This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Permit and tax rules change, and your situation may differ. Always confirm current requirements with the official state agency linked in this guide, and consult a licensed attorney or tax professional for advice about your specific business.Last verified against official state sources: 2026-06-11
If you make and sell handmade goods at retail in Alabama, you must register for a sales tax license through My Alabama Taxes before selling. Since the 2021 license year the license is no longer one-and-done: it must be renewed online every November-December for the upcoming calendar year, at no charge, or it is cancelled.
About 3 to 5 days to receive an account number after registering online through My Alabama Taxes; the paper license is mailed afterward.
Alabama offers no temporary or one-event sales tax permit; craft show vendors use the standard license and collect state plus applicable local tax at each event location. Returns are generally due monthly by the 20th, though ALDOR can approve less frequent filing for small accounts.
ALDOR Rule 810-6-1-.33 exempts casual or isolated sales by a person not engaged in the business of selling, like a one-off sale of your own used property. A vendor who repeatedly makes goods to sell is engaged in the business of selling and does not qualify.
The state rate is 4 percent, with city and county taxes added by event location. ALDOR administers over 200 local taxes but not all of them; some cities self-administer, which can mean separate registration with that city even though many file through MAT/ONE SPOT. Use ALDOR's address-based rate lookup for each venue.
Separate from the sales tax license, Alabama has a state/county business privilege license bought from the county probate judge or license commissioner, required in every county where business is conducted for the categories listed in the Code. Whether a craft vendor's activity is covered varies, so ask the probate or license office in each county where you sell; cities may also require municipal licenses.
Late sales tax accrues a failure-to-file penalty of 10 percent or $50 (whichever is greater) plus a 10 percent failure-to-pay penalty and interest, and county license inspectors can issue citations for missing privilege licenses.
ALDOR publishes no statewide promoter requirement, but some self-administered cities impose their own special event permit and tax procedures, so check with the host city.
Organizing an event? List your fair on TheCraftMap to reach thousands of vendors.
If you make and sell handmade goods at retail in Alabama, you must register for a sales tax license through My Alabama Taxes before selling. Since the 2021 license year the license is no longer one-and-done: it must be renewed online every November-December for the upcoming calendar year, at no charge, or it is cancelled.
Alabama Sales Tax License (Alabama Tax Account License), issued by the Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR). Cost: Free, including the required annual renewal. About 3 to 5 days to receive an account number after registering online through My Alabama Taxes; the paper license is mailed afterward.
ALDOR Rule 810-6-1-.33 exempts casual or isolated sales by a person not engaged in the business of selling, like a one-off sale of your own used property. A vendor who repeatedly makes goods to sell is engaged in the business of selling and does not qualify.
The state rate is 4 percent, with city and county taxes added by event location. ALDOR administers over 200 local taxes but not all of them; some cities self-administer, which can mean separate registration with that city even though many file through MAT/ONE SPOT. Use ALDOR's address-based rate lookup for each venue.
Separate from the sales tax license, Alabama has a state/county business privilege license bought from the county probate judge or license commissioner, required in every county where business is conducted for the categories listed in the Code. Whether a craft vendor's activity is covered varies, so ask the probate or license office in each county where you sell; cities may also require municipal licenses.
Browse upcoming craft fairs in Alabama with booth fees and application deadlines, read our picks for the best Alabama craft fairs, and use the booth ROI calculator to plan your season.
Last verified: 2026-06-11. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.