||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||
San Juan County’s Treasurer’s Office is providing notice to local businesses of an upcoming change to sales and use tax in San Juan County. Effective July 1, 2025, local sales and use tax within San Juan County will decrease fifteen one hundredths of one percent (0.0015) to comply with initial imposition of the Emergency Communication Tax. The remaining five one hundredth of one percent (0.0005) of tax will be used for emergency communication systems and facilities.
Background
During a 2020 special election, San Juan County voters approved a measure for two taxes: five one-hundredths of one percent without an expiration date and fifteen one-hundredths of one percent that would expire after 60 months/ five years. These funds are used for the design and construction of a communications system, used by the County Sheriff, emergency medical services, and fire districts to provide lifesaving public safety response in a timely, reliable, consistent, and effective manner.
Now, at the end of five years, the fifteen one hundredths of one percent (0.0015) tax is expiring, and businesses should adjust their collection rate. In advance of this change, the Treasurer’s Office encourages businesses to update any sales tax automation systems or point-of-sale software to ensure accurate calculations.
For Businesses
Washington State’s Department of Revenue (DOR) has provided information regarding the new rates of sales tax for Friday Harbor and unincorporated areas of San Juan County.
Washington State’s Department of Revenue (DOR) no longer sends notifications regarding changes to taxes, but there are other ways to be proactive and stay up to date:
- Sign up for notifications from DOR here: https://public.govdelivery.
com/accounts/WADOR/signup/ 17806 - Determine the proper codes and rates of local sales tax via the Tax Rate Lookup Tool: dor.wa.gov/TaxRateLookup
- Visit the DOR website to see the change notices, find collection schedules, and more: https://dor.wa.gov/taxes-
rates/sales-use-tax-rates
Questions about sales tax? Contact San Juan County Treasurer Rhonda Pederson at rhondap@sanjuancountywa.gov or 360-370-7463 OR visit dor.wa.gov or call the Department of Revenue at 360-705-6705
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So what is the new sales tax, 8.385%? Or does it vary with the purchase. This information would be helpful to know.