Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate sales tax instantly — add tax, extract tax from totals, and compute tax for multiple items
Choose to add tax to a price, extract tax from a total, or find the tax rate between two prices
Enter the item price before sales tax is applied
Enter the sales tax rate as a percentage
Click a state to auto-fill its base sales tax rate. States with no sales tax are highlighted in green.
Multi-Item Calculator
Add multiple items to calculate the total sales tax
Enter a Price
Enter a price and tax rate to calculate sales tax. Select a US state for quick rate lookup.
How to Use the Sales Tax Calculator
Choose Your Calculation Mode
Select 'Add Tax' if you know the pre-tax price and want to find the total. Select 'Extract Tax' if you know the final amount and want to find how much was tax. Select 'Find Rate' if you know both prices and want to determine the tax rate.
Enter the Price and Tax Rate
Type in the item price (or total price in extract mode). Then enter the sales tax rate, or click one of the US state buttons to auto-fill a common state rate like California (7.25%) or Texas (6.25%).
Add Multiple Items (Optional)
If you are calculating tax for several items, use the multi-item section to add each item with its price. The calculator will compute the total tax across all items.
View Your Results
See the tax amount, pre-tax price, total with tax, and effective tax rate. For multi-item calculations, you will also see a per-item breakdown and grand total.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate sales tax on a purchase?
To calculate sales tax, multiply the item's pre-tax price by the sales tax rate expressed as a decimal. For example, if an item costs $50 and the tax rate is 8%, the tax is $50 x 0.08 = $4.00, making the total $54.00. Our calculator handles this automatically — simply enter the price and tax rate, and the results appear instantly. You can also select a US state to auto-fill the correct base tax rate. Remember that actual rates may be higher if your locality adds county or city taxes on top of the state rate.
How do I reverse-calculate sales tax from a total?
To extract the sales tax from a total that already includes tax, divide the total by 1 plus the tax rate (as a decimal). For example, if the total is $108 and the tax rate is 8%, the pre-tax price is $108 / 1.08 = $100, and the tax portion is $8. This is useful when a receipt shows only the final amount and you need to determine how much was tax. Our calculator's 'Extract Tax from Total' mode does this calculation for you with a single click.
Which US states have no sales tax?
Five US states do not impose a state-level sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. However, some localities within Alaska do charge local sales tax. Additionally, many states exempt certain categories from sales tax, such as groceries, prescription medications, and clothing. For instance, Pennsylvania exempts most clothing, and many states exempt food purchased for home consumption. Always check your specific state and local rules, as tax-exempt categories vary widely.
Does the sales tax rate include local taxes?
The state rates shown in our quick-select grid represent only the base state-level sales tax. Many cities, counties, and special districts add their own taxes on top. For example, California's state rate is 7.25%, but the combined rate in Los Angeles can exceed 10%. Similarly, New York's state rate is 8%, but New York City adds 4.5% for a combined rate of 8.875%. To find your exact combined rate, check your local government's tax website or your most recent receipt.
Is sales tax applied to online purchases?
Yes, in most cases. Following the 2018 US Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, states can require online sellers to collect sales tax even if they have no physical presence in the state. Most major online retailers now collect sales tax based on the buyer's shipping address. If a retailer does not collect sales tax, the buyer is technically responsible for paying 'use tax' directly to their state. The rules vary by state and by the size of the seller, so check your state's department of revenue for specifics.