Sales Tax Calculator

Sales tax in the United States is a patchwork: 45 states plus DC charge state sales tax, while five (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon) charge none. On top of state rates, many cities and counties add local tax — the combined rate in some jurisdictions exceeds 10%. This calculator uses base state rates for quick estimates; check your local rate for precise figures.

The "add tax" mode is for sellers and shoppers calculating final price. The "remove tax" mode (also called reverse sales tax) extracts the pre-tax price from a tax-inclusive total — useful when a receipt shows only the total or when calculating the actual product cost for expense reporting.

Sales tax applies to most tangible goods but is exempt for many services, prescription drugs, groceries (in many states), and certain agricultural products. Online sales are generally taxable in the buyer's state thanks to the 2018 Wayfair Supreme Court ruling.

For business use, remember that sales tax must be collected and remitted to the appropriate authority — typically monthly or quarterly. Failing to remit collected tax is a serious offense. Use accounting software with a tax module if you sell across multiple states.

Sales tax in the United States is a patchwork. Five states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon) have no statewide sales tax. Others combine state, county and city rates to produce more than 13,000 distinct tax jurisdictions. Online sellers must comply with the Wayfair decision (2018), which allows states to require tax collection from remote sellers above an economic-nexus threshold. Use this calculator for quick estimates; for actual filings, use jurisdiction-specific software such as Avalara or TaxJar.

Taxable versus exempt categories vary widely. Most states exempt groceries but tax restaurant meals. Some exempt clothing under a threshold (Minnesota), some exempt prescription drugs everywhere, and some have sales-tax holidays for back-to-school shopping or hurricane preparation. SaaS, digital downloads and streaming services are subject to a moving target of laws — 30+ states now tax at least some digital products, and the list grows every year.

Reverse sales-tax calculation (finding the pre-tax price from a tax-inclusive total) is essential for receipts, reimbursements and accounting. If a $107 total includes 7% tax, the pre-tax price is $107 / 1.07 = $100, and the tax portion is $7. This calculator handles the reverse calculation; never simply multiply the total by 7% to find the tax — that gives the wrong answer for any tax rate above zero.

Use tax is the often-forgotten sibling of sales tax. When a consumer buys an item out of state and the seller does not collect tax, the buyer technically owes use tax to their home state. Compliance is low for individuals, but state tax authorities increasingly audit businesses for unpaid use tax on equipment purchases and inventory. Keep records of out-of-state purchases and consult an accountant if you operate across state lines.