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
Ohio requires any person making retail sales of tangible personal property, including handmade goods, to get a vendor's license before selling. A crafter selling at fairs, craft shows, or flea markets needs the Transient Vendor's License from the Department of Taxation; a fixed store location needs a regular county vendor's license from the county auditor.
Issued immediately when you register online through OH|TAX eServices. Regular county licenses can also be obtained through the county auditor.
The transient vendor's license (Form ST-1T, $50) covers retail sales at any temporary place of business, exhibition, show, fair, or flea market anywhere in Ohio, with no separate county license needed where you have no fixed location. State law requires you to display the license or a copy prominently at every place of business, which includes your booth.
Ohio's casual sale exemption (R.C. 5739.02(B)(8)) covers only items you originally obtained for personal use, like selling your own used furniture. Goods made or acquired in order to sell them are not casual sales, so handmade crafts sold at shows do not qualify; the state's guidance even notes that reselling items bought at someone else's yard sale requires a license.
The state rate is 5.75 percent, and counties and transit authorities add local tax up to a combined cap of 8.75 percent. In-person sales are sourced to where the customer receives the goods (R.C. 5739.033), so at a craft fair you charge the combined rate of the county hosting the event; look it up with The Finder tool at tax.ohio.gov.
The vendor's license is a sales tax registration and the main state-level requirement for selling handmade goods in Ohio. Individual cities and villages may have their own vendor permit rules, so check with the host municipality.
Selling without a vendor's license is a criminal offense: first offense $100 to $500 and/or up to 10 days in jail, repeat offenses $1,000 to $2,500 and/or up to 30 days (R.C. 5739.99).
Under R.C. 5739.17, the organizer or promoter of any fair, flea market, or show with transient vendors must record each vendor's name, address, license number, and goods sold, keep the records four years, and open them to the tax commissioner, so expect organizers to ask for your license number.
Organizing an event? List your fair on TheCraftMap to reach thousands of vendors.
Ohio requires any person making retail sales of tangible personal property, including handmade goods, to get a vendor's license before selling. A crafter selling at fairs, craft shows, or flea markets needs the Transient Vendor's License from the Department of Taxation; a fixed store location needs a regular county vendor's license from the county auditor.
Transient Vendor's License (traveling event sellers) or County Vendor's License (fixed location), issued by the Ohio Department of Taxation. Cost: $50 one-time fee (raised from $25 effective April 9, 2025; older guides showing $25 are outdated). No renewal fee.. Issued immediately when you register online through OH|TAX eServices. Regular county licenses can also be obtained through the county auditor.
Ohio's casual sale exemption (R.C. 5739.02(B)(8)) covers only items you originally obtained for personal use, like selling your own used furniture. Goods made or acquired in order to sell them are not casual sales, so handmade crafts sold at shows do not qualify; the state's guidance even notes that reselling items bought at someone else's yard sale requires a license.
The state rate is 5.75 percent, and counties and transit authorities add local tax up to a combined cap of 8.75 percent. In-person sales are sourced to where the customer receives the goods (R.C. 5739.033), so at a craft fair you charge the combined rate of the county hosting the event; look it up with The Finder tool at tax.ohio.gov.
The vendor's license is a sales tax registration and the main state-level requirement for selling handmade goods in Ohio. Individual cities and villages may have their own vendor permit rules, so check with the host municipality.
Browse upcoming craft fairs in Ohio with booth fees and application deadlines, read our picks for the best Ohio 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.