Sales Tax Calculator
Add sales tax to a price, back it out of a tax-inclusive total, or find the rate a receipt charged, with separate state and local rate fields.
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About this toolWhat is the Sales Tax Calculator?
The Sales Tax Calculator does three jobs. Add tax turns a shelf price into the amount you will pay. Remove tax takes a total that already includes tax and splits it back into the pre-tax price and the tax. Find the rate works out what percentage a receipt charged from the before and after amounts.
US sales tax is usually a stack of rates from the state, the county, the city and sometimes a special district, so there are separate state and local fields that are added together into one combined rate. Nothing is pre-filled from a rate table, because combined rates change and can differ from one street to the next; type the rate for your address.
- Add, remove, or find the sales tax rate
- Separate state and local rate fields
- Exact reverse calculation from a total
- Step-by-step working
- Copy, share link and currency selector
How to use the Sales Tax Calculator
- Choose Add tax, Remove tax, or Find the rate.
- For Add tax, enter the price before tax. For Remove tax, enter the total that includes tax.
- Enter the state rate and the local rate (county, city and district combined). Put 0 in the local field if there is none.
- For Find the rate, enter the price before tax and the total paid; the rate fields are not needed.
- Read the total, the pre-tax price and the tax, and expand the working to see each step.
Worked examples
Adding 8.25% to a $100 purchase
Input
Add tax, 100.00, state 6.25%, local 2%
Output
Tax 8.25; total 108.25
The two rates are added to 8.25% and charged once on the price.
Backing tax out of a receipt
Input
Remove tax, total 108.25, 8.25% combined
Output
Pre-tax 100.00; tax 8.25
Dividing by 1.0825 recovers the price. Subtracting 8.25% of 108.25 would give 99.32 and understate it.
Finding the rate a store charged
Input
Find the rate, before tax 80.00, total paid 86.60
Output
Tax 6.60; rate 8.25%
6.60 / 80.00 = 0.0825. Useful when a receipt shows only the totals.
Background and insight
Adding tax is a multiplication: total = price x (1 + rate). Removing it is a division: price = total / (1 + rate). The common mistake is to subtract the rate from the total instead. At 8.25%, taking 8.25% off 108.25 gives 99.32, but the real pre-tax price is 100.00, because the tax was calculated on 100 and not on 108.25.
State and local rates add, they do not compound. A 6.25% state rate with 2% of local taxes is 8.25% combined, charged once on the price. There is no federal sales tax in the US. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia levy a statewide sales tax; Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon do not, although Alaska allows local sales taxes. Each state's revenue department publishes an address lookup for the exact combined rate.
Sellers round tax per line or per receipt, and some states set bracket tables for small amounts, so a real receipt can differ from the calculator by a cent. In countries with VAT or GST, prices are normally shown with tax included; use the VAT Calculator for those.
Common use cases
Shopping budget
See the real checkout price of a big purchase before you go to the store.
Expense reports
Split a tax-inclusive receipt into the net amount and the tax for bookkeeping.
Checking a receipt
Find the rate a store charged and compare it with your local combined rate.
Pricing for sellers
Work out the pre-tax price that lands on a round total after tax.
Tips and limitations
- Never take the rate off a tax-inclusive total. Divide by 1 plus the rate instead.
- Local rates matter: two addresses in the same county can have different combined rates because of city or district taxes.
- Some items are exempt or taxed at a reduced rate (groceries and prescription drugs in many states), so a mixed receipt will not match a single rate.
- Shipping and delivery charges are taxable in some states and not in others.
- Online purchases are generally taxed where the item is delivered, so use the rate for the delivery address.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate sales tax on a price?
Multiply the price by the rate as a decimal. For $250 at 7%, the tax is 250 x 0.07 = $17.50 and the total is $267.50.
How do I remove sales tax from a total?
Divide the total by 1 plus the rate. A total of $53.50 at 7% gives 53.50 / 1.07 = $50.00 before tax, so the tax was $3.50.
How do I find the sales tax rate from a receipt?
Divide the tax by the pre-tax amount and multiply by 100. If $40 became $43.30, the tax is $3.30 and the rate is 8.25%.
Which US states have no sales tax?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Alaska lets cities and boroughs charge local sales tax, so purchases there can still be taxed.
Do state and local sales taxes compound?
No. They are added into one combined rate that is charged on the price once. 6% state plus 1.5% local is 7.5%.
Why does my receipt differ by a cent from the calculator?
Stores round tax per item or per receipt, and some states use bracket tables for small amounts. Those rounding choices can move the total by a cent or two.
Is there an in-depth guide to the Sales Tax Calculator?
Yes. “Sales Tax, VAT, Discounts and Tips: Percentages at the Till” covers the background, how it works, common pitfalls and worked examples. Read the full guide.
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