Exemption Certificate Management - FAQs

What is Exemption Certificate Management? It's a tool in Zamp that helps you collect, validate, organize, and monitor exemption and resale certificates — and, most importantly, shows you where your exemption coverage has gaps. It replaces spreadsheets and manual cert tracking.

How do I get started? Go to Exemptions in the left sidebar and click Upload certificates in the top-right corner. Drag and drop your files or browse to them, then click Upload. Clean certificates file automatically; anything needing attention goes to your review queue.

Do I have to enter all my customers before I start? No. Just upload your certificates. Zamp reads each one and proposes the customers and state obligations for you to confirm, so setup is fast. You can also add customers manually if you prefer.

How does the certificate upload work? When you upload a certificate, Zamp automatically extracts the key details — legal name, permit number, state, exemption type, and validity dates — and checks that the form, required fields, and dates are in order. Clean certificates are validated automatically. If something is missing, the certificate is flagged so you know exactly what to fix.

What file types can I upload, and is there a size limit? PDF only, up to 10 MB per file.

Does each certificate need to be its own file? Yes. Each certificate must be saved as its own individual PDF. Combining multiple certificates into a single PDF will cause processing errors — split them first.

Can I upload in bulk? Yes. You can select and upload large batches at once, as long as each file contains a single certificate.

Do I have to wait for processing to finish? No. You can close the upload drawer and processing continues in the background. Track progress from the status banner.

Which certificate forms are supported? Zamp supports 38 form types, including blanket certificates and multi-state certificates like MTC and SST.

What kinds of exemptions does it support? Customer-level exemptions such as resale, manufacturing, nonprofit, and government.

What does "validated" mean — do you confirm certificates are authentic? Zamp validates the form, required fields, and dates on each certificate. We do not contact state authorities to confirm authenticity, and the seller remains responsible for audit response. What you get is organized, validated records and clear visibility into your coverage.

Where do my uploaded certificates go? Clean certificates are auto-approved and appear immediately under the Customers and Certificates tabs. Anything with missing details enters the review queue.

What happens if a certificate is missing information? It's routed to the review queue with the specific issue flagged — missing type, missing signature, unrecognizable date, or blurry document. You'll see a yellow alert banner or an "Action needed" widget on your dashboard. Click Review Information, select the item, and click Edit to see the original PDF side by side with the extracted details. Correct the fields and click Update and approve.

Can I manage certificates in bulk? Yes. You can review, edit, bulk-approve, and manage certificates and customers from one place.

Can I delete a certificate? Yes — a draft or invalid certificate can be deleted from the Review Modal or the Certificates list.

How do I know where I have coverage gaps? Your dashboard shows exemption coverage by state at a glance with a coverage heatmap, an "actions needed" list, and a clear status for each obligation — so you can collect renewals before certificates lapse.

What's the difference between a certificate and an obligation? The obligation is the underlying state requirement — whether a buyer is exempt in a given state. The certificate is the proof. One certificate can cover several obligations: a single SST certificate covering CA, TX, and FL represents three obligations, and each can be compliant, expiring, or expired independently.

What do the statuses mean?

Do customers get created automatically? Yes. Customers are created and assigned automatically as certificates are parsed. You can also add customers manually to configure tracking, states, and effective tracking dates.

Where do I see everything for one customer? The customer list view lets you search and filter by buyer details, exemption type, location, and status. Opening a customer shows their details, obligations, and every certificate on file, and you can edit their details from there. The Certificates tab gives you the same view organized by certificate — filterable by exemption type, certificate type, and expiration range.

What if I stop doing business with a buyer? Mark them Inactive. Tracking stops and the historical audit records are preserved.

Why is one of my customers showing up as a new duplicate? The name or ID on the certificate differs from the existing record. Check the spelling, or edit the customer name during the review step.

What happens if I reach my plan limit? You'll see a subscription limit warning — contact your account manager to upgrade your tier.

Can I export my certificates? Export is currently in development.