Don't Lose Your Florida Sales Tax Filing History: Download Your Records Before They're Gone!

Deadline: August 31, 2026

When the Florida Department of Revenue launched its new electronic filing system on December 1, 2025, it brought a cleaner interface and improved functionality for taxpayers filing sales and use tax returns. But the transition also created an issue that many businesses and tax professionals may have forgotten. Historical sales tax returns did not transfer to the new portal. If a business has not retained copies of previously filed returns, confirmations, and payment history from the legacy system, time is running out.

What Changed?

Beginning December 1, 2025, the Florida Department of Revenue migrated sales and use tax, solid waste fees, and prepaid wireless fee filings to a new eFile and Pay system. Existing login credentials continued to work, but the Department did not migrate historical filing records into the new portal. Instead, the old system remained available solely as a repository for historical information. As a result, taxpayers logging into the new portal today will only see returns filed after the transition. The Department of Revenue has issued TIP 25A01-19 detailing the change.

Why This Matters:

Historical tax returns are often needed long after they are filed. Businesses routinely rely on prior filings when:

• Responding to Florida sales tax audits
• Preparing amended returns
• Reconciling accounting records
• Supporting due diligence during mergers or acquisitions
• Applying for financing
• Investigating notices from the Department of Revenue
• Providing records to outside accountants or legal counsel

Many businesses assume these records will always remain accessible online. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

The Deadline Is August 31, 2026

The Department has announced that access to the legacy filing history will end on August 31, 2026. After that date, businesses will no longer be able to retrieve historical returns through the old portal. Although copies can generally still be requested from the Department using Form DR-841, obtaining records through a public records request can take additional time and may be far less convenient than simply downloading them now.

A Simple Task That Could Save Significant Time:

Before the deadline, businesses should confirm they have complete filing history. If a business is missing any returns, they are encouraged to log into the legacy Florida Department of Revenue filing system and save copies of:

• Filed sales and use tax returns
• Payment confirmations
• Filing confirmation numbers
• Return history
• Secure file upload history (if applicable)

Need Help with a Florida Sales Tax Matter?

Whether you're responding to a sales tax audit, correcting prior filings, or addressing historical compliance issues, proactive recordkeeping is one of the simplest ways to protect your business.

If you have questions about Florida sales and use tax compliance or are facing an audit by the Florida Department of Revenue, working with experienced counsel early can help preserve your rights and minimize unnecessary exposure. Contact Ribeiro Law for a free consultation.