Kalamazoo College is exempt from paying sales tax on purchases under Michigan law.  The Business Office has a blanket Michigan Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Exemption, which is valid for four year increments.  To use the exemption, please email the business office with the name and address of the vendor at businessoffice@kzoo.edu.  You will then be able to present the signed certificate along with the Internal Revenue Service letter to the vendor, and will not be charged sales tax on future orders.  Some vendors may provide a credit for sales tax paid previously, though a limit of 90 days can be common.

It is encouraged that purchases for the college are made through College sources.  Although sometimes necessary, when employees purchase items and request reimbursement, sales tax is generally not exempt from the purchase.  Taking advantage of our sales tax status saves 6%, and this little change can add up to significant savings to departments over the course of a year.  If you are unsure if a vendor has Kalamazoo College listed as tax exempt status, please reach out to the Business Office for confirmation.

Another way to take advantage of the tax exempt status is to use the College’s Amazon Business Prime account.  The account is already set up with a tax exempt status.  For more information on becoming an authorized purchaser on the Amazon account contact me at molly.wunderlich@kzoo.edu.  Business Prime allows users to have the convenience of Amazon shipping without the sales tax included.