How to calculate sales tax
This sales tax calculator and sales tax estimator solves for any one of three checkout values—the pre-tax price, the sales tax rate, or the total price with tax—whenever you enter the other two. In the United States, sticker prices are almost always listed before tax, and the combined state and local rate is applied at checkout.
1. Finding the total price with tax (forward calculation)
When you know the pre-tax price and the sales tax rate, convert the percentage rate to a decimal by dividing by 100, multiply by the pre-tax price to get the dollar tax amount, and add that tax to the pre-tax price:
- Sales tax amount = Pre-tax price × (Sales tax rate ÷ 100)
- Total price with tax = Pre-tax price × (1 + Sales tax rate ÷ 100)
For example, an $80.00 purchase at a 7.25% rate adds $5.80 in tax for a total of $85.80.
2. Reverse sales tax calculator (finding the pre-tax price)
When you have a receipt total that already includes tax and want to back out the original pre-tax price, divide the total price by 1 plus the decimal tax rate instead of subtracting the percentage directly:
- Pre-tax price = Total price with tax ÷ (1 + Sales tax rate ÷ 100)
- Sales tax amount = Total price with tax − Pre-tax price
For an $85.80 receipt in a 7.25% jurisdiction, $85.80 ÷ 1.0725 = $80.00 pre-tax and $5.80 in sales tax.
3. Tax rate calculator (finding the sales tax rate)
When you have both the pre-tax subtotal and the final total on a receipt, subtract the pre-tax price from the total to find the tax paid, then divide by the pre-tax price:
- Sales tax rate (%) = ((Total price with tax − Pre-tax price) ÷ Pre-tax price) × 100
What the result includes
- The solved value highlighted at the top—either the total price with tax, the reverse-calculated pre-tax price, or the effective sales tax rate.
- The sales tax amount in dollars and cents alongside all three core figures.
- A checkout price breakdown bar showing the exact share of your payment going to the item versus state and local tax.
U.S. state sales tax rates overview
The United States does not levy a federal sales tax. Forty-five states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam impose a statewide general sales tax, while five states—Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon—have no statewide general sales tax (though Alaska permits local municipal sales taxes). Many states allow counties, cities, and transit districts to add local option taxes on top of the state rate.
| State / Territory | General State Sales Tax | Max Rate with Local Tax |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4% | 13.50% |
| Alaska | 0% | 7% |
| Arizona | 5.60% | 10.725% |
| Arkansas | 6.50% | 11.625% |
| California | 7.25% | 10.50% |
| Colorado | 2.90% | 10% |
| Connecticut | 6.35% | 6.35% |
| Delaware | 0% | 0% |
| District of Columbia | 6% | 6% |
| Florida | 6% | 7.50% |
| Georgia | 4% | 8% |
| Guam | 4% | 4% |
| Hawaii | 4.166% | 4.712% |
| Idaho | 6% | 8.50% |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 10.25% |
| Indiana | 7% | 7% |
| Iowa | 6% | 7% |
| Kansas | 6.50% | 11.60% |
| Kentucky | 6% | 6% |
| Louisiana | 4.45% | 11.45% |
| Maine | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Maryland | 6% | 6% |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Michigan | 6% | 6% |
| Minnesota | 6.875% | 7.875% |
| Mississippi | 7% | 7.25% |
| Missouri | 4.225% | 10.85% |
| Montana | 0% | 0% |
| Nebraska | 5.50% | 7.50% |
| Nevada | 6.85% | 8.375% |
| New Hampshire | 0% | 0% |
| New Jersey | 6.625% | 12.625% |
| New Mexico | 5.125% | 8.688% |
| New York | 4% | 8.875% |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | 7.50% |
| North Dakota | 5% | 8% |
| Ohio | 5.75% | 8% |
| Oklahoma | 4.50% | 11% |
| Oregon | 0% | 0% |
| Pennsylvania | 6% | 8% |
| Puerto Rico | 10.50% | 11.50% |
| Rhode Island | 7% | 7% |
| South Carolina | 6% | 9% |
| South Dakota | 4% | 6% |
| Tennessee | 7% | 9.75% |
| Texas | 6.25% | 8.25% |
| Utah | 6.1% | 8.35% |
| Vermont | 6% | 7% |
| Virginia | 5.30% | 7% |
| Washington | 6.50% | 10.60% |
| West Virginia | 6% | 7% |
| Wisconsin | 5% | 7.9% |
| Wyoming | 4% | 6% |
Important caveats
State and local sales tax rates, exemptions (such as groceries, prescription drugs, or clothing), and special district surtaxes change periodically and vary by street address. This calculator provides mathematical estimates for general retail transactions and does not constitute tax or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is my sales tax rate?
Your effective sales tax rate is the sum of your state's general sales tax rate plus any county, city, or transit-district rates that apply at the point of sale (or delivery address for shipped orders). You can also find it from any local receipt by entering the subtotal as the pre-tax price and the final charge as the total price in the calculator above.
Why can't I just subtract the tax percentage from the total price?
Sales tax is calculated as a percentage of the pre-tax price, not the final total. On a $100 item with 10% tax, the total is $110. Subtracting 10% of $110 ($11) would give $99 instead of $100. Dividing $110 by 1.10 returns the exact $100.00 pre-tax price.
Which U.S. states have no sales tax?
Five states have no statewide general sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon (often remembered by the acronym NOMAD). However, Alaska allows boroughs and cities to collect local sales taxes of up to 7%.
Can I deduct sales tax on my federal income tax return?
Taxpayers who itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040) may elect to deduct state and local general sales taxes instead of state and local income taxes, subject to the federal state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap. This option is most often used by residents of states without an income tax or households that made major taxed purchases during the year.
What's changed
- Launched.