Over the years national and world governments have implemented international shipping requirements, including requirements for specific tax identification numbers to be specified for shipments. To support these tax numbers, EasyPost has created a tax_identifiers object.
EasyPost works with a number of different international shipping carriers, each with its own individual support for these ids. Below are the available tax ID types supported by the carrier:
Carrier |
Tax ID Types Supported |
APC |
VAT |
Asendia (Legacy) |
VAT |
Asendia USA |
VAT |
Australia Post |
VAT/IOSS |
Dai Post |
VAT/IOSS |
DHL ECS |
VAT,GST,EORI,IOSS,PAN,OTHER |
DHL Express |
VAT, SDT (IOSS), FTZ, DAN, TAN, DTF, CNP, DUN, EIN, EOR, SSN, FED, STA |
DPD UK |
VAT, EORI, PID, IOSS |
ePostGlobal |
VAT, IOSS |
FedEx |
STA, EIN, HMRC, GST, EORI, IOSS, VAT, SSN |
FedEx Cross Border |
VAT, EORI, IOSS, TIN |
Royal Mail |
VAT, EORI, IOSS |
UPS |
VAT, IOSS, VOEC, HMRC |
UPS MI |
VAT |
USPS |
VAT/IOSS |
Here are the definitions of each of the tax ID types:
Code |
Description |
CNP |
Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica: A CNPJ is a 14-digit number; 12 base digits and two digits at the end that are the result of an arithmetic formula of the base numbers, making any typing mistakes when entering the number lead to an invalid number. Here is an example of a CNPJ: 13.339.532/0001-09 CNPJ generator. |
DAN |
Deferment Account Duties Only: A duty deferment account lets you make one payment a month through Direct Debit instead of paying for individual consignments. You can apply for a duty deferment account if you're an importer, someone who represents importers or you're releasing goods from an excise warehouse. |
DTF |
Deferment Account Duties, Taxes and Fees Only: A duty deferment account lets you make one payment a month through Direct Debit instead of paying for individual consignments. You can apply for a duty deferment account if you're an importer, someone who represents importers or you're releasing goods from an excise warehouse. |
DUN |
Data Universal Numbering System: The Data Universal Numbering System, abbreviated as DUNS or D-U-N-S, is a proprietary system developed and managed by Dun & Bradstreet that assigns a unique numeric identifier, referred to as a "DUNS number" to a single business entity. |
EIN |
The Employer Identification Number: Also known as the Federal Employer Identification Number or the Federal Tax Identification Number, is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service to business entities operating in the United States for the purposes of identification. |
EOR |
This is the same as EORI, just how DHL Express refers to this tax ID type in their API. |
EORI |
An Economic Operators Registration and Identification number: EORI is a European Union registration and identification number for businesses which undertake the import or export of goods into or out of the EU. |
FED |
Federal Tax ID |
FTZ |
Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ): Are secure areas under U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) supervision that are generally considered outside CBP territory upon activation. Located in or near CBP ports of entry, they are the United States' version of what are known internationally as free-trade zones. |
GST |
A goods and services tax (GST) number: Is a unique tax identification number assigned to a business by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). |
HMRC |
HM Revenue & Customs: We are the UK's tax, payments and customs authority, and we have a vital purpose: we collect the money that pays for the UK's public services and help families and individuals with targeted financial support |
IOSS |
Import One-Stop Shop: The IOSS allows suppliers and electronic interfaces selling imported goods to buyers in the EU to collect, declare and pay the VAT to the tax authorities, instead of making the buyer pay the VAT at the moment the goods are imported into the EU as it was previously the case (for products over 22 EUR). |
OTHER |
This is a specific type for DHL ECS, if a user isn't sure the type of their Tax ID, they will use this type. |
PAN |
A permanent account number: A ten-character alphanumeric identifier, issued in the form of a laminated "PAN card", by the Indian Income Tax Department, to any "person" who applies for it or to whom the department allots the number without an application |
PID |
Person ID: An identification number assigned to all people with a university relationship, as defined by an official university department. |
SDT |
GB VAT (foreign) registration This is the code for an IOSS number for DHL Express. |
SSN |
Social Security number: In the United States, a Social Security number is a nine-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents under section 205 of the Social Security Act |
STA |
State Tax ID |
TAN |
Deferment Account Tax Only: A duty deferment account lets you make one payment a month through Direct Debit instead of paying for individual consignments. You can apply for a duty deferment account if you're an importer, someone who represents importers or you're releasing goods from an excise warehouse. |
TIN |
Taxpayer Identification Number: A Taxpayer Identification Number is an identifying number used for tax purposes in the United States and in other countries under the Common Reporting Standard. In the United States it is also known as a Tax Identification Number or Federal Taxpayer Identification Number. |
VAT |
A Value Added Tax number: An identifier used in many countries, including the countries of the European Union, for value added tax purposes. |
VOEC |
VAT on E-Commerce: Norway implemented a simplified VAT scheme called VOEC (VAT on E-Commerce). This new scheme replaces the current VAT exemption of 350 NOK on low-value imported goods to consumers. VAT is applied to all items, regardless of value or whether or not you are VOEC-registered. |