Sales Tax Calculator

How Sales Tax Works

Sales tax is added at the point of sale on taxable goods and services. In the United States, the total rate is often a combination of state tax plus local city or county tax, which is why the final rate can vary so much by location. The basic formula is simple: Tax Amount = Price × Tax Rate. For example, a $100 item at 8.25% sales tax costs $108.25 after tax.

This calculator handles two common situations: adding tax to a pre-tax price and reversing tax from a total that already includes tax. The reverse sales tax calculator is useful for receipts, reimbursements, bookkeeping, or comparing prices between states — when you only see the final total and need to know how much of it was tax. The formula is Pre-Tax Price = Total ÷ (1 + Tax Rate/100), and the tax amount is the difference between the total and the pre-tax price.

State-level sales tax is only part of the picture. Some states have no statewide sales tax, while others rely heavily on combined state and local rates that can push the true rate above 9% or even 10%. If you want a fuller walkthrough, read our guide on how to calculate sales tax. You can also use the discount calculator to combine sale discounts with tax, or the tip calculator when estimating restaurant totals.

Sales Tax by State

Tap any state below to start with its average combined sales tax rate. Local rates can vary, so you can edit the rate in the calculator.