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From MYCPE ONE Insights: Doorstep Taxes put Amazon and DoorDash on the State Revenue Menu

This post originally appeared on MYCPE ONE Insights. Click here to read the full article by Jason Dinesen, EA, on their website.

Your Friday night pizza order might soon come with a side of tax reform.  Across the U.S., state governments are quietly adding “doorstep taxes” per-delivery fees aimed at tapping into the booming online delivery economy. What started as a convenience is now becoming a new tax frontier.

From Free Shipping to “Fee Shipping”

Once, “free delivery” was the internet’s ultimate perk. Now, states want a piece of the action.

  • Colorado introduced a 28¢ per-delivery fee in 2022.

  • Minnesota followed with 50¢ on orders over $100.

  • New York, Hawaii, Ohio, Maryland, and others are weighing similar surcharges.

The logic is simple: as electric vehicles replace gas-powered cars, gas tax revenue - once the backbone of state infrastructure, is drying up. Lawmakers see delivery trucks as the new revenue engine. Colorado alone expects $5 billion in revenue over the next decade.

Every Click Costs More

What used to be hundreds of local delivery fees has exploded to 1,400+ nationwide.  Consumers are noticing.

“If people aren’t driving to stores and paying gas tax, but UPS trucks are still hitting the roads, states want their cut,”  - Mike Bernard, Chief Tax Officer, Vertex

Amazon, DoorDash, and Instacart are all adjusting pricing models. Prime grocery deliveries now add up to $9.95 under $50 - another sign that “free shipping” is fast becoming a nostalgic relic.

The Irony of More Traffic, Less Trust

These taxes aim to fund roads, but could actually create more congestion.  If families opt to drive instead of paying delivery fees, that’s 20 cars replacing one Amazon van.

And while policymakers debate budgets, many households face tougher choices.  For seniors, disabled residents, and rural communities, doorstep delivery isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. For them, these fees are punitive, not progressive.

Gig workers, too, are feeling the pinch. Fewer delivery orders mean fewer tips, tighter schedules, and less income.

The Broader Cost of “Convenience Taxes”

Legislators see doorstep taxes as politically “low-hanging fruit.” But economists warn they’re short-term fixes with long-term risks dampening e-commerce, burdening small sellers, and eroding consumer trust.

Amazon and DoorDash are lobbying hard against them through the Chamber of Progress, calling the taxes “regressive.” Meanwhile, New York Assemblyman Robert Carroll proposes a $3 delivery fee, exempting essentials to fund public transit and encourage bulk deliveries.

It’s a noble idea, but in cities moving millions of packages daily, small fees add up fast.

Final Delivery

Doorstep taxes are more than a line item; they’re a test of modern economics.  Should we tax convenience to fund sustainability, or risk sustainability to preserve convenience?

Either way, one thing’s clear: the taxman has joined the gig economy.  So next time you hit “Order Now,” remember your fries might come with a side of fiscal policy.

This post originally appeared on MYCPE ONE Insights. Click here to read the full article by Jason Dinesen, EA, on their website.

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