Sales Tax Calculator
Add or remove sales tax at any state or local rate to find the tax and total.
TL;DR — Sales Tax Calculator: A sales tax calculator computes the tax amount on a purchase and the post-tax total, or works backwards from a total to find the pre-tax price. US sales tax varies by state and locality — Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax; combined state plus local rates can reach about 10 percent in some cities.
What is the Sales Tax Calculator?
A sales tax calculator computes the tax amount on a purchase and the post-tax total, or works backwards from a total to find the pre-tax price. US sales tax varies by state and locality — Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax; combined state plus local rates can reach about 10 percent in some cities.
How to use the Sales Tax Calculator
- Enter the amount (pre-tax subtotal or post-tax total).
- Enter the applicable sales tax rate as a percentage.
- Choose whether you are adding tax to a subtotal or extracting tax from a total.
- Read the tax amount, pre-tax price and post-tax total.
Formula
Tax = Subtotal × Rate ÷ 100 Total = Subtotal + Tax Subtotal = Total ÷ (1 + Rate/100)
Rate is the combined state plus local sales tax percentage.
Worked example
A $100 purchase at a 7.5% combined sales tax rate: tax = 100 × 0.075 = $7.50. Total = $107.50.
Frequently asked questions
What is sales tax?
A consumption tax charged on the sale of goods and services. In the US it is collected at the state and sometimes city/county level; rates and exemptions vary by jurisdiction.
Which US states have no sales tax?
Five states — Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon — have no statewide sales tax. Alaska allows local sales taxes; the other four are tax-free at the state level.
Is sales tax the same as VAT?
No. VAT is charged at each stage of the supply chain and ultimately borne by the consumer. US sales tax is a single-stage tax charged only on the final retail sale.
How do I extract tax from a total?
Divide the total by (1 + rate/100). For a $107.50 total at 7.5%: 107.50 ÷ 1.075 = $100.00 pre-tax.
Are food and clothing taxed?
Many states exempt groceries and prescription medication; some exempt clothing under a price threshold. Local rules vary.