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Sales Tax Calculator

This calculator works sales tax in both directions. In add-tax mode, enter the shelf price and your rate to get the tax amount and the total at the register: tax = price × rate, total = price × (1 + rate). In tax-inclusive mode, enter a total that already contains tax — a receipt, a gas-pump price, a quoted “out-the-door” figure — and it backs out the pre-tax price with price ÷ (1 + rate), which is the math people get wrong most often.

The dropdown presets are statewide base rates (2025 figures). Almost every state lets counties, cities, and special districts stack local tax on top — Texas is 6.25% at the state level but averages over 8% combined, and parts of Louisiana, Alabama, and Washington exceed 10% all-in. Use the preset as a floor, then confirm your combined local rate from a receipt or your state revenue department.

Pre-tax price

$100.00

Sales tax (7.25%)

$7.25

Total price

$107.25

Total = $100.00 × (1 + 7.25/100). Presets are statewide base rates only — most areas add county, city, or district taxes, so confirm your combined local rate.

How to use the sales tax calculator

  1. Choose the direction: add tax to a pre-tax price, or extract tax from a tax-included total.
  2. Enter the dollar amount.
  3. Type your combined sales tax rate, or pick a state from the preset dropdown to start from the statewide base rate.
  4. Read the three outputs — pre-tax price, tax amount, and total — which update instantly.

The math, worked both ways

Adding tax: a $1,299 laptop in a city with a 9.5% combined rate costs $1,299 × 0.095 = $123.41 in tax, so $1,422.41 total. Backing tax out: if your receipt total is $86.40 at an 8% rate, the pre-tax price is $86.40 ÷ 1.08 = $80.00 and the tax is $6.40. The classic mistake is multiplying the total by the rate instead of dividing — $86.40 × 8% = $6.91, which overstates the tax by 51 cents because the rate was charged on $80, not on $86.40. Whenever a price already includes tax, divide by (1 + rate); never multiply.

State base rates vs what you actually pay

Five states charge no statewide sales tax at all: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon (Alaska still allows local sales taxes). At the other end, California's 7.25% is the highest state base rate. But the state rate is only the floor: local add-ons routinely contribute 1–5 percentage points, which is why two stores a mile apart across a county line can charge different totals on the same item. Groceries, prescription drugs, and clothing are fully or partly exempt in many states (e.g., most grocery food is exempt in Texas and Florida), and several states hold sales-tax holidays for back-to-school or emergency supplies. For any decision that depends on the exact figure — invoicing, expense reports, resale pricing — verify the combined rate for the delivery or purchase address.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate sales tax from a total price?

Divide the total by 1 plus the rate as a decimal, then subtract. At 7% on a $214 total: pre-tax = 214 ÷ 1.07 = $200, tax = $14. Multiplying the total by 7% gives $14.98 — wrong, because tax was charged on $200, not $214.

What is the highest sales tax rate in the US?

California has the highest statewide base rate at 7.25%. Combined state-plus-local rates climb higher — parts of Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Washington exceed 10%. The presets in this tool are state base rates only; check your local jurisdiction for the combined figure.

Which states have no sales tax?

Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon have no state or local general sales tax. Alaska has no statewide tax but permits local sales taxes, so some Alaskan municipalities charge 1%–7%. Buying in these states does not avoid use tax your home state may legally expect on major purchases.

Why is the tax on my receipt different from the state rate preset?

Because counties, cities, transit authorities, and special districts levy their own additions on top of the state base. Texas, for example, is 6.25% statewide, but local additions of up to 2% take most addresses to 8.25%. Your receipt reflects the combined rate at the store's (or for shipping, often the delivery) address.

Do online purchases get charged sales tax?

Generally yes. Since the Supreme Court's 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair decision, states can require out-of-state sellers above an economic-nexus threshold to collect tax based on the shipping destination. Large retailers collect in every taxing state; small sellers below thresholds may not, in which case the buyer technically owes use tax.

Are groceries taxed?

It varies. Most states fully exempt unprepared grocery food (Texas, Florida, New York among them); some tax it at a reduced rate; a few tax it at the full rate. Prepared food, restaurant meals, candy, and soda are commonly taxed even where groceries are exempt — definitions differ state by state.

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