Quickly calculate sales tax for any price and tax rate, or work backwards from the total.
Add tax to price: enter the pre-tax price and your combined sales tax rate (state + county + city) to get the tax and the total you will pay at the register.
Remove tax from total: enter a receipt total that already includes tax and the rate, and the calculator works backwards to the pre-tax price and the tax portion — useful for expense reports and bookkeeping.
Tax = Price × (Rate ÷ 100) · Total = Price + TaxPre-tax price = Total ÷ (1 + Rate ÷ 100) · Tax = Total − Pre-tax priceNote that removing tax is not the same as subtracting the rate from the total: $108.50 at 8.5% is $100.00 before tax, not $99.28.
Convert the tax rate to a decimal and multiply it by the price. For example, 8.5% sales tax on $100 is $100 × 0.085 = $8.50, for a total of $108.50.
Divide the total by 1 plus the tax rate as a decimal. A $108.50 receipt at 8.5% tax was $108.50 ÷ 1.085 = $100.00 before tax, and the tax was $8.50.
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Some Alaska and Montana resort towns still allow local sales taxes, so the rate you pay can depend on the city.
Most states let counties, cities and special districts add their own sales tax on top of the state rate. Use the combined rate for the location where the sale happens (or where an item is delivered).
It depends on the state. Sales tax applies mainly to tangible goods; many services are exempt, but some states tax a wide range of services. Groceries and prescription drugs are also exempt or taxed at a reduced rate in many states.
Sales tax is calculated as a percentage of the purchase price and added at the point of sale. Many jurisdictions layer state, county, and city taxes, creating combined rates. This calculator helps you compute the exact tax amount and total price, or work backward from a tax-inclusive total to find the pre-tax price.
Did you know?
The combined state and local sales tax rate in some jurisdictions exceeds 11%, with Tacoma, Washington at 10.3% and Chicago at 10.25%. Meanwhile, five US states have no sales tax at all.
Sales taxes in the US originated during the Great Depression when states needed new revenue sources. Mississippi became the first state to impose a general sales tax in 1930. Today, 45 states and DC collect statewide sales taxes, while Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon do not.
Most US states exempt groceries from sales tax, but definitions vary — some states tax candy and soda while exempting other food items.
The concept of a value-added tax (VAT) is used in over 160 countries but not in the United States. VAT averages around 20% in Europe.
Online sales tax became universally enforceable after the 2018 Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.
Sales tax rates change frequently — over 600 US jurisdictions changed their rates in 2023 alone.