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Avalara AvaTax MCP Server

This read-only MCP Server allows you to connect to Avalara AvaTax data from Claude Desktop through CData JDBC Drivers. For full CRUD support, check out the first managed MCP platform: CData Connect AI (https://www.cdata.com/ai/).

Installation

Add the following to your MCP client configuration file.

Configuration

View docs

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cdatasoftware-avalara-avatax-mcp-server-by-cdata": {
      "command": "java",
      "args": [
        "-jar",
        "/PATH/TO/CDataMCP-jar-with-dependencies.jar",
        "/PATH/TO/avalara-avatax.prp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

You can query Avalara AvaTax live data through a local MCP server that exposes the data as simple, read-only tools. This server wraps the CData JDBC Driver so you can ask natural-language questions and receive live results without writing SQL. It is designed for local hosting with straightforward setup and reads from Avalara AvaTax via JDBC.

How to use

After you configure the MCP server, you interact with it using an MCP client. You ask questions about AvaTax data, such as tax rates, transaction statuses, or entity details, and the client translates your request into a series of tool calls that the MCP server executes against AvaTax through the JDBC driver. You do not need to write SQL; simply describe the data you want and the timeframe, and the client will fetch the results from AvaTax and present them in a readable format.

How to install

Prerequisites: Install Java and Maven on your system so you can build and run the MCP server.

1. Clone the project and enter the directory.

git clone https://github.com/cdatasoftware/avalara-avatax-mcp-server-by-cdata.git
cd avalara-avatax-mcp-server-by-cdata

2. Build the server to produce the runnable JAR.

bash
mvn clean install

This creates the JAR file: CDataMCP-jar-with-dependencies.jar.

3. Download and install the CData JDBC Driver for Avalara AvaTax.

Navigate to the driver download page and install it according to your OS. Then license the driver.

4. License the CData JDBC Driver.

java -jar cdata.jdbc.avatax.jar --license
```
Enter your name, email, and TRIAL (or your license key).

5. Configure the connection to Avalara AvaTax using the Connection String utility.

java -jar cdata.jdbc.avatax.jar
```
Configure the connection string, test the connection, and copy the connection string for use in the next step. If the data source uses OAuth, authenticate in your browser during the test.

6. Create a property file for the JDBC connection (e.g., avalara-avatax.prp) with the following fields.

Prefix=avatax
ServerName=CDataAvatax
ServerVersion=1.0
DriverPath=PATH\\TO\\cdata.jdbc.avatax.jar
DriverClass=cdata.jdbc.avatax.AvataxDriver
JdbcUrl=jdbc:avatax:InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;
Tables=

Run the MCP server

7. Start the MCP server using the generated prp file.

java -jar /PATH/TO/CDataMCP-jar-with-dependencies.jar /PATH/TO/avalara-avatax.prp

Available tools

avalara_avatax_get_tables

Retrieves a list of tables available in the Avalara AvaTax data source. The output is returned in CSV format with column headers in the first line.

avalara_avatax_get_columns

Retrieves a list of columns for a specified table. The output is returned in CSV format with column headers in the first line.

avalara_avatax_run_query

Executes a SQL SELECT query against the Avalara AvaTax data exposed by the MCP server.