Finance Calc App

US sales tax calculator

Add sales tax to a price, or strip it out of a tax-inclusive total. US sales tax is set locally, so enter your combined state + city rate.

By Mitch Duncan Last reviewed Methodology
sales tax rate: 0.00%

US sales tax varies by state, county, and city — there is no national rate. Enter your local combined rate.

Price before sales tax
$100.00
sales tax amount
$0.00
Total incl. sales tax
$100.00
Effective rate
0.00%

How US sales tax works

The United States has no national sales tax. Instead, 45 states plus thousands of counties and cities each set their own rate, and they stack. The rate you actually pay is the combined state + county + city (+ special-district) rate at the point of sale — anywhere from 0% in states like Oregon, Montana, and New Hampshire to over 10% in parts of Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama.

Total = net price × (1 + combined rate)

Worked example

A $200 purchase in a city with a 7.25% state base plus 2.25% local tax (9.5% combined): tax is 200 × 0.095 = $19, so the total is $219. To back the tax out of a $219 receipt: 219 ÷ 1.095 = $200 net.

Origin vs destination sourcing and nexus

Most states are destination-based — you charge the rate where the buyer takes delivery, not where the seller sits. Since the 2018 Wayfair decision, online sellers can owe tax in states where they have "economic nexus" (commonly $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions a year), even with no physical presence there. That's why your online total depends on your shipping address.

What's often exempt

Many states exempt or reduce tax on groceries, prescription drugs, and clothing — the rules vary state by state. Sales tax also applies only to the final retail sale; businesses buying for resale use a resale certificate to avoid being taxed twice.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I add sales tax to a price?
Multiply the net (pre-tax) price by the tax rate to get the tax, then add it back. At a 10% rate, a 100 item carries 10 of tax for a 110 total — or in one step, 100 × 1.10 = 110. The calculator does this automatically in 'add' mode.
How do I remove tax from a tax-inclusive price?
Divide the gross (tax-inclusive) price by 1 plus the rate. At 10%, a 110 total divided by 1.10 is 100 net, leaving 10 of tax. A common mistake is to subtract 10% of the gross price — that gives the wrong answer, because the tax is a share of the net price, not the total.
What's the difference between sales tax, VAT, and GST?
They're all consumption taxes on goods and services, but they differ by country. The US charges state and local sales tax added at checkout; the UK charges Value Added Tax (VAT) at a 20% standard rate; Canada uses GST/HST (and sometimes PST); Australia charges a flat 10% GST. The arithmetic is the same — only the rate and rules differ.
Is the tax rate the same everywhere?
No. The US has no national rate — it's set by each state, county, and city and they stack, so it varies widely by location. The UK's standard VAT is 20% with reduced and zero rates for some goods. Canada's rate depends on the province. Australia is a flat 10%. Always use the rate that applies where the sale happens.
Are some goods tax-free?
Yes. Most systems exempt or reduce tax on essentials. The UK zero-rates most food, books, and children's clothing; Canada zero-rates basic groceries and prescription drugs; Australia makes basic food and many health and education services GST-free; many US states exempt groceries and medicine. This calculator applies one rate, so handle exempt items separately.
Why does dividing by the rate give the wrong tax amount?
Because tax is calculated on the net price, not the gross. If a 110 total includes 10% tax, the tax is 10% of the 100 net price, not 10% of 110 (which would be 11). To split a tax-inclusive total correctly, divide by 1 plus the rate to find the net price first, then subtract.

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