POS system for Colorado businesses
Colorado's state sales tax is only 2.9%, but counties, cities and special districts stack their own rates on top, and home-rule cities run their own sales tax entirely. SeroPOS keeps every part as its own rate in one tax group, so you can see what you owe to each.
Colorado in SeroPOS
Stack every layer
Add the 2.9% state rate and each county, city and special district rate, then combine them into one group.
Home-rule cities
Denver and other home-rule cities collect their own tax, so keep the city rate separate to report it to the city.
Exempt groceries
Food for home use is exempt from the state rate but some cities tax it, so groceries may need their own group.
Prices with or without tax
Each product has a "price includes tax" setting, so tax-in pricing at a bar or event works without manual maths.
Global Payments or Gravity
Take card and tap payments on terminals that get the amount straight from the till, with tips coming back to the receipt.
Tax collected by period
The Tax Report shows tax on sales, purchases and expenses for any date range and location, with the invoices behind it.
Colorado sales tax at a glance
Colorado's state sales tax rate is 2.9% as of 2026, administered by the Colorado Department of Revenue. Counties, cities and special districts, such as the Regional Transportation District, add their own rates, so combined rates in Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder often run above 8%.
Many Colorado cities are home-rule cities, which set and collect their own sales tax with their own rules, separately from the state. That means you may file with the state and with the city. Food for home use is exempt from the state rate but taxed by some cities. Confirm every layer of your rate for your address before you open.
Building your tax group in SeroPOS
In the back office go to Settings, then Tax Rates, and add the state rate of 2.9%. Then add each local rate that applies at your address, such as your county rate, special district rates such as RTD and your city rate, ticking "for tax group only" so they can't be picked alone. In the SeroPOS app the same screens are under Admin, then Taxes.
Open Tax Groups and combine the rates into one group named after the place and the total, for example "Denver combined". Make it the default tax so new products pick it up, and add a 0% rate for exempt items. Name each rate after the body it is filed with, so the Tax Report shows exactly what you owe to the state and to your home-rule city.
Filing with a home-rule city
If you are in a home-rule city, the city portion of your sales tax is reported to the city, or through the state's online sales and use tax system where the city takes part. Keeping the city rate as its own rate in SeroPOS means the Tax Report shows the city amount on its own line, so you don't have to work it out from a combined total.
Home-rule cities can also have their own exemptions that differ from the state's, for example on food or other items. If an item is exempt from the state but taxed by your city, build a group with only the parts that apply and assign it to those products. Check your city's tax guide alongside the state's.
Taking card payments
The cashier picks Debit or Credit on the payment screen and SeroPOS hands the amount to the terminal. Global Payments terminals connect through Global Pay Cloud, bound to each till by the terminal's device reference, or SeroPOS can run directly on a T650P. Gravity Payments terminals are set up with your account details and device name.
A tip typed on the terminal prints on the receipt as Tip / Gratuity, and batch close runs from the till's terminal menu. If a sale fails to save after an approval, the charge is kept and recorded again, so the books match the batch. SeroPOS also has an optional credit card surcharge of up to 2%, if your state and card network rules allow one.
Already have a merchant account? Keep it if your processor is supported. If you want to compare costs, send us a recent statement and we'll quote a rate. Card processing is arranged separately from your SeroPOS plan. Tell us your monthly card volume and the terminals you use today, and we can say which setup fits your counter before you commit.
Tax reports and QuickBooks Desktop
The Tax Report in the back office shows tax collected on sales, tax paid on purchases and tax on expenses, with an overall figure and the invoices behind each number, filtered by location and date range. Run it for your filing period, and use the Product Taxes section of the daily sales summary to see which products the tax came from.
On the Pro plan SeroPOS sends sales, payments, customers and items to QuickBooks Desktop, US edition 2021 or later (Pro, Premier or Enterprise on Windows), through the Web Connector. It can build your sales tax items, groups and tax agency in QuickBooks for you, matched by rate rather than by name. The QuickBooks Online connection is set up for Canadian companies today.
Frequently asked questions
What is the sales tax rate in Colorado?
As of 2026 Colorado's state rate is 2.9%, and counties, cities and special districts add their own rates, so combined rates in the larger cities often exceed 8%. Home-rule cities collect their own tax. Confirm every layer for your address with the Colorado Department of Revenue and your city.
How do I combine the Colorado state rate and my local rate in a POS?
Create the state rate (2.9%) and your local rate (county, RTD and city rates) as separate tax rates, tick "for tax group only" on the local ones, then combine them in a tax group, for example "Denver combined". Assign the group to taxable products. Customers see one tax total, while reports keep each part.
What is a home-rule city in Colorado?
A home-rule city sets and collects its own sales tax, with its own rules and exemptions, separate from the state. Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder are examples. In SeroPOS, keep the city rate as a separate rate inside your group so the Tax Report shows what you owe to the city.
Are these Colorado sales tax rates current?
The rates on this page are well-known public rates as of 2026. State and local rates change, often at the start of a quarter, so confirm the rate for your exact address with the Colorado Department of Revenue and your city before you open. In SeroPOS each rate is stored once, so a change is a single edit.
How much does SeroPOS cost?
Standard is $30 a month and Pro is $50 a month, with a 14-day free trial and no card needed. Standard covers the full POS for one location and three users. Pro adds the floor plan designer, multi-till, CRM, recipes, advanced reports, QuickBooks and WooCommerce. Extra locations are charged at the plan price.