See Avalara Returns in action with an instant, self-guided demo — no sales pitch, no commitments.
AI-first returns preparation, filing, and remittance
Avalara Returns gives businesses of all sizes the power and confidence to manage the returns process with the accuracy and efficiency only our AI-powered platform can provide.
Trusted by companies in every industry
Let’s solve your tax compliance challenges together
Fill out this short form to connect with an Avalara tax solution specialist.
You can expect the following once you submit:
We’ll review your business needs.
One of our specialists will contact you to discuss tailored solutions.
- You’ll get insights into how Avalara can help streamline your compliance.
Connect with us now — we’re excited to speak with you!
Already a customer? Get technical support.
Explainer video
Have a dedicated preparer handle your complex filing requirements
BENEFITS
A complete platform for returns preparation, filing, and remittance
Transform tax compliance with Avalara MCP servers and agents
Our partners and developers can take advantage of Avalara’s MCP servers and Returns agents to scale and automate their tax preparation and filing process, without the need to set up, configure, or maintain integrations. Avalara is the first in the space to do this and it’s built on the industry’s most performant, resilient, scalable, multi-cloud compliance platform. Our agents will also be available through the A2A registry.
Designed to scale and trusted by customers worldwide
Avalara processed and filed more than 6 million returns in 2024 trusted by more than 43,000 customers globally. you’re filing thousands of returns a year or only a few, Avalara Returns scales as your business grows.or only a few, Avalara Returns scales as your business grows.
AI-powered accuracy that reduces audit risk
Avalara uses AI automation to file thousands of tax returns accurately and on time. The AI Notice Assistant streamlines notice creation and helps resolve issues faster. The Avalara Returns solution alerts you to new tax obligations, helping you stay compliant and avoid unnecessary fines or penalties.
Integrates with the business applications you use
Engineered to fit into virtually any financial system landscape, Avalara has over 1,400 signed partner integrations across ERP, ecommerce, procurement, and POS platforms. Avalara Returns connects to the systems you already use and unifies them through a single AI-powered tax and compliance platform.
Purpose-built for industry-specific compliance
Avalara Returns handles complicated, sector-specific tax requirements with automation and precision, reducing manual effort in high-complexity industries. Avalara Returns supports communications, lodging and hospitality, energy and fuel, among others.
Delivers enterprise-grade performance with always-on, multicloud resilience
Avalara Returns brings the speed, scale, and uptime modern businesses demand. Avalara runs active-active across AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI with low latency and high availability. It also
provides uninterrupted service even if a cloud provider region fails.
How it works
Avalara Returns
Connect your transaction data to Avalara, add registration details for each location where you file, and give us authority to file the returns on your behalf.
Avalara Returns automatically ingests data from your business systems, prepares your returns, and files your returns and remittances per the schedule you set.
Add or remove filing locations, the service scales up or down to meet your needs. Upload your tax notices through the Avalara Portal, and we’ll take it from there.
Sales tax preparation and filing for businesses of all sizes
Avalara Managed Returns
Ideal for midsize businesses that want to outsource sales and use tax preparation, filing, and remittance.
Offload part of the returns process and reduce costs.
Receive regularly updated data through native integration with Avalara AvaTax.
Let Avalara handle notice management and remittance in addition to sales tax preparation and filing.
Avalara Managed Returns Premium
Ideal for large and enterprise-level businesses that need dedicated support for sales and use tax returns.
Work with a dedicated preparer for your custom filing needs.
Give your business flexibility to deal with special requirements.
Minimize your compliance risk with comprehensive reporting.
Avalara VAT Reporting and Managed VAT Reporting
Ideal for companies doing business internationally. Avalara helps you manage global VAT reporting from a single platform to stay compliant with U.K. and EU rules.
Identify where you have VAT obligations and register to report VAT.
Streamline global operations with centralized VAT management.
Generate more accurate, submission-ready returns.
Integrations
AvaTax works with many of the business systems you already use
Product comparison chart
Choose the solution that’s right for your business
|
Product features |
Managed Returns |
Managed Returns Premium |
|---|---|---|
|
Automated extract of sales data from marketplaces, ecommerce, and accounting platforms |
X |
X |
|
Sales and sellers use tax forms for every state and local jurisdiction |
X |
X |
|
Consumer use tax filing |
X |
X |
|
Support for free SST returns |
X |
X |
|
Avalara prepares and files customer returns |
X |
X |
|
Automatic approval every filing |
X |
X |
|
Single source of payment (Avalara Treasury) |
X |
X |
|
Notice management |
X |
X |
|
Prepayments calculation and filing |
X |
X |
|
Multilocation-based returns |
X |
X |
|
Advanced return adjustments (e.g., FL Enterprise Zone tax incentive) |
X |
X |
|
Advanced return schedules (e.g., CO Public Improvement Fee, CA Schedule H) |
X |
X |
|
Canadian returns |
X |
X |
|
Credit carry-over support |
X |
X |
|
Multi-user account access |
X |
X |
|
Automated syncing with multiple sales and accounting channels |
X |
X |
|
CSV transaction upload and error alerting |
X |
X |
|
Transaction creation and editing within the UI |
X |
X |
|
State liability detail reports |
X |
X |
|
Access to historical returns and confirmations |
X |
X |
|
Management of filing entities and users in a single account |
X |
X |
|
Direct point of contact and tax preparer |
|
X |
|
Special handling of returns |
|
X |
|
White glove service for high-volume, high-revenue, complex returns |
|
X |
CUSTOMER STORIES
See what our customers have to say
“Avalara Returns is just so simple ... it takes so much time and puts it back into my active month that I can spend doing a lot more high-quality work than just filling out forms.”
— Alex Morris-Bouza,
General Accountant, LSI Solutions
“Avalara has made my job so much easier and faster, saving me hours every day. It takes compliance off your shoulders.”
— Courtney Sullivan
Tax Accountant, Bottomline Technologies
“With Avalara, I can reconcile everything for 39 states in about four hours. … It used to take me three to five days, and that was for far fewer states.”
— Becky Wade
Accountant, Equipment Corporation of America
“We needed a much higher degree of accuracy and confidence, and a much lower degree of effort and worry. Now it’s pressing a button. It really makes our collection process run much more smoothly.”
— Gary Bennett
CFO, Atlas Sign Industries
Related products
Simplify sales and use tax compliance when selling into multiple SST member states without a physical presence.
Register in all the states where you have sales tax obligations using just one registration form.
Generate more accurate returns with 150+ data checks to help ensure error-free reporting.
Solve common accounting challenges and meet clients’ sales tax compliance needs without overburdening staff.
Process, collect, and access exemption documents.
Satisfy your business license and tax registration requirements with solutions tailored to your business.
Dive deeper
Learn more about tax obligations, requirements, trends, and more.
EXPLORE
IMPLEMENT
USE
Awards
Frequently asked questions
What is Avalara Managed Returns?
Managed Returns is a cloud-based, automated compliance solution designed to help businesses save time, reduce costs, and boost efficiency by streamlining the preparation, filing, remittance, and notice management for sales and use tax, excise tax, and industry-specific tax types.
What is the difference between Avalara Managed Returns and Avalara Managed Returns Premium?
Managed Returns Premium delivers all the advantages of Managed Returns while addressing the unique and complex needs of your business. Managed Returns Premium offers a dedicated compliance contact familiar with your company’s operations and tax needs. It also supports early prepayments, nonstandard returns, and assistance with location management.
Does the Avalara Managed Returns service include handling state notices?
Yes, you can submit notices via the Avalara Portal and our compliance team will review all notices for returns for which we have filed.
What timeline should I be aware of for Avalara Managed Returns?
Avalara starts filing your returns to jurisdictions when you approve your returns.
Before the 21st of the previous month: Avalara customers need to add any new filings (e.g., a return for April that needs to be filed in May should be added by April 20).
Before the 1st: Avalara customers need to make any changes to their scheduled filings, including changing frequencies or forms, before the end of the period for which they need to be filed (e.g., a quarterly return that needs to start filing monthly in October should be changed by October 31).
1st to 10th: Avalara customers reconcile their transactions for the previous month, review their liabilities and remittances, and approve their returns to be filed.
10th at 5:00 p.m. PT: Any returns that haven’t already been approved to be filed by customers are automatically approved so Avalara Compliance can file them in a timely manner.
11th to 14th (depending on weekends/holidays): Avalara pulls funds from customers’ bank accounts to be able to remit payment on returns.
11th to end of month: Avalara Compliance files all returns in time for both the returns and payments to process before their respective due dates.
After the 5th of the next month: Avalara customers will be able to download and view their return confirmations in Avalara AvaTax.
Does Avalara handle amended returns?
Yes, you can initiate a request to amend or backfile your returns by contacting your account manager or by creating a support ticket with Avalara.
Does Avalara offer liability reporting?
Yes, liability worksheet reports are available in Avalara AvaTax to Avalara Managed Returns users.
Does Avalara file local returns for home rule states?
Avalara files all state and local level sales and use tax and sellers use tax returns.
Where does AI show up inside Managed Returns?
Avi, our AI-powered assistant trained on Avalara systems, account configurations, and integrations, is ready to guide users through tasks, troubleshoot issues, and answer returns questions in real-time.
What are MCP servers and why do they matter?
Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers are the backbone of Avalara’s AI ecosystem. They enable AI agentic communication and call APIs across Avalara’s platform, facilitating seamless integrations, adaptive workflows, and interoperability with broader enterprise AI systems. With MCP, compliance becomes discoverable and actionable across ERPs, marketplaces, and partner ecosystems.
