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Business · United States

Sales Tax Calculator

Add or reverse US sales tax by state (combined state + avg local). Accurate, instant and free — for United States.

Mode

What these mean:

$
%
Sales tax
$9sales tax
Pre-tax amount
$100
Sales tax
$9
Total
$109

Adding 8.99% sales tax on top of the pre-tax amount (California).

Pre-tax amount

$100.00

Sales tax · 8.99%

$8.99

Total

$108.99

California note

Highest state base rate.

This is a combined average rate

The default rate is the state base plus the population-weighted average local rate — not your exact rate. Actual sales tax is set at the county/city (and sometimes district) level, so verify the precise rate for the destination address. We do not provide ZIP-level rates.

Origin vs destination sourcing

Most states are destination-based: you charge the rate where the buyer receives the goods, not where you ship from. A handful are origin-based for in-state sales. Where you must collect at all depends on your economic nexus in that state.

Need to put this on a bill? Use the Invoice Generator (US sales-tax line). Outside the US, try the GST Calculator (India) or the VAT Calculator(UK & EU).

Methodology

Add sales tax vs reverse sales tax

US sales tax is a consumption tax added at checkout on most goods (and some services), levied by states and their local jurisdictions rather than the federal government. There are two everyday calculations: adding tax to a pre-tax price, and reversingit out of a tax-inclusive total. The reverse case is the one people get wrong — you divide the rate out, you don't subtract it.

Add sales tax

price → total

total = price × (1 + rate ÷ 100)

$100 at 8.20% → tax $8.20, total $108.20.

Reverse sales tax

total → price

price = total × 100 ÷ (100 + rate)

$108.20 at 8.20% → price $100, tax included $8.20. Not total − 8.20%.

Worked example · $100 pre-tax, 8.20% Texas combined rate
Pre-tax
$100
Sales tax @ 8.20%
$8.20
Total
$108.20
  1. 1
    Combine the state and local rates: Texas is 6.25% state + an average 1.95% local = 8.20% combined. On a $100 sale that is $8.20 of tax.
  2. 2
    Put it on a bill: Drop these figures into the Invoice Generator to add a US sales-tax line and download the invoice as a PDF.
Combined rate

State base + average local rate

The rate you pay is the state base rate plus any local (county, city and special-district) rate. Selecting a state here loads its combined rate — the state base plus the population-weighted average local rate published by the Tax Foundation. That average is a solid estimate, but the real rate is set at the local level and varies address by address.

Verify your exact local rate

This is the state + average local rate (population-weighted) — verify your exact local rate for the destination address. We do not provide ZIP-level rates; two addresses in the same ZIP can fall in different tax districts.

Origin vs destination sourcing

Most states are destination-based: charge the rate where the buyer receives the goods, not where you ship from. A few are origin-based for in-state sales. Whether you must collect at all in a state depends on your economic nexus (a sales or transaction threshold) there.

NOMAD states — no state sales tax

Five states levy no statewide sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon (NH, OR, MT, DE, AK). Alaska is the exception that still allows local sales taxes, so a sale into an Alaskan city or borough can be taxable even though the state rate is 0%.
State rates

Combined sales tax rate by state

Statewide base rate, average local rate and combined rate for all 51 jurisdictions (Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026). Local rates vary within each state — treat the combined column as an average, not your exact rate.

StateState rateAvg localCombined
Alabama4%5.46%9.46%
AlaskaNOMAD0%1.82%1.82%
Arizona5.6%2.92%8.52%
Arkansas6.5%2.96%9.46%
California7.25%1.74%8.99%
Colorado2.9%4.99%7.89%
Connecticut6.35%0%6.35%
DelawareNOMAD0%0%0%
District of Columbia6%0%6%
Florida6%0.98%6.98%
Georgia4%3.49%7.49%
Hawaii4%0.5%4.5%
Idaho6%0.03%6.03%
Illinois6.25%2.71%8.96%
Indiana7%0%7%
Iowa6%0.94%6.94%
Kansas6.5%2.19%8.69%
Kentucky6%0%6%
Louisiana5%5.11%10.11%
Maine5.5%0%5.5%
Maryland6%0%6%
Massachusetts6.25%0%6.25%
Michigan6%0%6%
Minnesota6.875%1.26%8.14%
Mississippi7%0.06%7.06%
Missouri4.225%4.22%8.44%
MontanaNOMAD0%0%0%
Nebraska5.5%1.48%6.98%
Nevada6.85%1.39%8.24%
New HampshireNOMAD0%0%0%
New Jersey6.625%-0.02%6.6%
New Mexico4.875%2.79%7.67%
New York4%4.54%8.54%
North Carolina4.75%2.25%7%
North Dakota5%2.09%7.09%
Ohio5.75%1.54%7.29%
Oklahoma4.5%4.56%9.06%
OregonNOMAD0%0%0%
Pennsylvania6%0.34%6.34%
Rhode Island7%0%7%
South Carolina6%1.49%7.49%
South Dakota4.2%1.91%6.11%
Tennessee7%2.61%9.61%
Texas6.25%1.95%8.2%
Utah6.1%1.32%7.42%
Vermont6%0.39%6.39%
Virginia5.3%0.47%5.77%
Washington6.5%3.01%9.51%
West Virginia6%0.59%6.59%
Wisconsin5%0.72%5.72%
Wyoming4%1.56%5.56%
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Multiply the pre-tax amount by the sales tax rate and add it back: total = price × (1 + rate ÷ 100). For example, $100 at an 8.20% combined rate becomes $100 + $8.20 = $108.20. The $8.20 is the sales tax you collect and remit to the state.

Do not simply subtract the rate — divide it out. The pre-tax amount = total × 100 ÷ (100 + rate). For $108.20 at 8.20%, the pre-tax amount is 108.20 × 100 ÷ 108.20 = $100, and the tax included is $8.20. Subtracting 8.20% of $108.20 ($8.87) would be wrong.

By default it loads the combined rate for the state you pick — the statewide base rate plus the population-weighted average local (county/city/district) rate, from the Tax Foundation. That average is a good estimate, but the actual rate charged depends on the exact destination address. You can override the rate with your precise local rate.

Five states levy no statewide sales tax — the NOMAD states: New Hampshire, Oregon, Montana, Delaware and Alaska. Note that Alaska has no state tax but many localities impose their own local sales tax, so a sale into an Alaskan city or borough can still be taxable.

Most states use destination-based sourcing: you charge the rate at the buyer’s location (where the goods are received), not where you ship from. A few states are origin-based for in-state sales. Whether you have to collect at all in a given state depends on your economic nexus there (a sales or transaction threshold).

No. This tool works at the state level with the average combined rate. Sales tax is set at the county, city and sometimes special-district level, so two addresses in the same ZIP can differ. Use it for quick estimates and budgeting, then confirm the exact rate for the destination before you file.

Yes — it is completely free with no sign-up, and every calculation runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or stored. Rates are for guidance; confirm the correct rate and taxability for your transaction before filing.

Sources

Method, assumptions & references

Methodology: adding tax → total = price × (1 + rate/100); reversing tax → price = total × 100 / (100 + rate). The default rate per state is the state base plus the population-weighted average local rate (Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026, effective 2026-01-01). California, for example, has the highest state base at 7.25% (combined 8.99%). Per-state rates are versioned in-repo and PR-updated annually; local rates vary by address and are not ZIP-resolved.

Cross-links

Add a US sales-tax line to a bill with the Invoice Generator. Outside the US, use the GST Calculator (India) or the VAT Calculator(UK & EU).

How we calculate this

Reviewed by Reckonist Editorial · Last reviewed 4 July 2026. Figures follow the methods and sources set out in our editorial standards.

Sales tax rates and rules change frequently and vary by locality. The combined rates shown are population-weighted state averages for guidance only — confirm the exact rate and taxability for the destination address before you file. This is not tax advice.

Keep going

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