tax tax Fix “Invalid value [tax]” on Google Merchant Center
Tax field is set but doesn't validate. Could be malformed structure, invalid country/region code, or rate outside acceptable bounds. Primarily affects US feeds where state-by-state tax is required.
What you see in Google Merchant Center:
Invalid value [tax]
API identifier: invalid_value_tax
Tax field set but doesn't validate. Mostly affects US feeds where state-by-state tax is required.
Verify structure (country:region:rate:tax_ship), use ISO state codes, confirm rate within valid range. For non-US feeds, remove tax field — it's not needed and adds risk.
Top causes
- 1
Wrong region code format (full state name instead of two-letter abbreviation)
- 2
Tax rate outside the valid range (over 25%)
- 3
Missing required components in the tax string
- 4
Tax field in non-US feed where it's not needed
How to fix it
- 1
Verify the tax string format
Structure: country:region:rate:tax_ship (e.g. 'US:CA:8.25:y'). Each component required, ISO codes, period decimal.
- 2
Cross-check rates against the lookup tool
Use a sales-tax lookup for the relevant state to verify the rate. Wrong rates are blocking but easy to fix.
- 3
Remove tax field for non-US feeds
Most non-US markets handle tax at the account level, not item level. Item-level tax in those feeds adds risk without benefit.
- 4
Refresh
Force-fetch.
FAQ
Do I need tax in my UK feed?
No — VAT is handled via VAT-inclusive pricing in the price field. Don't add item-level tax to a UK feed.
Last reviewed: 26 May 2026
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