# Why Bidders Are Asked for an Address at Checkout

When an auction uses an organization tax table, winning bidders are asked to
provide a billing address before they can pay. This article explains why, what's
required, and what you'll see if it's missing — useful for managers and for
supporting your bidders.

## Why the address is needed

The tax rate on a winner's invoice is determined by **where the bidder is** —
their state/province and country. Without an address, Handbid can't select the
correct rate. For that reason, on a tax-table auction the address requirement is
**enforced at payment time**: a winner cannot check themselves out until a valid
address is on file. (For in-person point-of-sale purchases, the auction's own
location is used instead, so walk-up buyers aren't asked.)

This is a real requirement, not just a prompt. Older versions of the mobile apps
that used to skip the prompt will now ask for the address instead of completing
payment without one.

## What's required

- **Country** — always.
- **State/province** — when the country has states/provinces (e.g. US, Canada).
  Countries without subnational regions only need the country.
- Street, city, and postal code are collected as part of the normal address
  form.

The address is saved to the bidder's account, so they won't be asked again.

## What the bidder sees

If a winner tries to pay without a complete address, checkout stops and they're
prompted to add one. Once they complete it (including state/province where
required), payment proceeds and the correct tax is applied automatically.

<!-- TODO screenshot: the events-site checkout address prompt with state/province required -->

## What managers should know

- You can't turn off "Require an address to pay" while a tax table is attached —
  it's locked on for the reason above.
- If **you** (a manager) take payment on a bidder's behalf without an address,
  Handbid lets you proceed, but the invoice records **$0.00 tax** and flags the
  line for review so it isn't missed. See
  [Tax Overrides and Where Tax Appears in Reports](/tax-overrides-and-tax-reporting/).

## Related articles

- [Apply a Tax Table to an Auction](/apply-a-tax-table-to-an-auction/)
- [Tax Overrides and Where Tax Appears in Reports](/tax-overrides-and-tax-reporting/)