An estimated $24.4 million in additional state and local sales taxes have been reported by the construction industry since Washington shifted to a more tightly controlled reseller permit system in January.

A higher percentage of businesses are paying sales tax on construction materials since the state eliminated the self-issued resale certificates that allowed a business to not pay sales tax if it declared the tax would be collected when the product was resold to the final consumer.

Not all such products were resold and the state estimated it was losing up to $100 million annually because of misuse of resale certificates across all industries.

Vendors are required to collect sales tax when selling products to customers, except when a reseller permit or other exemption certificate is presented.

Wholesalers and other businesses can  instantly check their customers' reseller permit status by clicking here.