such as the UK and EU. |
Can I switch between inclusive and exclusive? | Yes, in Organisation tax. It affects new payments only. |
Best practice
Speak to a tax adviser or accountant before your first paid project, not after entries arrive.
Complete all four tax sections in one go — a half-finished setup means no tax is charged.
US organisations: use Exclusive pricing and review Stripe's Locations page each quarter for new states to register in.
Avoid General - Services if you take payments from outside your own country.
Make test payments in demo mode with a US, UK and EU address before going live.