Sales tax calculator
Add tax to a price, or find the pre-tax price hidden inside a total.
Total with tax
Price before tax
How to calculate sales tax
Sales tax is a percentage added to the price of most goods and services at checkout. To add it, multiply the price by the tax rate and add it on. To work backwards from a receipt total, divide by one plus the rate to recover the pre-tax price.
The formulas
total = price × (1 + rate)
price before tax = total ÷ (1 + rate)
Worked example: adding tax to a price
Take a $1.75 item at a 7% rate. Convert the rate to a decimal (7% = 0.07), multiply: 1.75 × 0.07 = $0.12 of tax. Add it back: 1.75 + 0.12 = $1.87 total. The same shortcut in one step is 1.75 × 1.07.
Larger numbers work identically. An $18,000 purchase at 20% is 18,000 × 0.20 = $3,600 of tax, for a $21,600 total — the arithmetic does not care whether the percentage is a sales tax, a tariff, or a markup.
Worked example: finding the price before tax
You paid $53.50 and the local rate is 7%. Divide rather than subtract: 53.50 ÷ 1.07 = $50.00, so $3.50 was tax. Subtracting 7% of the total instead gives $49.75, which is wrong — the tax was charged on the smaller pre-tax figure, not on the total.
Quick reference: common prices at common rates
Total price including tax. Use the calculator above for your exact rate.
| Price | 5.00% | 6.00% | 6.25% | 7.00% | 7.25% | 8.00% | 8.25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1.75 | $1.84 | $1.85 | $1.86 | $1.87 | $1.88 | $1.89 | $1.89 |
| $10.00 | $10.50 | $10.60 | $10.62 | $10.70 | $10.72 | $10.80 | $10.82 |
| $20.00 | $21.00 | $21.20 | $21.25 | $21.40 | $21.45 | $21.60 | $21.65 |
| $50.00 | $52.50 | $53.00 | $53.12 | $53.50 | $53.62 | $54.00 | $54.12 |
| $100.00 | $105.00 | $106.00 | $106.25 | $107.00 | $107.25 | $108.00 | $108.25 |
| $250.00 | $262.50 | $265.00 | $265.62 | $267.50 | $268.12 | $270.00 | $270.62 |
Sales tax rate by state
These are state-level rates. Counties and cities add their own on top, so the rate you actually pay at the register is often one to five points higher. Alaska has no state sales tax but does allow local ones, which is why a 0% state rate does not always mean a tax-free purchase.
| State | State rate |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 4% |
| Alaska | None |
| Arizona | 5.6% |
| Arkansas | 6.5% |
| California | 7.25% |
| Colorado | 2.9% |
| Connecticut | 6.35% |
| Delaware | None |
| Florida | 6% |
| Georgia | 4% |
| Hawaii | 4% |
| Idaho | 6% |
| Illinois | 6.25% |
| Indiana | 7% |
| Iowa | 6% |
| Kansas | 6.5% |
| Kentucky | 6% |
| Louisiana | 5% |
| Maine | 5.5% |
| Maryland | 6% |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% |
| Michigan | 6% |
| Minnesota | 6.875% |
| Mississippi | 7% |
| Missouri | 4.225% |
| Montana | None |
| Nebraska | 5.5% |
| Nevada | 6.85% |
| New Hampshire | None |
| New Jersey | 6.625% |
| New Mexico | 4.875% |
| New York | 4% |
| North Carolina | 4.75% |
| North Dakota | 5% |
| Ohio | 5.75% |
| Oklahoma | 4.5% |
| Oregon | None |
| Pennsylvania | 6% |
| Rhode Island | 7% |
| South Carolina | 6% |
| South Dakota | 4.2% |
| Tennessee | 7% |
| Texas | 6.25% |
| Utah | 6.1% |
| Vermont | 6% |
| Virginia | 5.3% |
| Washington | 6.5% |
| West Virginia | 6% |
| Wisconsin | 5% |
| Wyoming | 4% |
| Washington, D.C. | 6% |
Five states — Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon — have no statewide sales tax. If you are close to a border, the difference on a large purchase can be worth the drive, though some states charge use tax on items brought in.
Things that trip people up
- Discounts come first. Tax is charged on the discounted price, so a $100 item at 20% off with 7% tax costs $80 × 1.07 = $85.60.
- Not everything is taxed. Many states exempt groceries, prescription drugs and clothing, or tax them at a reduced rate.
- Rounding is per-transaction. Retailers round the total tax, not each item, so adding up item-by-item can be a cent off.
- Shipping is sometimes taxable. Whether delivery charges are taxed depends on the state.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate sales tax?
Multiply the item price by the tax rate written as a decimal. For example, 7.5% is 0.075, so a $40 item has $3 of tax and costs $43. This calculator does both the tax and the new total for you.
What is 1.75 plus tax?
It depends on your local rate. At 7% a $1.75 item comes to $1.87; at 8.25% it is $1.89. Multiply 1.75 by one plus your rate as a decimal, or enter it in the calculator above.
How do you add tax to a price?
Multiply the price by (1 + rate). A $60 item at 6.25% is 60 × 1.0625 = $63.75. You can also work out the tax alone (60 × 0.0625 = $3.75) and add it on — the answer is the same.
How do you find the price before tax?
Divide the total you paid by one plus the tax rate. A $53.50 total at a 7% rate came from a pre-tax price of 53.50 ÷ 1.07 = $50. Do not subtract the percentage from the total — that gives the wrong answer.
Which state has the highest sales tax?
California has the highest state-level rate. Once local add-ons are counted, combined rates in parts of Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas and Alabama run higher still, above 9% in many towns.
Why is the sales tax rate different where I live?
In the US, sales tax is set by states, counties and cities, so the combined rate varies widely by location. Enter your own local rate for an accurate result.
Is sales tax applied before or after a discount?
Almost always after. Discounts are taken off the price first, and tax is charged on the reduced amount.
Do all US states charge sales tax?
No. Five states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon) have no statewide sales tax, though Alaska still allows local taxes.
Financial disclaimer: This calculator is for general information and education only and is not financial advice. Estimates are based on the figures you enter and standard formulas, and may not reflect every fee, tax, or rate change. See our full disclaimer and confirm important decisions with a qualified professional.