Sales tax now applies to VEX Robotics team registration fees and event registration fees paid through events.vex.com, in addition to online store orders placed on vexrobotics.com. Whether tax applies, and how much, depends on the laws of the state where the purchasing organization is located. This article explains what changed, how sales tax exemption works for both registrations and store orders, and what coaches need to do before they register teams or place an order.
Note: This article covers sales tax exemption for organizations (schools, nonprofits, companies) only. Personal or individual tax documents cannot be used to exempt an organization's purchases or registrations.
What Changed
In the past, sales tax exemption only affected store orders placed on vexrobotics.com. Starting with the 2026-2027 season, states may also charge sales tax on team registration invoices issued through events.vex.com. This is not a Global Robotics and Science Foundation fee increase. It reflects each state's own sales tax rules, so the amount charged, and whether it is charged at all, varies from state to state.
Coaches who are already approved as sales tax-exempt for vexrobotics.com purchases do not need to submit anything new for registration. The same exemption carries over automatically to events.vex.com, as long as the coach uses the same email address on both sites. Coaches who are not yet exempt, or who are new to Global Robotics, should follow the steps in this article before registering teams or placing an order.
Before Registering Teams or Placing an Order
- Determine if your state considers your organization to be eligible for tax-exempt status. Some states grant tax-exempt status to schools or other nonprofit organizations, but many do not. If your organization qualifies for a tax exemption, follow the appropriate steps with your state to receive an exemption certificate and/or exemption number.
- Sales tax exemption documentation must be submitted and approved before registering teams or placing an online order. Registrations or orders submitted before an exemption is approved are not eligible for a sales tax refund from VEX Robotics.
- Exemption documentation must be issued to the school, company, nonprofit, or other organization that is registering the teams or making the purchase. Personal tax documents, individual tax forms, and Social Security information cannot be used.
- The billing address on the vexrobotics.com account must match the address on the organization's sales tax exemption documents.
- Coaches who run into trouble registering teams or placing an order should contact VEX Support (support@vex.com) before submitting.
One Exemption Covers Both Registrations and Orders
Sales tax exemption is tied to the coach's vexrobotics.com account, not to events.vex.com separately. Once an exemption is approved on vexrobotics.com, it automatically applies to team registration invoices on events.vex.com, as long as the coach registers using that same email address. There is no second exemption form to submit for registration.
Coaches who use a different email address on events.vex.com than the one approved on vexrobotics.com will not receive the exemption automatically. Using the same email address on both sites is the only way to link the two.
Setting Up a New Account
- Each purchaser creates their own account with a unique email address. There is currently no shared account for multiple coaches or purchasers within a school or district.
- New coaches create an account at vexrobotics.com/customer/account/create.
- Coaches who have ordered from VEX before, but do not see an approved exempt status on their account, should follow the steps below before their next order or registration.
- The billing address entered on the account must match the organization's sales tax exemption documents.
Submitting Sales Tax Exemption Documents
- Gather the organization's sales tax exemption information. Depending on the state, this may include a sales tax-exempt form, a Tax ID number (TIN/EIN), and/or a sales tax exemption number.
- Log in to the vexrobotics.com account and select Tax Certificates from the account dashboard. Upload the exemption document there. The certificate must be filled out completely to be considered valid, and the address on it must match the account's billing address.
- An email confirms the status after submission. Coaches can also check status anytime by logging in to their account. Review can take up to four business days.
- Once approved, the account can be used to submit sales tax-exempt orders and quotes on vexrobotics.com, and the same exemption will apply to team registrations on events.vex.com when the coach uses the same email address.
If Teams Are Registered or an Order Is Placed Before Approval
If a registration or order is submitted before the exemption is approved, VEX cannot refund the sales tax that was charged. Coaches in this situation need to request a refund directly from their state or exemption entity, rather than from VEX.
Because This Varies by State
Sales tax rules, exemption requirements, and refund processes are set by each state, not by VEX. Coaches with questions about their state's specific requirements should check with their state's tax agency or their organization's tax advisor.
To find the right state contact, the Federation of Tax Administrators' state tax agency directory links directly to every state's official tax agency website.
Questions?
Coaches with questions about setting up an account, submitting exemption documents, or the status of a submitted exemption can contact VEX Support at support@vex.com.