Financial · Live
Sales tax,
in either direction.
A precise sales-tax calculator that goes both ways. Add tax to a pre-tax price to get the receipt total or back the tax out of a tax-included total to find the pre-tax price. Includes 2026 base rates for all 50 U.S. states.
Inputs
Pick a mode
Pre-tax price → tax + total.
Tax rate
State base rate only. Add 1–6% for typical local (county / city) tax — type the combined rate manually.
- Pre-tax
- $100.00
- Sales tax
- $7.25
- Total
- $107.25
Total with tax
at 7.25%
$100.00 pre-tax + $7.25 tax
Tax
7%
Reference
State base rates
| State | Rate | Tax on $100 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4% | $4.00 |
| Alaska | — | — |
| Arizona | 5.6% | $5.60 |
| Arkansas | 6.5% | $6.50 |
| California | 7.25% | $7.25 |
| Colorado | 2.9% | $2.90 |
| Connecticut | 6.35% | $6.35 |
| Delaware | — | — |
| D.C. | 6% | $6.00 |
| Florida | 6% | $6.00 |
| Georgia | 4% | $4.00 |
| Hawaii | 4% | $4.00 |
| Idaho | 6% | $6.00 |
| Illinois | 6.25% | $6.25 |
| Indiana | 7% | $7.00 |
| Iowa | 6% | $6.00 |
| Kansas | 6.5% | $6.50 |
| Kentucky | 6% | $6.00 |
| Louisiana | 5% | $5.00 |
| Maine | 5.5% | $5.50 |
| Maryland | 6% | $6.00 |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | $6.25 |
| Michigan | 6% | $6.00 |
| Minnesota | 6.875% | $6.88 |
| Mississippi | 7% | $7.00 |
| Missouri | 4.225% | $4.23 |
| Montana | — | — |
| Nebraska | 5.5% | $5.50 |
| Nevada | 6.85% | $6.85 |
| New Hampshire | — | — |
| New Jersey | 6.625% | $6.63 |
| New Mexico | 4.875% | $4.88 |
| New York | 4% | $4.00 |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | $4.75 |
| North Dakota | 5% | $5.00 |
| Ohio | 5.75% | $5.75 |
| Oklahoma | 4.5% | $4.50 |
| Oregon | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | 6% | $6.00 |
| Rhode Island | 7% | $7.00 |
| South Carolina | 6% | $6.00 |
| South Dakota | 4.2% | $4.20 |
| Tennessee | 7% | $7.00 |
| Texas | 6.25% | $6.25 |
| Utah | 4.85% | $4.85 |
| Vermont | 6% | $6.00 |
| Virginia | 5.3% | $5.30 |
| Washington | 6.5% | $6.50 |
| West Virginia | 6% | $6.00 |
| Wisconsin | 5% | $5.00 |
| Wyoming | 4% | $4.00 |
Field guide
How sales tax actually works.
Sales tax in the United States is a consumption tax charged at checkout on the pre-tax price of an item. Unlike VAT in Europe, the tax is added on top of the sticker price rather than baked into it, which is why you almost always pay more at the register than the price tag advertises. The rate varies by state and often by city or county on top of that.
Adding sales tax: the basic formula
For a pre-tax price P and a tax rate r (as a decimal, so 7.25% = 0.0725):
total = P × (1 + r)
On a $100 item at 7.25%, the tax is $7.25 and the total is $107.25.
Removing sales tax: backing it out
When you have the receipt total and need the pre-tax price — for an expense report, a refund, or to compare a tax-inclusive quote — divide by (1 + r):
tax = total − preTax
On a receipt total of $107.25 at 7.25%, the pre-tax price is 107.25 ÷ 1.0725 = $100.00. Note: you can't just multiply the total by the rate. That would over-count the tax. The Reverse mode above does the correct math automatically.
State, county, and city stack on top
The rate built into the calculator is the state base rate. In most states, county and city governments add their own piece on top, sometimes 1–2%, sometimes much more. For instance, California's state rate is 7.25%, but the combined rate in Los Angeles is 9.5%. Add the local percentage to the state base manually, or just type the combined rate you see on a recent receipt.
The five no-state-tax states
Five U.S. states have no statewide sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. Alaska and Montana, however, allow local governments to charge their own tax, so the “no sales tax” label is sometimes nominal. Delaware, New Hampshire, and Oregon are genuinely tax-free at the cash register.
What's exempt
Most states exempt groceries, prescription drugs, and certain clothing from sales tax. Restaurant meals and prepared foods are usually taxable. Some states have a higher rate on “luxury” items or vehicles. Sales-tax holidays (typically a single weekend each year) waive tax on back-to-school items in many states. The rate in this calculator assumes a standard taxable item; consult your state's revenue website for category-specific rules.
Sales tax vs VAT: a quick contrast
U.S. sales tax is collected only at the final retail sale, visible as a separate line on the receipt. European VAT is collected at every stage of the supply chain and is usually already included in the displayed price. The math here only applies to U.S.-style sales tax; back-out math for a VAT-inclusive price uses the same formula but the rates and cultural conventions differ.
Worked example
You buy a $1,500 laptop in Seattle, Washington (combined state + local rate roughly 10.25%): tax is $153.75 and your total is $1,653.75. The next month, you receive a refund of $1,653.75 and want to know how much was actual tax to claim on a business return: 1,653.75 ÷ 1.1025 = $1,500 pre-tax, and $153.75 is recovered tax.
Disclaimer
Rates listed are 2026 state base rates and update slowly. Combined state + local rates change frequently and vary within counties. For tax filings or large purchases, confirm against your state's revenue department or an up-to-date ZIP-code lookup.