How Maine's system is organized
Maine uses a statewide system without county or city general sales tax. Product category is therefore the main driver of rate variation.
The headline rate is only the beginning
The general rate is 5.5%, with special rates for prepared food, lodging, and short-term vehicle rentals. Filing uses the ST-7 and Maine Tax Portal.
Tax situs is a legal determination. Mailing city, ZIP code, county proximity, and geocoding are useful evidence, but none should silently substitute for the jurisdiction rule that controls the transaction.
Rules that can change the answer
Product identity should be established before a rate is selected. In Maine, examples that deserve their own rule path include:
These are examples, not an exhaustive taxability matrix. Bundles, customer use, delivery method, exemptions, and effective dates can change the result.
Beyond three headline examples
The underlying research inventory contains 35 Maine treatment records across 26 product families. The inventory includes effective-date, evidence, rate-class, local-interaction, and sourcing fields. Its breadth is not a claim that every observed treatment is active in production: unresolved or independently unreviewed records remain non-operative.
Explore all 35 Maine research recordsSearch treatment, rate, local, sourcing, evidence, and effective-date fields
35 of 35 records shown
general tangible personal propertyordinary
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- general rate lookup
- Rate class
- ordinary
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- sale price of retail sales of tangible personal property
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- property identity sale price and maine situs
- Effective-window status
- current state rate verified historical windows required
- Runtime boundary
- single state rate no local general sales tax identified in pinned authority
Before operational use: pin state rate effective history; verify absence of any local option sales tax by statute; independent review
rentalspecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: rented product: tangible personal property lease stream
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- each periodic lease or rental payment including mandatory charges fees and pass throughs
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- special
- Evidence required
- lease term payment stream and included charge composition
- Effective start
- 2025-01-01
- Effective-window status
- lease stream regime effective 2025 01 01 prior lessor purchase regime windows required
- Runtime boundary
- per payment taxation and charge inclusion resolver required
Before operational use: pin pre 2025 lessor-purchase regime windows; encode included-charge composition; independent review
State authority research source 1State authority research source 2
groceryno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: qualifying use: grocery staples
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- grocery staples exempt
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- grocery staple identity outside enumerated taxable categories
- Effective-window status
- current exemption verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- staple versus enumerated taxable category resolver required
Before operational use: pin exemption effective history; encode complete non-staple enumeration; independent review
candyordinary
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- general rate lookup
- Rate class
- ordinary
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- candy and confections are not grocery staples
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- candy or confection identity including confectionary spreads
- Effective-window status
- current treatment verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- candy definition resolver required
Before operational use: pin treatment effective history; independent review
dietary supplementordinary
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- general rate lookup
- Rate class
- ordinary
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- dietary supplements and adjuncts are not grocery staples
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- supplement facts panel or dietary ingredient identity
- Effective-window status
- current treatment verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- supplement identity resolver required
Before operational use: pin treatment effective history; independent review
bottled waterordinary
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- general rate lookup
- Rate class
- ordinary
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- water and ice including bottled mineral flavored and carbonated water taxable
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- bottled water or ice identity
- Effective-window status
- current treatment verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- water category resolver required
Before operational use: pin treatment effective history; independent review
prepared foodspecial
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 8%
- Taxable base
- sale price of prepared food
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- prepared food identity and establishment facts
- Effective-window status
- current rate verified definition and history required
- Runtime boundary
- prepared food definition resolver required
Before operational use: pin rate effective history; encode complete prepared food definition from 36 MRS 1752; independent review
alcoholspecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: sale context: establishment licensed for on premises consumption
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 8%
- Taxable base
- alcoholic drinks sold in licensed on premises establishments
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- on premises license status and drink identity
- Effective-window status
- current rate verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- license context resolver required
Before operational use: pin rate effective history; independent review
alcoholordinary
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: sale context: off premises packaged sale
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- general rate lookup
- Rate class
- ordinary
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- packaged alcohol taxable as tangible personal property
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- packaged sale context and product identity
- Effective-window status
- current treatment verified liquor regime interaction required
- Runtime boundary
- state liquor pricing and excise interaction resolver required
Before operational use: pin liquor excise and agency store regime interaction; independent review
lodgingspecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: lodging type: living quarters including casual rentals
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 9%
- Taxable base
- rentals of living quarters in hotels rooming houses camps and casual rentals
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- living quarters type rental term and platform or remarketer facts
- Effective-window status
- current rate verified history required
- Runtime boundary
- casual rental thresholds and transient platform collection resolver required
Before operational use: pin rate effective history; encode casual rental fifteen-day registration boundary; independent review
State authority research source 1State authority research source 2
lodgingno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: lodging type: continuous occupancy 28 days or more; required certificate: form st a 105 affidavit of exemption
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- rent for continuous occupancy of 28 days or more exempt subject to conditions
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- continuous stay length same living quarters and affidavit
- Effective-window status
- current exemption verified condition detail required
- Runtime boundary
- continuous occupancy and affidavit evidence resolver required
Before operational use: encode complete qualifying conditions for the 28-day exemption; independent review
rentalspecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: rented product: automobile including all terrain vehicle; subtype: short term basis
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 10%
- Taxable base
- short term automobile rentals taxed at ten percent
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- vehicle type and rental term
- Effective-window status
- current rate verified term boundary required
- Runtime boundary
- short versus long term boundary resolver required
Before operational use: pin statutory short-term boundary from 36 MRS 1811; pin rate effective history; independent review
rentalspecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: rented product: automobile including all terrain vehicle; subtype: long term basis
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- long term automobile rentals taxed at general rate
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- vehicle type and rental term
- Effective-window status
- current rate verified term boundary required
- Runtime boundary
- short versus long term boundary resolver required
Before operational use: pin statutory long-term boundary; independent review
vehicleunresolved
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: subtype: dealer loaner vehicle
- Treatment
- unresolved
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- unresolved
- Taxable base
- certain loaner vehicles taxed at ten percent while new vehicle dealer warranty loaners appear in exemption list
- Local interaction
- unresolved
- Sourcing
- unresolved
- Evidence required
- loaner context dealer status and warranty relationship
- Effective-window status
- conflicting loaner treatments require reconciliation
- Runtime boundary
- loaner context resolver required
Before operational use: reconcile 10 percent loaner imposition with dealer loaner exemption; independent review
cannabisspecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: qualifying use: adult use or sale to other than qualifying patient
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 14%
- Taxable base
- adult use cannabis and cannabis products taxed at fourteen percent
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- cannabis product identity and purchaser qualifying patient status
- Effective start
- 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status
- fourteen percent effective 2026 01 01 prior rate windows required
- Runtime boundary
- qualifying patient boundary and separate cannabis excise resolver required
Before operational use: pin pre 2026 adult use cannabis rate window; keep cannabis excise distinct from sales tax; independent review
State authority research source 1State authority research source 2
cannabisunresolved
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: qualifying use: medical sale to qualifying patient
- Treatment
- unresolved
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- unresolved
- Taxable base
- medical cannabis taxable and not medicine exempt but rate authority not pinned
- Local interaction
- unresolved
- Sourcing
- unresolved
- Evidence required
- qualifying patient status and product identity
- Effective-window status
- medical cannabis bulletin not yet pinned
- Runtime boundary
- medical cannabis rate authority required
Before operational use: pin instruction bulletin 60 and the qualifying patient rate; independent review
State authority research source 1State authority research source 2
prescription drug humanno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: intended user: human; prescription status: prescription
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- medicines for human beings sold on a doctors prescription exempt
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- human medicine identity and prescription sale or refill
- Effective-window status
- current exemption verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- prescription sale evidence resolver required
Before operational use: pin exemption effective history; independent review
durable medical equipmentno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: qualifying use: home use
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- durable medical equipment and breast pumps for home use exempt
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- dme definition facts and home use
- Effective start
- 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status
- exemption effective 2026 01 01 prior taxable windows required
- Runtime boundary
- home use and dme definition resolver required
Before operational use: pin pre 2026 taxable windows; encode statutory DME definition; independent review
mobility equipmentno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: qualifying use: home use or use in a motor vehicle
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- mobility enhancing equipment for home or motor vehicle use exempt
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- mobility equipment definition facts and qualifying use
- Effective start
- 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status
- exemption effective 2026 01 01 prior taxable windows required
- Runtime boundary
- qualifying use resolver required
Before operational use: pin pre 2026 taxable windows; encode statutory mobility-enhancing definition; independent review
prosthetic deviceno rate
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- prosthetic and orthotic devices sold by order exempt excluding mouth guards and lens supplies
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- device identity and order or prescription facts
- Effective-window status
- current exemption verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- covered device boundary resolver required
Before operational use: pin exemption effective history; encode covered versus excluded device boundary; independent review
telecommunicationsunresolved
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- unresolved
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- unresolved
- Taxable base
- telecommunications under repealed service provider tax a seller liability regime through 2025 12 31
- Local interaction
- unresolved
- Sourcing
- unresolved
- Evidence required
- service period and spt regime facts
- Effective end
- 2025-12-31
- Effective-window status
- spt window ends 2025 12 31
- Runtime boundary
- seller liability spt must not be served as buyer sales tax
Before operational use: pin SPT rate and base history for audit-period support; independent review
State authority research source 1State authority research source 2
telecommunicationsspecial
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- telecommunications ancillary cable satellite and related installation taxed as sales tax services
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- special
- Evidence required
- service type and sourcing facts
- Effective start
- 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status
- sales tax window begins 2026 01 01
- Runtime boundary
- former spt service type and sourcing resolver required
Before operational use: encode relocated definitions and sourcing provisions; independent review
State authority research source 1State authority research source 2
servicespecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: subtype: fabrication services
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- fabrication services taxed under sales tax after spt repeal
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- fabrication service identity
- Effective start
- 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status
- sales tax window begins 2026 01 01 spt window before
- Runtime boundary
- fabrication definition resolver required
Before operational use: pin pre 2026 SPT treatment for audit support; independent review
State authority research source 1State authority research source 2
digital audio visualspecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: use term: temporary
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- electronic transfer of digital audiovisual works with less than permanent use taxed as service
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- special
- Evidence required
- electronic transfer use term and subscription facts
- Effective start
- 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status
- taxable service window begins 2026 01 01 prior treatment required
- Runtime boundary
- permanent versus conditional use boundary resolver required
Before operational use: pin pre 2026 treatment of streamed audiovisual content; independent review
digital audiospecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: use term: temporary
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- electronic transfer of digital audio works including ringtones with less than permanent use taxed as service
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- special
- Evidence required
- electronic transfer use term and subscription facts
- Effective start
- 2026-01-01
- Effective-window status
- taxable service window begins 2026 01 01 prior treatment required
- Runtime boundary
- permanent versus conditional use boundary resolver required
Before operational use: pin pre 2026 treatment of streamed audio content; independent review
digital bookordinary
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: transfer method: electronic; use term: permanent
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- general rate lookup
- Rate class
- ordinary
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- products transferred electronically taxed as tangible personal property
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- electronic transfer and permanent use facts
- Effective-window status
- current treatment verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- products transferred electronically definition resolver required
Before operational use: pin products-transferred-electronically definition and history; independent review
saasunresolved
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- unresolved
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- unresolved
- Taxable base
- remotely accessed software not addressed as a taxable service in pinned authority
- Local interaction
- unresolved
- Sourcing
- unresolved
- Evidence required
- hosting model and transfer facts
- Effective-window status
- no express authority pinned
- Runtime boundary
- express authority for remotely accessed software required
Before operational use: obtain express authority for remotely accessed software; independent review
utilities energyspecial
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: subtype: electricity general sale
- Treatment
- included in base
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- special
- State rate
- 5.5%
- Taxable base
- sales transmission and distribution of electricity taxable subject to residential exemptions
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- special
- Evidence required
- utility type customer class and monthly usage
- Effective-window status
- current treatment verified exemption matrix required
- Runtime boundary
- residential 750 kwh thermal storage and assistance program exemption resolver required
Before operational use: pin rate and exemption effective histories; encode metering and per-unit tariff boundaries; independent review
utilities energyno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: purchaser use: residential; subtype: first 750 kwh per month of residential electricity
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- first 750 kwh per month of residential electricity exempt
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- residential service and monthly kwh usage
- Effective-window status
- current exemption verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- quantity threshold and per meter allocation resolver required
Before operational use: encode quantity threshold and meter allocation rules; independent review
utilities energyno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: purchaser use: residential; subtype: gas for cooking or heating in human habitation
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- gas bought for residential cooking or heating exempt with enumerated nonqualifying uses
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- residential use and service location facts
- Effective-window status
- current exemption verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- qualifying versus nonqualifying residential gas use resolver required
Before operational use: encode nonqualifying use list; independent review
utilities energyno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: purchaser use: residential; subtype: coal oil wood and other nongas fuels for cooking or heating
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- fuels other than gas and electricity for cooking and heating in buildings for human habitation exempt
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- fuel type use and building habitation facts
- Effective-window status
- current exemption verified container and receipt rules required
- Runtime boundary
- container size and receipt location boundary resolver required
Before operational use: encode container-size and receipt-location boundaries; independent review
manufacturing inputno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: qualifying use: production machinery used directly and primarily
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- qualifying production machinery equipment and repair parts exempt
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- machinery identity and direct primary production use
- Effective-window status
- current exemption verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- direct and primary use boundary resolver required
Before operational use: pin exemption effective history; encode direct-and-primary-use boundary; independent review
resaleno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: required certificate: maine resale certificate
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- purchases for resale excluded with valid resale certificate
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- resale purpose and certificate validity
- Effective-window status
- current exclusion verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- certificate validity evidence resolver required
Before operational use: pin certificate validity rules; independent review
shippingno rate
Research observation — independent review required
Identity or conditions: subtype: separate delivery common carrier or us mail
- Treatment
- excluded from base
- Rate application
- no rate
- Rate class
- no rate
- State rate
- 0%
- Local rate
- 0%
- Taxable base
- shipping excluded when direct to purchaser by common carrier or us mail and separately stated
- Local interaction
- no local rate
- Sourcing
- standard situs
- Evidence required
- delivery method destination and separate statement facts
- Effective-window status
- current exclusion verified start not pinned
- Runtime boundary
- three condition shipping exclusion resolver required
Before operational use: encode all three exclusion conditions; independent review
professional serviceunresolved
Research observation — independent review required
- Treatment
- unresolved
- Rate application
- special rate required
- Rate class
- unresolved
- Taxable base
- only enumerated services taxable generic professional services not converted to a taxable result
- Local interaction
- unresolved
- Sourcing
- unresolved
- Evidence required
- service identity against enumerated taxable service list
- Effective-window status
- enumerated service list verified generic disposition withheld
- Runtime boundary
- enumerated service matrix resolver required
Before operational use: complete enumerated service boundary review; independent review
Working with ST-7
The principal repository-tracked return is ST-7. Paper eligibility is taxpayer-specific; electronic filing or a waiver may control.
How to file Maine sales tax: 2026 due dates, frequencies, and forms →
- Tracked form version
- ST-7 Revised 01/2026
- Paper filing posture
- taxpayer specific
- Account data required
- state tax account number, filing frequency
Collected by a marketplace does not mean invisible
Marketplace reporting is handled conservatively; the applicable current rule and account posture must be established before a seller return is changed.
Seller registration, nexus thresholds, zero-return obligations, facilitator certifications, and direct sales must be evaluated separately. Prophit keeps those facts attached to the return treatment instead of dropping marketplace transactions from the record.
Maine Resale Certificate (MRS-issued)
The repository tracks Maine Resale Certificate (MRS-issued). Certificate validity still depends on the purchaser, seller, claimed use, dates, signatures, and any state-specific acceptance conditions.
A certificate should be tied to the correct customer, seller, state, reason, product use, effective period, and transaction population, then monitored for expiration or changed facts.
State-specific knowledge, carried into the workflow
Prophit currently structures Maine transaction data for worksheet for portal entry. Availability is kept separate from customer credentials, state acceptance, and direct transmission authority.
See how Prophit.ai compares to other options in the sales tax software buyer's guide.
Product availability varies by jurisdiction and customer configuration. Workflow support does not by itself establish registration, filing authority, credentials, agency acceptance, or tax advice.
Start with the authority
This guide is grounded in the repository's reviewed filing, marketplace, certificate, and tax-authority records. Rules change; confirm the current source and effective period before acting.
- 1Maine official rate or boundary source
- 2Maine tax authority or filing guidance
- 3Maine tax authority or filing guidance
- 4Maine tax authority or filing guidance
- 5Maine tax authority or filing guidance
Reviewed and current as of August 22, 2026
