Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate the sales tax on any purchase instantly — find tax amount and total price, or work backwards from a total to find the pre-tax price. Includes US state tax rates.
Select a state to auto-fill its base sales tax rate below.
How to Use the Sales Tax Calculator
- 1Use the Add Tax tab to calculate how much sales tax you will pay on a purchase. Enter the pre-tax price and your local tax rate. Use the state dropdown to instantly fill in your state base rate.
- 2Use the Remove Tax tab to find the pre-tax price of something you already bought. Enter the total price you paid and the tax rate — the calculator works backwards to find the original price.
- 3The US State Comparison table shows what the same purchase would cost in 8 different states — useful for understanding how much you save or spend based on where you shop.
- 4Download the free PDF for a complete record of your calculation including the state comparison table.
Example Calculations
Tab 1: Pre-Tax $120 | Tax Rate 8.5%
- Tax Amount: $10.20
- Total Price: $130.20
Tab 2 (Reverse): Total $130.20 | Tax Rate 8.5%
- Pre-Tax Price: $120.00
- Tax Paid: $10.20
State Comparison for $120:
Montana (0%): Tax $0.00 | Total $120.00
New York (4%): Tax $4.80 | Total $124.80
Florida (6%): Tax $7.20 | Total $127.20
Texas (6.25%): Tax $7.50 | Total $127.50
Washington (6.5%): Tax $7.80 | Total $127.80
Tennessee (7%): Tax $8.40 | Total $128.40
California (7.25%): Tax $8.70 | Total $128.70
Frequently Asked Questions
Which US states have no sales tax?
Five US states have no statewide sales tax — Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska. Of these Alaska allows local jurisdictions to impose their own sales taxes so some Alaskan cities and boroughs do have local taxes. The other four have no sales tax at any level. Shopping in a no-tax state can result in significant savings on large purchases like electronics furniture and appliances.
What is the highest sales tax rate in the US?
California has the highest statewide sales tax rate at 7.25%. However when combined with local and county taxes some areas of California reach combined rates of 10.25% or higher. Tennessee has a statewide rate of 7% but also has high local taxes. Louisiana and Arkansas also have high combined state and local rates. The rates shown in this calculator are base state rates only — actual combined rates in your city may be higher.
How do I calculate sales tax in my head?
For a 10% rate move the decimal one place left. For 5% halve the 10% amount. For 8% calculate 10% then subtract 20% of that amount. For example on a $50 purchase 10% is $5.00 and 8% would be $5.00 minus $1.00 equals $4.00. For quick estimates rounding to the nearest dollar first makes mental math much easier.
Is sales tax calculated on the pre-tax price or the total?
Sales tax is always calculated on the pre-tax price. The tax rate is applied to the purchase price before tax is added. For example a $100 item with 8% tax has a tax of $8 making the total $108. To reverse this and find the pre-tax price from a total you divide the total by 1 plus the tax rate — $108 divided by 1.08 equals $100.
Does sales tax apply to all purchases?
No — sales tax exemptions vary significantly by state. Most states exempt groceries prescription medications and medical devices from sales tax. Some states also exempt clothing below a certain price threshold. Services are generally not taxed though this varies by state. Online purchases are now subject to sales tax in most states following the 2018 Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair. Always check your state revenue department for specific exemptions.