Sales Tax Calculator
Add tax to a price, remove tax from a total, or back-calculate a pre-tax amount. Works for US state rates, local taxes, and European VAT — all in your browser, no sign-up needed.
Sales Tax (Tax Exclusive)
Reverse (Tax Inclusive)
Use the "Tax Inclusive" side if your price already includes tax and you want to know the original base price.
How to Use This Calculator
Choose a mode
Tax Exclusive adds tax to a base price (standard US checkout). Tax Inclusive removes tax that's already baked into a total — useful for receipts, VAT, or quoted amounts.
Enter your numbers
Type the dollar amount and the tax rate. You can pull the rate from our state table below or enter any custom rate — including local or combined rates.
Read your result
The calculator shows the tax amount, the pre-tax price, and the total price. All three update instantly. No button to click.
Who Needs a Sales Tax Calculator?
Shoppers & Consumers
Wondering why your receipt doesn't match the shelf price? Enter the sticker price and your state's rate to see exactly what you'll pay — before you reach the register.
Small Business Owners
Setting a retail price? Use Tax Exclusive mode to calculate what to charge customers so you collect the right amount to remit. Use Tax Inclusive to confirm a vendor's all-in quote.
Freelancers & Contractors
Some US states charge sales tax on digital services and software. If you're billing a client in a high-tax state, this tool helps you add the right amount to your invoice without guessing.
Accountants & Bookkeepers
Reverse-calculate the pre-tax amount from historical receipts for expense reporting. Switch to Tax Inclusive mode and enter the total — the tool does the algebra for you.
E-Commerce Sellers
If you've crossed an economic nexus threshold in a new state, you'll need to start collecting tax there. Check the rate for that state, update your checkout, and verify the math here.
International Shoppers
Buying from a US store? Many sites quote pre-tax prices. Add your destination state's rate to see your real cost. Buying from a UK or EU retailer? Use Tax Inclusive mode with the VAT rate.
Real-World Examples
These walk through what the calculator does behind the scenes, so you know exactly what you're looking at.
Buying a $79.99 jacket in Chicago (10.25% tax)
Formula: $79.99 × 1.1025 = $88.19. Chicago combines Illinois's 6.25% state rate with city and county levies.
Receipt shows $54.00 — what was the pre-tax price? (8% tax)
Formula: $54.00 ÷ 1.08 = $50.00. A common mistake is subtracting 8% of $54 ($4.32) — that gives the wrong answer. Always divide, don't subtract.
UK product priced at £120 inclusive of 20% VAT
Formula: £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100 net. VAT is always inclusive in EU and UK shelf pricing, making this extraction step essential for business accounting.
2026 US State Sales Tax Rates at a Glance
Rates shown are the average combined state + local rates (weighted by population). Your city or county may differ. Five states have no statewide sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska (though Alaska allows local taxes).
| State | Avg. Combined Rate |
|---|---|
| Tennessee | 9.55% |
| Louisiana | 9.45% |
| Arkansas | 9.46% |
| Washington | 9.38% |
| Alabama | 9.29% |
| California | 8.85% |
| Texas | 8.20% |
| Virginia | 5.75% |
| Oregon | 0.00% |
Sources: Tax Foundation, state revenue departments. Rates are estimates and may not reflect recent legislative changes. Always confirm with your state's department of revenue before remitting tax.
Tax Concepts Worth Understanding
Tax Exclusive vs. Tax Inclusive
Tax exclusive means the displayed price does not include tax. You add it at checkout. This is standard in the US.
Tax inclusive means tax is already inside the price. Standard in Europe (VAT), Australia (GST), and Canada (some provinces). To extract it, you divide — not subtract.
Origin-Based vs. Destination-Based
Most US states use destination-based sourcing: you charge tax based on where the buyer is located. A few states (including Texas for in-state sellers) use origin-based sourcing: you charge based on where your business is. This matters most for e-commerce sellers shipping across state lines.
Economic Nexus
Since the 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair Supreme Court ruling, most states require out-of-state sellers to collect and remit sales tax once they cross a threshold — typically $100,000 in annual sales or 200 transactions in that state. If you sell online and you're growing, watch these thresholds closely.
Tax-Exempt Categories
Many states exempt certain goods from sales tax entirely: unprepared groceries, prescription drugs, and some medical devices are common exemptions. What qualifies varies by state — in Virginia, for instance, grocery items are taxed at a reduced 1% rather than the full rate.
Tips for Accurate Results
- →Use the combined rate for your city, not just the state rate. A city surcharge of 1–3% is common and easy to miss.
- →For reverse calculations, always divide by (1 + rate), not subtract. Subtracting 8% of the total gives the wrong answer.
- →When quoting a project price, decide upfront whether your number is tax-in or tax-out. Mixing the two is a common billing mistake.
- →VAT rates differ by product category in Europe. Electronics and clothing may carry the standard rate, while food may be taxed at a reduced or zero rate.
What This Tool Doesn't Cover
- ×Real-time rate lookups. Rates are entered manually. For automated, address-level tax rates, you'll need a service like TaxJar or Avalara.
- ×Product-specific exemptions. The tool applies one rate uniformly. If your cart mixes taxable and exempt items, you'd need to calculate them separately.
- ×Tax remittance or filing. This is a math tool, not an accounting system. For filing, consult your state's department of revenue or a CPA.
- ×Multi-jurisdiction split. If a transaction involves tax from two jurisdictions, calculate each portion separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I figure out the tax rate in my city?
The most reliable source is your state's department of revenue website, which usually has a rate lookup by zip code or address. The Tax Foundation also publishes annual summaries of combined state and average local rates by state.
Why does my receipt show a different tax amount than I calculated?
A few reasons this happens: some items in your purchase may be exempt or taxed at a reduced rate (groceries, clothing); your city's rate may differ from the state average; or the retailer applies rounding at the line-item level rather than at the total.
Is this calculator accurate enough for business use?
It uses standard 64-bit floating-point arithmetic and rounds to two decimal places (half-up), which matches how most governments specify rounding for sales tax. For quick estimates and invoice checks, yes. For filing tax returns, confirm figures with your accounting software or a CPA — especially if product-level exemptions are involved.
Does the calculator work for Canadian GST/HST?
Yes. Canada's GST is 5% federally, and some provinces add a provincial portion (making the combined HST 13% in Ontario or 15% in Nova Scotia, for example). Enter the applicable combined rate in Tax Exclusive mode to add it to a price, or Tax Inclusive mode to extract it from a total.
Is sales tax the same as VAT?
They're similar in purpose — both are consumption taxes — but different in structure. US sales tax is collected once, at the final point of sale. VAT is collected at every stage of the supply chain, with businesses reclaiming what they've paid. From a consumer's perspective, the math is the same for extracting or adding the tax amount.