Sales Tax Calculator
Use this sales tax estimator to add tax to a purchase or use the reverse tax calculator to find the price before tax. Choose a U.S. state estimate or enter your own rate.
Sales Tax Calculator
Choose an estimated combined state/local average or enter your own rate. Actual local and product rates may differ.
This calculator provides educational sales tax estimates only. Actual rates and taxable amounts can vary by city, county, district, product, service, exemption, tax holiday, and transaction rules. It does not provide tax advice or determine legal collection, filing, or nexus obligations.
How it works
Formula and steps
The formula shows how the sales tax calculator turns your inputs into the result. Use it to check the calculation, then follow the example steps to see each part of the math.
Formula & steps
Add sales tax to a price
T = P x (r / 100); G = P + T
Use this when you know the price before tax and want the sales tax amount and final total.
T= Sales tax amountP= Price before taxr= Sales tax rate as a percentageG= Total price including taxReverse sales tax from a total
P = G / (1 + r / 100); T = G - P
Use this reverse sales tax formula when you know the tax-inclusive total and want to recover the price before tax and included tax.
P= Price before taxG= Total price including taxr= Sales tax rate as a percentageT= Sales tax included in the total- 1Enter a price and choose a state estimate or enter a custom sales tax rate.
- 2To add tax, multiply the price before tax by the rate divided by 100.
- 3Add the tax amount to the price before tax to find the total price.
- 4To reverse included tax, divide the total by one plus the rate divided by 100, then subtract that pretax price from the total.
Worked examples
A $100 purchase at the Texas combined average rate of 8.20% has $8.20 estimated sales tax and a $108.20 total.
A $108.20 tax-inclusive total at 8.20% contains a $100.00 pretax price and $8.20 estimated sales tax.
A $49.99 purchase at a custom 7.5% rate has about $3.75 sales tax and a $53.74 total.
Common uses
- Estimating tax before checkout
- Figuring sales tax for retail purchases
- Using a reverse tax calculator
- Checking receipt totals
- Backwards sales tax calculations
- Using a retail tax calculator
Common mistakes
- Using only the statewide rate when city, county, or district tax also applies.
- Treating a statewide combined average as the exact rate for an address or product.
- Subtracting the percentage directly from a tax-inclusive total instead of dividing by one plus the rate.
- Assuming groceries, clothing, services, and other purchases always use the same taxable treatment.
Sales tax guide
How to Calculate and Reverse Sales Tax
Add sales tax to a purchase, use the reverse tax calculator to work backwards from a total, or choose a combined statewide average for a quick estimate.
How to calculate sales tax on a purchase
Multiply the price before tax by the sales tax rate divided by 100, then add that tax amount to the purchase price. Choose a state estimate or enter a custom rate when figuring sales tax for a retail purchase.
Reverse sales tax calculator
A reverse sales tax calculator, sometimes called a backwards tax calculator, starts with the tax-inclusive total. Divide that total by one plus the rate as a decimal to recover the pretax price, then subtract the pretax price from the total to find included tax.
State rate versus local rate
State selections use the published state rate plus a population-weighted average local rate. Many cities, counties, and special districts add sales tax, so a statewide combined average cannot identify the exact rate at one address.
Why checkout tax may differ
Product categories, exemptions, tax holidays, sourcing rules, and local districts can change the taxable amount or rate. Groceries, clothing, services, and vehicles may follow different rules.
States with the lowest sales tax rates
Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon have 0% combined rates in this dataset. Alaska has no statewide sales tax, but local sales taxes produce a nonzero statewide combined average.
Sales tax versus VAT
Value-added tax (VAT) and U.S. retail sales tax are different systems. The custom-rate option can perform basic percentage arithmetic, but the supplied jurisdiction data and guidance cover U.S. sales tax.
2026 sales tax rates by state
State and local sales tax rates effective 2026-07-01. Combined averages use population-weighted local rates.
| State or district | State rate | Average local | Combined average | Maximum local |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4.00% | 5.46% | 9.46% | 8.00% |
| Alaska | 0.00% | 1.82% | 1.82% | 7.85% |
| Arizona | 5.60% | 2.94% | 8.54% | 5.30% |
| Arkansas | 6.50% | 2.98% | 9.48% | 6.13% |
| California | 7.25% | 1.78% | 9.03% | 5.25% |
| Colorado | 2.90% | 4.99% | 7.89% | 9.10% |
| Connecticut | 6.35% | 0.00% | 6.35% | 0.00% |
| Delaware | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Florida | 6.00% | 0.98% | 6.98% | 2.00% |
| Georgia | 4.00% | 3.56% | 7.56% | 5.00% |
| Hawaii | 4.00% | 0.50% | 4.50% | 0.50% |
| Idaho | 6.00% | 0.03% | 6.03% | 3.00% |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 2.73% | 8.98% | 4.75% |
| Indiana | 7.00% | 0.00% | 7.00% | 0.00% |
| Iowa | 6.00% | 0.94% | 6.94% | 1.00% |
| Kansas | 6.50% | 2.21% | 8.71% | 4.25% |
| Kentucky | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% | 0.00% |
| Louisiana | 5.00% | 5.13% | 10.13% | 7.00% |
| Maine | 5.50% | 0.00% | 5.50% | 0.00% |
| Maryland | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% | 0.00% |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | 0.00% | 6.25% | 0.00% |
| Michigan | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% | 0.00% |
| Minnesota | 6.88% | 1.26% | 8.14% | 3.00% |
| Mississippi | 7.00% | 0.06% | 7.06% | 1.00% |
| Missouri | 4.23% | 4.22% | 8.44% | 6.25% |
| Montana | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Nebraska | 5.50% | 1.48% | 6.98% | 2.00% |
| Nevada | 6.85% | 1.39% | 8.24% | 1.53% |
| New Hampshire | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| New Jersey | 6.63% | -0.02% | 6.60% | 3.31% |
| New Mexico | 4.88% | 2.80% | 7.68% | 4.56% |
| New York | 4.00% | 4.54% | 8.54% | 4.88% |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | 2.35% | 7.10% | 3.50% |
| North Dakota | 5.00% | 2.09% | 7.09% | 3.75% |
| Ohio | 5.75% | 1.54% | 7.29% | 2.25% |
| Oklahoma | 4.50% | 4.56% | 9.06% | 7.00% |
| Oregon | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Pennsylvania | 6.00% | 0.34% | 6.34% | 2.00% |
| Rhode Island | 7.00% | 0.00% | 7.00% | 0.00% |
| South Carolina | 6.00% | 1.49% | 7.49% | 3.00% |
| South Dakota | 4.20% | 1.91% | 6.11% | 4.50% |
| Tennessee | 7.00% | 2.61% | 9.61% | 2.75% |
| Texas | 6.25% | 1.95% | 8.20% | 2.00% |
| Utah | 6.10% | 1.32% | 7.42% | 4.70% |
| Vermont | 6.00% | 0.43% | 6.43% | 1.00% |
| Virginia | 5.30% | 0.47% | 5.77% | 2.70% |
| Washington | 6.50% | 3.07% | 9.57% | 4.20% |
| Washington, D.C. | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% | 0.00% |
| West Virginia | 6.00% | 0.60% | 6.60% | 1.40% |
| Wisconsin | 5.00% | 0.72% | 5.72% | 2.90% |
| Wyoming | 4.00% | 1.39% | 5.39% | 3.00% |
Rounded source columns may not add exactly to published combined rates. New Jersey also includes a source-reported negative local adjustment for qualifying jurisdictions.
FAQ
To figure out sales tax on a purchase, multiply the price before tax by the sales tax rate divided by 100. At 8.2%, a $100 purchase has $8.20 sales tax and a $108.20 total.
Yes. Choose a state to use its published combined state and population-weighted average local rate. This is a statewide estimate, not an exact address-level rate.
Divide the tax-inclusive total by one plus the tax rate as a decimal. Subtract the resulting pretax price from the total to find included tax.
A backwards tax calculator is another name for a reverse tax calculator. It starts with a tax-inclusive total and rate, then finds the original price before tax and the included sales tax.
No. Local jurisdictions, special districts, product categories, exemptions, and tax holidays can change the actual rate and taxable amount. Enter the exact applicable rate when you know it.
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Alaska localities may levy sales tax, so its combined statewide average is not zero.
Yes. It estimates tax on a retail price when you supply an applicable rate, but it does not decide whether a particular product or service is taxable.
Not specifically. Value-added tax (VAT) and U.S. retail sales tax are different systems. Custom-rate percentage math can produce a basic VAT amount, but the supplied location data and guidance cover U.S. sales tax.
No. It does not determine nexus, sourcing, exemptions, collection duties, returns, or filing requirements. Consult the relevant tax authority or a qualified tax professional.
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