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Asked: 2026-05-30T00:47:09+00:00

I am using Website Payments Standard and have numerous zip codes I’d like to

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I am using Website Payments Standard and have numerous zip codes I’d like to apply for tax rates (more than I can manually input one at a time into Paypal’s standard tax rules). Is there a way for the checkout solution to connect to my database (a mysql database) where I have the zip codes + tax rates? Is it possible for all this to happen in the shopping cart experience?

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  1. Editorial Team

    Yes, you can use the PayPal Instant Update API.

    In a nutshell; you’ll need to set up a script on your server which accepts a POST with shipping address data from PayPal, and requires you to return an appropriate response as output including the tax/shipping amount. This will then be used during checkout as the shipping/tax amount.

    Have a look at https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=developer/e_howto_html_Appx_websitestandard_htmlvariables#id09CA80W0Z5Z and https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=developer/e_howto_api_nvp_r_CallbackAPI

    For Website Payments Standard, base a button off of the following form code:

            <form action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="paypal">
        <input type="hidden" name="upload" value="1">
        <input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_cart">
        <input type="hidden" name="business" value="name@test.com">
        <input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD">
        <input type="hidden" name="return" value="https://link-to-your-return-script.php">

        <!--item 1 -->
        <input type="hidden" name="quantity_1" value="1">
        <input type="hidden" name="item_name_1" value="Gladiator - Extended">
        <input type="hidden" name="item_number_1" value="3425654">
        <input type="hidden" name="amount_1" value="10">


        <!--item 2 -->
        <input type="hidden" name="quantity_2" value="1">
        <input type="hidden" name="item_name_2" value="Casino - Extended ">
        <input type="hidden" name="item_number_2" value="4354567754">
        <input type="hidden" name="amount_2" value="2">

        <!--CALLBACK PARAMETERS -->
                    <input type="hidden" name="callback_url" value="https://link-to-your-callback-script.php">
                    <input type="hidden" name="callback_timeout" value="4">
                    <input type="hidden" name="callback_version"    value="61">         <!--Required! -->

                    <input type="hidden" name="fallback_shipping_option_name_0" value="Option 1">
                    <input type="hidden" name="fallback_shipping_option_amount_0" value="1">
                    <input type="hidden" name="fallback_shipping_option_is_default_0" value="1">

                    <input type="hidden" name="fallback_shipping_option_name_1" value="Option 2">
                    <input type="hidden" name="fallback_shipping_option_amount_1" value="3">
                    <input type="hidden" name="fallback_shipping_option_is_default_1" value="0">

                    <input type="hidden" name="fallback_insurance_option_offered" value="0">


        <!--CALLBACK PARAMETERS  END-->

<input type="submit" value="Upload cart">

</form>

    Whenever a buyer checks out, you will receive a POST with data on https://link-to-your-callback-script.php

    The following is an example POST payload which you may receive:

    CallbackRequest:

    METHOD=CallbackRequest
CALLBACKVERSION=57
TOKEN=EC-7TF47275R51235219
LOCALECODE=en_US
CURRENCYCODE=USD
L_NAME0=Item name
L_NUMBER0=0123456789
L_DESC0=Description of item goes here
L_AMT0=1.00
L_QTY0=1
L_ITEMWEIGHTUNIT0=
L_ITEMWEIGHTVALUE0=0
L_ITEMHEIGHTUNIT0=
L_ITEMHEIGHTVALUE0=0
L_ITEMWIDTHUNIT0=
L_ITEMWIDTHVALUE0=0
L_ITEMLENGTHUNIT0=
L_ITEMLENGTHVALUE0=0
SHIPTOSTREET=1 Main St
SHIPTOCITY=San Jose
SHIPTOSTATE=CA
SHIPTOCOUNTRY=US
SHIPTOZIP=95131
SHIPTOSTREET2=

    After which you must calculate the appropriate tax / shipping amounts, and return a proper CallBackResponse message.
    For example;

    CallBackResponse:

    METHOD=CallbackResponse&
OFFERINSURANCEOPTION=true&
L_SHIPPINGOPTIONLABEL0=UPS Next Day Air TEST5&
L_SHIPPINGOPTIONAMOUNT0=1.00&
L_TAXAMT0=0.00&
L_INSURANCEAMOUNT0=0.00&
L_SHIPPINGOPTIONISDEFAULT0=false&
L_SHIPPINGOPTIONLABEL1=UPS Express 2 Days TEST4&
L_SHIPPINGOPTIONAMOUNT1=1.50&
L_TAXAMT1=0.00&
L_INSURANCEAMOUNT1=0.0&
L_SHIPPINGOPTIONISDEFAULT1=true&
L_SHIPPINGOPTIONLABEL2=UPS Ground2 to 7 Days TEST3&
L_SHIPPINGOPTIONAMOUNT2=1.50&
L_TAXAMT2=0.00&
L_INSURANCEAMOUNT2=0.00&
L_SHIPPINGOPTIONISDEFAULT2=false

    Once PayPal has received this information, it will update the shipping/tax charges automatically.

    For more information, see https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=developer/e_howto_api_ECInstantUpdateAPI

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