Sales tax calculator
Choose your state to load its official sales tax rate, add the local rate that applies to you, and see the tax and the total. You can also work backward from a total that already includes tax.
Enter a price to see the sales tax and the total.
Breakdown
| Item | Amount |
|---|
How it’s calculated
- Formula
total = price × (1 + tax rate ÷ 100)- With your numbers
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The tax is rounded to the nearest cent. Stores and states differ on whether they round each item or the whole purchase, so a receipt can be off by a cent or two.
Quick reference at
| Price | Sales tax | Total |
|---|
State rate
An estimate, not tax advice
The state rate comes from the state’s own tax agency, but what you pay depends on the exact address, on what you buy (many states tax food, clothing, or medicine differently or not at all), and on any special districts. Check the final amount on your receipt or with your state’s tax agency. This tool is not financial or tax advice.How to use it
- Choose whether you are adding tax to a price or removing it from a total.
- Pick your state to load its state sales tax rate, or choose “Other place” and type a rate.
- Type the local rate for your city or county, if there is one. Use the link to your state’s official rate tool to find it.
- Enter the price or the total, or switch to several items and list one price per line.
- Read the tax and the total, copy the result, or copy a link that opens the calculator with your numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate sales tax?
Multiply the price by the tax rate as a decimal. For a $100 purchase at a combined rate of 8.25%, the tax is 100 × 0.0825 = $8.25, so the total is $108.25.
How do you take sales tax out of a total?
Divide the total by 1 plus the rate as a decimal. If $108.25 includes tax at 8.25%, the price before tax is 108.25 ÷ 1.0825 = $100, and the tax is $8.25. Subtracting 8.25% from the total would give the wrong answer.
Why does the calculator ask for a local rate?
In most states, cities, counties, and special districts add their own sales tax on top of the state rate. The combined rate depends on the exact address where you buy or receive the item, so you type the local part yourself. Use your state’s official rate tool to find it.
Which states have no state sales tax?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon have no general state sales tax. Alaska allows local sales taxes, and some Montana resort towns charge a local resort tax. Delaware taxes businesses on gross receipts instead, and New Hampshire taxes meals and rooms.
Is the total exact?
It is an estimate. The state rate comes from the state’s tax agency, but the local rate you type, what you buy (food, clothing, and medicine are taxed differently in many states), and how a store rounds can all change the final amount. Check your receipt.
Does it work for several items?
Yes. Switch to “Several items” and list one price per line, with a quantity after an x if you need it (5.50 x 3). The prices are added first and the tax is calculated on the total, rounded to the cent.
The formulas
- Add tax: total = price × (1 + rate ÷ 100). The sales tax is the total minus the price.
- Remove tax: price = total ÷ (1 + rate ÷ 100). The sales tax is the total minus the price.
- Combined rate: state rate + local rate. The two are added, not multiplied.
A worked example
You buy a $249.99 item in a place with a 6.25% state rate and a 2% local rate. The combined rate is 8.25%, so the tax is 249.99 × 0.0825 = $20.62 (rounded to the cent) and the total is $270.61. Going backward, $270.61 ÷ 1.0825 gives $249.99 again.
Why the rate depends on where you are
There is no federal sales tax in the United States. Each state sets its own rate, and most let cities, counties, and special districts add more. Some states tax based on where the seller is, others on where the item is delivered, so the same online order can be taxed differently depending on the address.
What is taxed and what is not
This calculator applies one rate to everything you enter. In practice, many states charge a lower rate or no tax on groceries, prescription drugs, or clothing, and some tax services. If your purchase might be exempt, check your state’s tax agency before relying on the result.
Where the rates come from
Each state rate in the list comes from the state’s own tax agency, with a link to the page and the date it was checked. Rates can change, usually on January 1 or July 1. The local rate is yours to type because it depends on the exact address; the state’s official rate tool is the place to look it up.
Related calculators
To see how the tax on a car changes its monthly payment, use the auto loan calculator. To work out a discount before tax, use the discount calculator. For a tip on a restaurant bill, try the tip calculator, and for any other percentage, the percentage calculator.
Updated on October 8, 2026