Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate the sales tax on any purchase. Enter the price before tax and the tax rate to instantly see the tax amount and total price including tax. Also works in reverse — enter the total to find the pre-tax price.
US Sales Tax Rates by State (2024)
| State | State Rate | Avg. with Local |
|---|---|---|
| California | 7.25% | 8.82% |
| Texas | 6.25% | 8.19% |
| New York | 4.00% | 8.52% |
| Florida | 6.00% | 7.01% |
| Washington | 6.50% | 9.38% |
| Oregon / Montana / Delaware | 0% | 0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiply the pre-tax price by the tax rate: Tax = Price × (Rate ÷ 100). Add that to the original price for the total: Total = Price + Tax.
Divide the total by (1 + tax rate). For example, if total is $108 with 8% tax: $108 ÷ 1.08 = $100 pre-tax price.
Adding sales tax
Example: $45 item at 7.25% tax.
Tax: $45 × 0.0725 = $3.26. Total: $48.26
Working backwards from a total
To find the pre-tax price when you only have the receipt total, divide rather than subtract:
A $107.50 total at 7.5% tax: 107.50 ÷ 1.075 = $100.00 before tax, with $7.50 of tax.
Subtracting 7.5% from the total instead gives $99.44, which is wrong. The tax was charged on the smaller pre-tax figure, not on the total.
Rates are layered
In the US there is no national sales tax. What you pay is usually several rates stacked together:
- State rate
- County rate
- City or municipal rate
- Special district rates — transit, stadium, tourism levies
This is why the rate can change between neighbouring towns, and why online checkouts calculate tax from the full delivery address rather than just the state.
What gets taxed varies
Many states exempt or reduce tax on groceries, prescription medicines and clothing, with the definitions differing considerably. Prepared food is frequently taxed where the same ingredients bought raw would not be. A handful of states levy no general sales tax at all.
Sales tax vs VAT
US sales tax is added at the register, so advertised prices usually exclude it. VAT and GST systems elsewhere are generally included in the displayed price, which is why a European price tag is what you actually hand over.
Rates change, and local rates change more often than state ones. For filing or invoicing, confirm the current rate for the exact delivery address with your state revenue department rather than relying on a remembered figure.