AvaTax for Communications automates communications tax determination for telecom, cable, VoIP, streaming, and related services. It is designed to handle the layered, jurisdiction-specific tax structures common in the communications industry.

Core capabilities

Calculate communications taxes across voice, data, wireless, cable, and bundled services using telecom-specific tax rules.

Industry-specific tax logic

Handle tiered pricing, tax-on-tax scenarios, surcharges, bundled services, and multi-jurisdiction taxation without building custom rule engines.

Complex rating and bundling support

Apply industry fees and telecom-specific assessments alongside standard tax rates to support complete compliance.

Regulatory fee management

Stay aligned with evolving regulatory requirements through regularly maintained rate and rule updates.

Continually updated tax content

Access API documentation, integration checklists, and environment setup guidance. Access to AvaTax for Communications is provisioned as part of the product onboarding process.

Getting started

The Communications API provides a REST interface for integration with billing systems, subscription platforms, ERP systems, and custom telecom applications. It supports high-volume transaction processing and scalable tax determination workflows.

How it integrates

What AvaTax for Communications solves

When to use AvaTax for Communications

AvaTax for Communications

Get Started

This guide describes the steps you should follow to integrate AvaTax for Communications (AFC) into your billing system

Communications

This guide provides you with an overview of the Avalara for Communications REST v2 API functionality

Communications REST v2 Dev Guide

This guide provides you with an overview of the Avalara for Communications Geo SaaS Pro Soap API functionality

Communications Geo SaaS Pro Soap

Optional object for passing in billing period

Numeric value representing billing period month.  1 = January.

Numeric 4 digit representation of billing period year.

Bundles associated with a client profile configuration
Maybe associated with 0 to many profiles

Bundled items - percentage should add up to 100% (as applicable)

Version for bundle - intended to allow changes to format 
without having to perform expensive SQL updates on existing bundles

Bundled items associated with a bundle package

Percentage of package charge to be applied to item

An Bundle package domain transfer object.

The user who last updated the Bundle package.

The time the Bundle package was last updated.

A transaction and service type pair of a bundle or bundle item.

Tax calculation results for each invoice submitted in request.

Client id associated with configuration item

Item Type
Examples:
  Configuration, Bundle, Exclusion, Override

User who last updated the configuration item

Unique profile configuration id associated with configuration item

Profile id's associated with configuration item

Indicates if transactions for the specified document code should be committed.

Overrides value for OptionalFields field in reports.

Indicates if document code's commit status was updated successfully.

Container class for json properties associated with v2.CalcTaxes company data

Specifies if the carrier delivering the service has company owned facilities to provide the service.

Indicates if the company provides services sold pursuant to a franchise agreement between the carrier and jurisdiction.

An optional company identifier for reporting

Service class. 0 = Primary Local, 1 = Primary Long Distance.

Settings associated with a client profile configuration
Maybe associated with 0 to many profiles

true : Return both non-billable and billable taxes in taxation response
false (default) : Return billable taxes only in taxation response
Default: false

Self-tax algorithm to be used in tax calculations
0 (default) : Calculate tax on individual self-taxing taxes
1 : Calculate tax on aggregate of self-taxing taxes

Tax-on-tax algorithm to be used in tax calculations
0 : Single pass
1 (default) : IterateOnTaxAmount
2 : IterateOnTaxableMeasure

Indicates if exclusion applies to the specified state.

An exclusion collection domain transfer object.

The user who created the exclusion collection.

The date and time the exclusion collection was created.

The user who last updated the exclusion collection.

The date and time the exclusion collection was last updated.

Settings associated with a client profile exclusions
Maybe associated with 0 to many profiles

Response body for Geo Batch Submit File API.

Individual File Status For Geo Batch result

Latitude for geocoding based on lat/long coordinates.

Longitude for geocoding based on lat/long coordinates.

Optional reference Id for geocode request. 
Only address information or latitude/longitude should be provided in request body but not both.

Indicates if address is within city limits.

PCode (Permanent Code) for tax jurisdiction.

Score indicating accuracy of address match in mapping database.

Contains information about an invoice or quote.

Indicates if invoice should be committed as soon as it is processed.
Default: false.

Invoice date in the yyyy-MM-ddT00:00:00Z format.

Indicates if individual line item taxes should be included in response.
Default: true.

Indicates if all line items within invoice should be processed in invoice mode.
Default: true.

Indicates if customer is a Lifeline participant.
Default: false.

Optional values for invoice. Maximum of 5. Keys must be numeric from 1 to 5.

Indicates if the summarized taxes for the invoice should be included in the resonse.
Default: false.

Individual tax calculation results for each line item.

Is Adjustment.
```true``` = The Line Item is an Adjustment.
```false``` = The Line Item is not an Adjustment.

Default: ```false```

Customer Type.
```0``` = Residential
```1``` = Business
```2``` = Senior Citizen
```3``` = Industrial

Invoice Date.

The date when the transaction occurred.

If not set, uses date at invoice level

Debit.

Indicates if the Line Item is prepaid.

Default: ```false```

Discount Type.
```0``` = None.
```1``` = Retail Product: An amount subtracted from the original price to arrive at a lower price.
```2``` = Manufacturer Product: A discount of the total amount reimbursed to either the retailer or the customer by the manufacturer.
```3``` = Account Level:  A stand-alone discount that is not applied against any service but instead as a stand-alone product.
```4``` = Subsidized: A discount caused exclusively in telephone service where the telephone provider provides a service to a lifeline eligible customer. The discount will be on the local exchange service.
```5``` = Goodwill:  The total discount of a service that is recorded for accounting purposes but never billed to a customer.

Using a Discount Type other than ```0``` may result in a $0.00 tax calculation. Some jurisdictions do not allow tax refunds for other discount types.

Tax Inclusive.
```true``` = The charge for the Line Item is tax inclusive.
```false``` = The charge for the Line Item is not tax exclusive.

Default: ```false```

Lifeline.

Lifeline is a federal program that subsidizes the cost of phone and internet for eligible customers.
```true``` = The customer is a Lifeline participant.
```false``` = The customer is not a Lifeline participant.

Default: ```false```

Optional Values.
 
Maximum of 5. Keys must be numeric from 5 to 10.
```DEPRECATED```

Private Line Split.

Percentage used to split a transaction between two Locations.

prorated Adjustment.
```0``` = No prorated adjustment.
```1``` = Do not return non-proratable fixed taxes in the response.
```2``` = Return non-proratable fixed taxes in the response.

Default: ```0```

Sales And Use Attribute Property.

The attribute and property used for supported Sales and Use Transaction/Service Pairs.
<a target="_blank" href="https://developer.avalara.com/communications/dev-guide_rest_v2/customizing-transactions/sample-transactions/sau-attribute-property/">Developer Guide - Attribute Properties</a>

prorated Percentage.

Percentage used for the prorated calculation of fixed taxes.

Quantity.

Quantity to be applied to the Line Item.

Taxation is equivalent to repeating the Line Item the number of times equal to the Quantity.

Must be a positive integer greater than or equal to 1. Quantity is not supported on Tax Inclusive or prorated transactions.

Default: ```1```

Sale Type.
```0``` = Wholesale : Indicates that the Line Item was sold to a wholesaler.
```1``` = Retail : Indicates that the Line Item was sold to an end user.
```2``` = Consumed : Indicates that the Line Item was consumed directly (SAU products only).
```3``` = VendorUse : Indicates that the Line Item is subject to vendor use tax (SAU products only).

Tax calculation results for a single line item.

Base sale amount for tax-inclusive line items.

Location data used to determine taxing jurisdiction.

Indicates if this address should be geocoded in order to obtain taxing jurisdiction.
Default: false.

Indicates if the location is within city limits.
Default: true.

PCode (Permanent Code) for taxing jurisdiction.

Contains name and jurisdiction PCode information for a location.

Flag indicating whether location is alternate (true) or primary (false).

Settings associated with a client profile nexus
Maybe associated with 0 to many profiles

Settings associated with a client profile override
Maybe associated with 0 to many profiles

An Override collection domain transfer object.

The name of the user who created the override group.

The date and time the override group was created.

The name of the user who last updated the override group.

The date and time the override group was last updated.

An override group summary domain transfer object.

The profiles linked to this override group.

Location data used as input for searching jurisdiction matches.

Flag indicating whether to return the best matches (true) or exact matches only (false).

5-digit zip code (full zip code for Canadian addresses).

Jurisdiction information returned when searching location matches.

Match type from user input. "Exact" match or "Best" match.

List of location matches for the address being searched.

Indicates whether the matches returned are based on an "Exact" match or "Best" match.

Maximum number of results applied to search.

The count of the un-paged, but filtered, records.

The date and time the profile was created.

The external number assigned by the client.

The date and time the profile was last updated.

How the rate override should affect the existing tax rate.

A rate override item domain transfer object.

A flag indicating if the tax should be added to the selected jurisdictions if it did not already exist.

Container class for json properties associated with v2.CalcTaxes request configuration options

Flag indicating reporting information should be returned.
Reference online documentation for more details

Flag indicating extended tax information should be returned.
Reference online documentation for more details

Flag indicating non-billable taxes should be returned.
If set, will override account setting
Default if not provided is account setting value

The rules to be applied in applying the rate to determine tax amount.

The customer types that are to be considered for taxation.

Prepaid and postpaid debit card types to be considered for taxation.

The effective date for the rule override.

Facility/NonFacility flags to be considered for taxation.

Franchise/NonFranchise flags to be considered for taxation.

Ilec/NonIlec (Clec) flags to be considered for taxation.

The rules to be applied in selecting the taxing jurisdiction.

Lifeline/NonLifeline flags to be considered for taxation.

How the rule override should affect the existing tax rule.

Primary carrier LongDistance/NonLongDistance (local) flags to be considered for taxation.

Regulated/NonRegulated flags to be considered for taxation.

The level at which the tax is to be reported.

The sale types that are to be considered for taxation.

Rules for how rates and accumulation are handled across tiers.

A rule override item domain transfer object.

Safe harbor rate override for a USF tax type.

New TAM value that will replace the original TAM value.

Safe harbor type (1 = Cellular, 2 = VoIp, 4 = Paging).

A safe harbor override settings domain transfer object.

The user who created the safe harbor override settings.

The date and time the safe harbor override settings were created.

The user who last updated the safe harbor override settings.

The date and time the safe harbor override settings were last updated.

The voice-over-IP safe harbor override rate.

PCode (Permanent Code) for reporting jurisdiction.

Indicates if this tax is a surcharge.
```DEPRECATED```

Indicates if tax is billable to customer.

Charge used to calculate tax
For bundles will be the percentage of charge applied to bundled item
For tax inclusive calls will be the calculated charge
Only returned if return extended tax data flag is true

Indicates if the tax is to be reported to jurisdiction.

Flag indicating the item is a no tax entry
There were no taxes generated, this entry is to convey back the taxing jurisdiction that was used in the response
Only returned if return extended tax data flag is true

Service type used to calculate tax
For bundles will be specific bundled item service type
Only returned if return extended tax data flag is true

PCode (Permanent Code) for taxing jurisdiction.
Only returned if return extended tax data flag is true

Transaction type used to calculate tax
For bundles will be specific bundled item transaction type
Only returned if return extended tax data flag is true

Flag indicating if tax was user exempted
Only returned if return extended tax data flag is true

Tax rate. Value cannot be negative. For rated taxes, value must be from 0 to 1. Otherwise, value may be larger.

A tax calculation settings domain transfer object.

The user who created the tax calculation settings.

The date and time the tax calculation settings were created.

The user who last updated the tax calculation settings.

The date and time the tax calculation settings were last updated.

Includes all overlapping counties as candidates for exemption when domain is local and
the exemption city matches the taxing jurisdiction city.

Tax category to exempt. Tax type exemptions and Category exemptions are mutually exclusive.

Exemption Domain.  This is the jurisdiction level in which the
exemption jurisdiction must match the taxing jurisdiction.

Exempt non-billable flag.  Determines if non-billable taxes are
to be considered as candidates for exemption.

Override level exempt flag on wildcard tax type exemptions.

Precludes or prevents the exemption from being applied.
An example would be to preclude E-911 tax from being exempt by other exemptions.

Exemption Scope.  This defines the tax levels in which the
taxes will be considered as candidates for exemption.

Tax type to exempt.  Tax type exemptions and Category exemptions are mutually exclusive.

A tax-on-tax group domain transfer object.

The tax items that impact tax-on-tax handling.

A tax-on-tax item domain transfer object.

Tax level ID. 0 = Federal, 1 = State, 2 = County, 3 = City.

Indicates if the tax can be exempted using level exemptions.

Scope for override. 0 = Country, 1 = State, 2 = County, 3 = City.

Safe harbor value to be overridden.  Ref class SafeHarborTams for default values.

Client provided traffic study rate (Federal) to be used instead of safe harbor.

Defines which transaction type the traffic study override applies to.  Ref enum SafeHarborType for list.

A transaction amount subtractor setting domain transfer object.

A transaction type/service type pair domain transfer object.

Version specific results for upr version request.

Version specific results for service info request.

APIs to interface with communications tax engine.<br>The API requires authentication.<br>Users with access to multiple clients must also set request header parameter for <code>client_id</code>.<br>Set <code>client_profile_id</code> to specify profile to be used for taxation.

AFC SaaS Pro REST v2

client_id

client_profile_id

CalcTaxesRequest object containing invoices to process and data required 
            for performing tax calculations.

Performs tax calculations on all invoices and line items within the request body.

CommitRequest object containing document code and optional field data to override in reports.

Request will return all locations associated with the PCode

pCode

Get location data associated with a PCode

Requests supports using best match or exact match as well as limiting the number of matches returned.
Use a * on the end of Fips/Npanxx Codes to find a range of values.

Get PCode(s) (Permanent Codes) associated with a location - Country/State/County/City/Zip/NpaNxx/Fips.

AvaTax for Communications

LocationItem