> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.digitalriver.com/digital-river-api/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.digitalriver.com/digital-river-api/integration-options/checkouts/creating-checkouts/tax-calculations.md).

# Tax calculation inputs

To compute taxes, Digital River uses a wide range of data points. The following table lists attributes that affect both initial tax estimates and final tax amounts:

| Tax-relevant attribute    | Resource | Notes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `taxCode`                 | SKU      | The designated [tax code](/digital-river-api/product-management/creating-and-updating-skus.md#tax-code) of the product or service. Digital River uses the value you provide to classify the product as [digital or physical](/digital-river-api/product-management/creating-and-updating-skus.md#how-products-are-specified-as-physical-or-digital).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `shipFrom`                | Checkout | <p>Represents <a href="/pages/oD4nrpd5ZTN3BXhHzRyB#ship-from-address">the address from which the physical product is shipped</a>.<br><br>A customer <a href="/pages/oD4nrpd5ZTN3BXhHzRyB#determining-address-requirements">must provide this information</a> to successfully place an order that contains a physical product.</p>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| `shipTo`                  | Checkout | <p>Represents an order's <a href="/pages/oD4nrpd5ZTN3BXhHzRyB#ship-to-address">ship to address</a>. Digital River uses this data to compute taxes on physical goods and (when the attribute is specified) on digital goods.</p><p>A customer <a href="/pages/oD4nrpd5ZTN3BXhHzRyB#determining-address-requirements">must provide this information</a> to successfully place an order that contains a physical product.</p><p>The data can also be inherited from a Customer object by <a href="/pages/s1rY0qI6uKkEcPLbdPhm#registered-checkouts">specifying a customer identifier</a> in the Checkout.</p> |
| `shipping`                | Customer | <p>Represents a customer's <a href="/pages/oD4nrpd5ZTN3BXhHzRyB#ship-to-address">ship to address</a>. Digital River uses the data to compute taxes on physical goods and (when the attribute is specified) on digital goods.</p><p><br>You can pass the object's data to a Checkout by <a href="/pages/s1rY0qI6uKkEcPLbdPhm#registered-checkouts">specifying a customer identifier</a>. This fulfills the requirement to provide a <code>shipTo</code> value for physical goods even when the value is not explicitly set in the Checkout.</p>                                                             |
| `purchaseLocation`        | Checkout | Use a [purchase location](/digital-river-api/integration-options/checkouts/creating-checkouts/setting-the-purchase-location.md) when customers have yet to supply either the Checkout's `shipTo` value that is [required to successfully submit an order for physical goods](/digital-river-api/integration-options/checkouts/creating-checkouts/providing-address-information.md#determining-address-requirements) or the [billing address](/digital-river-api/developer-resources/reference/digital-river-payment-objects.md#billing-address-object) that is necessary for digital goods.                |
| `sources[].owner.address` | Customer | <p>Represents a <a href="/pages/0qo4oLVDiT0dDowjMgRK#billing-address-object">billing address for a payment method</a> and is used to compute taxes on digital orders.</p><p>You set the address when <a href="/pages/q44XQrVd2HBDFcYGAcni#creating-sources">creating a source</a>.<br><br>However, when provided, the Checkout's<code>shipTo</code> value or the Customer's <code>shipping</code> value takes precedence over the billing address.</p>                                                                                                                                                     |
| `taxIdentifiers`          | Customer | Allows qualified customers to [purchase zero-rated goods](/digital-river-api/customer-management/setting-tax-related-attributes.md#tax-identifiers).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `taxCertificates`         | Customer | Allows qualified customers to [make tax exempt purchases](/digital-river-api/customer-management/setting-tax-related-attributes.md#tax-certificates).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| `type`                    | Customer | <p>Providing a <a href="/pages/xlVnJgXkZfRzVMd9MWMz#customer-type">customer type</a> allows you to support tax exemption and zero-rated purchases for <code>business</code> customers.<br><br>In most cases, setting the value to <code>individual</code> nullifies the use of <a href="/pages/xlVnJgXkZfRzVMd9MWMz#tax-identifiers">tax identifiers</a> and <a href="/pages/xlVnJgXkZfRzVMd9MWMz#tax-certificates">tax certificates</a> for tax computation purposes. These attributes, however, may still be used for reporting and invoicing.</p>                                                       |
| `customerType`            | Checkout | This attribute is equivalent to the [type attribute in the Customer](/digital-river-api/customer-management/setting-tax-related-attributes.md#customer-type) resource. However, the value [set in the Checkout](/digital-river-api/integration-options/checkouts/creating-checkouts.md#setting-checkout-attributes) always overrides the one in the Customer object.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `taxInclusive`            | Checkout | Lets Digital River know whether to [subtract taxes from or add taxes to](/digital-river-api/integration-options/checkouts/creating-checkouts/configuring-taxes.md) the [price you specify](/digital-river-api/integration-options/checkouts/creating-checkouts/describing-the-items/price-of-an-item.md) for each SKU when [describing items](/digital-river-api/integration-options/checkouts/creating-checkouts/describing-the-items.md) in a Checkout.                                                                                                                                                  |

## Tax estimation and computation workflow

The following provides a high-level overview of how Digital River uses a [SKU's tax code](/digital-river-api/product-management/creating-and-updating-skus.md#tax-code) to classify a product as digital or physical.

![](/files/-MbbCizqOtKIb9jyCCGz)
