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diy solar

diy solar

About to give up on purchasing EG4 products.

Some places close from Christmas thru New Year. This is so people can spend holiday time with their families.

Apparently, you missed my reply to Bizutch where I stated the following:

I am fully aware of holiday schedules and short personnel. However, if they answer the phone (which they initially did) then it's game on. In addition, the lady I spoke with said it could be a couple days before they can respond. More than a week transpired and still no response via phone or email. I have made multiple attempts to contact them and nothing. That is what most call horrible customer service.
 
Signature Solar still wants sales tax for sales to Iowa. I guess they must pocket the extra money because Iowa exempts all purchases of solar equipment from sales tax.

I've purchased items from Current Connected that I could have purchased from Signature Solar. Dexter doesn't charge sales tax on solar equipment to Iowa.

Good to know, however, that is not the case for Kansas as it shows tax in Current Connected's checkout process.
 
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Good to know, however, that is not the case for Kansas as it shows tax in Current Connected's checkout process.
If Kansas exempts solar equipment, I'm certain it would be corrected if you let them know.

Signature Solar on the other hand, well, a quick search reveals many posts and threads. It seems it never gets corrected and why I haven't purchased panels or other items from there.
 
All of these sites use third party software to calculate and charge the sales tax. Did you ship or bill it to a different state? Those programs are pretty universal. Same database that Amazon and everyone else pulls from.
 
Sales tax is based on the delivery location and as a company, there are thresholds for each state you have to meet prior to needing to file for collecting sales tax. Just because a company is not collecting sales tax, does not mean that you are off the hook; you technically are supposed to report all sale that were not taxed at the end of the year and remit the sales tax yourself. I'm sure no one does, but it's all good until you get caught...then you're screwed. In this country, there is no such thing as "not paying taxes", someone is going to be on the hook one way or another.

Various states have exemptions for solar equipment, but to my knowledge, they all require some form to be filled out and kept on file with the seller. Florida is a great example; they don't tax solar equipment, but I have to have a document on file so that if Florida comes after me, I have a document to prove that I did the right thing.

So, for my site, (and most companies), if you did just go check out through the website, you would be charged regular sales tax, and it would get remitted to the state as a normal taxable transaction. If you reach out to the right person at the place you are looking to purchase from, they should be able to get you the proper paperwork and get your account marked as exempt.
 
Good to know. Thanks.

If Kansas exempts solar equipment, I'm certain it would be corrected if you let them know.

Signature Solar on the other hand, well, a quick search reveals many posts and threads. It seems it never gets corrected and why I haven't purchased panels or other items from there.

On the KansasCommerce.gov site it states the following below, so it does appear to be exempt. I also noticed that to be the case with Signature Solar when I purchased my solar panels from them a week or so ago. I am about to order the GB and FB21 from one of them, so this is good to know.

*** Kansas offers a property tax exemption for projects producing electricity from renewable sources, including wind, solar, photovoltaic, biomass, hydropower, geothermal and landfill gas resources. The exemption applies to all property actually and regularly used in the generation of electricity from renewable sources, whether it is an industrial, commercial, utility or personal application. ***
 
All of these sites use third party software to calculate and charge the sales tax. Did you ship or bill it to a different state? Those programs are pretty universal. Same database that Amazon and everyone else pulls from.

I ordered and shipped to KS and Signature Solar charged me tax on my Solar Panels over a week ago. According to KansasCommerce.gov, Kansas offers a property tax exemption (see my response to Zwy), so not sure if they should be charging me tax?
 
Sales tax is based on the delivery location and as a company, there are thresholds for each state you have to meet prior to needing to file for collecting sales tax. Just because a company is not collecting sales tax, does not mean that you are off the hook; you technically are supposed to report all sale that were not taxed at the end of the year and remit the sales tax yourself. I'm sure no one does, but it's all good until you get caught...then you're screwed. In this country, there is no such thing as "not paying taxes", someone is going to be on the hook one way or another.

Various states have exemptions for solar equipment, but to my knowledge, they all require some form to be filled out and kept on file with the seller. Florida is a great example; they don't tax solar equipment, but I have to have a document on file so that if Florida comes after me, I have a document to prove that I did the right thing.

So, for my site, (and most companies), if you did just go check out through the website, you would be charged regular sales tax, and it would get remitted to the state as a normal taxable transaction. If you reach out to the right person at the place you are looking to purchase from, they should be able to get you the proper paperwork and get your account marked as exempt.

I ordered my solar panels from Signature Solar a little over a week ago and they did charge tax. I will have to check into that. Thanks.
 
On the KansasCommerce.gov site it states the following below, so it does appear to be exempt. I also noticed that to be the case with Signature Solar when I purchased my solar panels from them a week or so ago. I am about to order the GB and FB21 from one of them, so this is good to know.

*** Kansas offers a property tax exemption for projects producing electricity from renewable sources, including wind, solar, photovoltaic, biomass, hydropower, geothermal and landfill gas resources. The exemption applies to all property actually and regularly used in the generation of electricity from renewable sources, whether it is an industrial, commercial, utility or personal application. ***
That appears to be property tax, Iowa is the same. Different from sales tax. Any solar installed on my property is not assessed for property tax.
 
All of these sites use third party software to calculate and charge the sales tax. Did you ship or bill it to a different state?

No, just Iowa.
Those programs are pretty universal. Same database that Amazon and everyone else pulls from.

I have an Amazon business account with sales tax exemption form on file there. So I purchase solar items from there without tax using the business account. Current solar build is for the shop anyway.
 
On the KansasCommerce.gov site it states the following below, so it does appear to be exempt. I also noticed that to be the case with Signature Solar when I purchased my solar panels from them a week or so ago. I am about to order the GB and FB21 from one of them, so this is good to know.

*** Kansas offers a property tax exemption for projects producing electricity from renewable sources, including wind, solar, photovoltaic, biomass, hydropower, geothermal and landfill gas resources. The exemption applies to all property actually and regularly used in the generation of electricity from renewable sources, whether it is an industrial, commercial, utility or personal application. ***
Property tax is not sales tax. Property tax means that they won't add the value of the solar system to the value of your property (and taxes).

As far as I can see sales tax is required in KS and some companies charge it and some don't.
 
Apparently, you missed my reply to Bizutch where I stated the following:

I am fully aware of holiday schedules and short personnel. However, if they answer the phone (which they initially did) then it's game on. In addition, the lady I spoke with said it could be a couple days before they can respond. More than a week transpired and still no response via phone or email. I have made multiple attempts to contact them and nothing. That is what most call horrible customer service.

I just have to say, I've been lol'ing at some of the replies to this thread. From the poster accusing you of blaming EG4 to the person who missed the fact that you ordered on Dec 2 and it is now Jan 11. If someone works for a company that "closes for the holidays" from the beginning of December until the 2nd week of January, please send me an application :fp2

I think it was entirely reasonable to expect a manufacturer to step in for help with a bad actor distributor. This happens all day long, every day in the retail world. Solar is no different. At the end of the day, the thread was useful to point out bigbattery as a poor retailer, identify SS as actively engaged in trying to help people that aren't even their customers (aka, win those people over as new retail customers) and in getting EG4 to respond. This is how the invisible hand works :D
 
Property tax is not sales tax. Property tax means that they won't add the value of the solar system to the value of your property (and taxes).

As far as I can see sales tax is required in KS and some companies charge it and some don't.
Yeah, I did not catch the mistake until after I posted it.
 
Response from Signature Solar concerning Iowa sales tax exemption:

To be exempt from sales tax, you would need to send us the tax exempt form for your state and I can have that applied to your account.


Thank you.


Will Stevens
(903) 307-7748
Sales Associate | Signature Solar421 Industrial Dr. E. Ste 201


Sulphur Springs, TX 75482


I guess they go farther down the list for purchasing a pallet of panels. While I can easily print the form off and fill it out, it is just so wrong.
 
I guess they go farther down the list for purchasing a pallet of panels. While I can easily print the form off and fill it out, it is just so wrong.
This answer from Signature Solar is frankly a perfect response. They are legally obligated to do exactly what they said. You should be upset with the lawmakers for making the rules, not the people following them.
 
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This answer is frankly a perfect response. They are legally obligated to do exactly what they said. You should be upset with the lawmakers for making the rules, not the people following them.
I believe this to be wrong, the seller should follow the LAW in Iowa, which is here:


Specifically:

---

423.3 Exemptions.

There is exempted from the provisions of this subchapter and from the computation of the amount of tax imposed by it the following:
...
90. The sales price from the sale of solar energy equipment. For purposes of this subsection, “solar energy equipment” means equipment that is primarily used to collect and convert incident solar radiation into thermal, mechanical, or electrical energy or equipment that is primarily used to transform such converted solar energy to a storage point or to a point of use.

---

Three is NO REQUIREMENT for the buyer to have an exemption certificate or file ANY form of ANY kind. The exemption of sales tax is exclusively controlled by the TYPE of thing being sold, not the buyer.

If a vendor insists on charging you sales/use tax for on solar equipment delivered to Iowa, they are NOT following the law. Indeed, it is ILLEGAL to charge sales tax on solar goods shipped to Iowa.

Vendors find it easier to charge you sales tax than to get their systems right. Their convenience is costing you money.

Mike C.
 
Vermont exempts solar products and systems from both state sales tax and property tax. However, Signature Solar applies sales tax to purchases on their website shipped to Vermont by default, despite sales tax not being applicable. Maybe they would remove it if it was brought to their attention by the customer? Current Connected website seems to default to NOT applying sales tax to an order being shipped to Vermont. This seems to be the appropriate way to handle sales tax on solar purchases for Vermont. Sales taxes are a mess nationwide for both businesses and consumers. If a Vermont resident, traveled to, and purchased solar panels from a retailer in another state that was required to charge sales tax then sales tax would apply to the sale because the sale was taking place in a state that is taxable.
 
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Three is NO REQUIREMENT for the buyer to have an exemption certificate or file ANY form of ANY kind. The exemption of sales tax is exclusively controlled by the TYPE of thing being sold, not the buyer.
Yes there is, keep reading the document you linked.
Screenshot_20250112_104014.jpg

You always have to declare your tax exempt status. The seller cant assume you are using it for a tax exempt purpose.
 
I believe this to be wrong, the seller should follow the LAW in Iowa, which is here:


Specifically:

---

423.3 Exemptions.

There is exempted from the provisions of this subchapter and from the computation of the amount of tax imposed by it the following:
...
90. The sales price from the sale of solar energy equipment. For purposes of this subsection, “solar energy equipment” means equipment that is primarily used to collect and convert incident solar radiation into thermal, mechanical, or electrical energy or equipment that is primarily used to transform such converted solar energy to a storage point or to a point of use.

---

Three is NO REQUIREMENT for the buyer to have an exemption certificate or file ANY form of ANY kind. The exemption of sales tax is exclusively controlled by the TYPE of thing being sold, not the buyer.

If a vendor insists on charging you sales/use tax for on solar equipment delivered to Iowa, they are NOT following the law. Indeed, it is ILLEGAL to charge sales tax on solar goods shipped to Iowa.

Vendors find it easier to charge you sales tax than to get their systems right. Their convenience is costing you money.

Mike C.
Hi Mike,

I am in no way disagreeing that solar equipment is exempt, however, you do have to fill out form 31-014a, and where it says "Purchaser is claiming exemption for the following reason", check other, enter "Solar Energy Equipment". Page 2 has instructions that read:

This exemption certificate is to be completed by the purchaser claiming exemption from tax and given to the seller. To be valid, this certificate must be executed or be in effect within 30 days of the time of sale. The seller must retain this certificate as proof that the exemption has been properly claimed. The certificate must be complete to be accepted by the seller. The seller can accept an exemption certificate only on property that is qualified (see the exemptions below) or based on the nature of the buyer.

Look guys, none of us (me/CurrentConnected or Signature Solar) want to pay or want you to pay taxes that aren't owed...but we also don't want to get audited and get put out of business! If you just work with us as humans, we will get through the process and get you exempted - it's not a big fuss. It takes ten minutes, we do it all the time, and both my company and Signature Solar are pretty dang easy to work with!
 
Even a massive company like Home Depot can't get this right half the time, they could not figure out how to make my hurricane resistant windows and doors sales tax exempt as per state requirements.
 
It worked out for the best, I'm buying elsewhere.

I always say things work out for a reason and any setback is an opportunity. 26 years ago I had a supplier who wouldn't pay $11K in warranty costs for the products they sold. I ate the $11K out of my pocket. This forced me to find a new supplier and it was the best thing that happened to my business. They had kits which allowed for updated parts for the service I offered. I actually held a local monopoly for almost 10 years before anyone figured out where I was sourcing the kits. It didn't matter after that, I had achieved a high reputation for what I offered and customers were not leaving.

It was the best thing that ever happened to my business.

As for panels, I found a better deal than SS with better shipping terms. No sales tax, no exemption form.
 

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