Sales Tax Calculator
Add sales tax to a price or back it out of a total, with an editable average combined rate for every US state from Tax Foundation data.
Written by Rahman · Last reviewed
Quick answer
US sales tax is added once, at the final retail sale, unlike VAT which is collected at every production stage. To add tax to a pre-tax price: total = amount × (1 + rate). To back tax out of a total: pre-tax = total ÷ (1 + rate), not total × (1 − rate), the same error that trips up VAT removal. Rates vary enormously by location: combined state-plus-local rates range from 0% in states with no sales tax to over 10% in Louisiana, and the nationwide population-weighted average is 7.53%.
Results are estimates for general guidance and are not financial, tax or legal advice. Except where a calculator names a currency, figures carry no currency of their own: put in pounds and you get pounds back, put in rupees and you get rupees. Figures depend on the assumptions you enter and on rates that change over time. Check current rates and speak to a qualified adviser before acting on them.
About the Sales Tax Calculator
US sales tax is collected once, at the point of final retail sale, and, unlike VAT or GST, there is no reclaim mechanism for consumers or most businesses. The rate you pay is usually a combination of a state-level rate and a local (city, county or special-district) rate stacked on top, and that combination varies enormously depending on exactly where the sale takes place.
This calculator adds tax to a pre-tax price or backs tax out of a tax-inclusive total, and can fill in a starting rate for any US state from Tax Foundation data (an average, not the exact rate at a specific address), which you can then edit to match your actual local rate.
Total = Pre-tax amount × (1 + rate). Pre-tax amount = Total ÷ (1 + rate). Tax amount = Total − Pre-tax amount.
Backing tax out of a total is not the same as subtracting the rate from the total: dividing by (1 + rate) is the only way that round-trips correctly back to the original pre-tax amount.
Why no single number is "the" sales tax rate for a state
A state's headline sales tax rate is only part of the story almost everywhere a local sales tax is allowed. Tax Foundation's combined figures are population-weighted averages of local rates within each state, precisely because the actual local add-on can differ block by block: a purchase a few miles away, in a different city or special taxing district, can carry a meaningfully different combined rate even within the same state.
Five states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon) have no statewide sales tax at all, and of those only Alaska permits local governments to levy their own. At the other end, Louisiana's combined average tops 10%, driven by local rates that, on average, exceed the state rate itself.
- Always treat a state's filled-in rate as a starting estimate, then adjust it to the specific local rate that applies to your purchase.
- A handful of items (groceries, prescription drugs, clothing below a threshold) are exempt or taxed at a reduced rate in many states; this calculator applies one flat rate and does not model those carve-outs.
- Online purchases are usually taxed at the buyer's local rate under current economic-nexus rules, not the seller's location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as the VAT Calculator?
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No. VAT is collected at every stage of production with businesses reclaiming what they paid; US sales tax is collected once, at the final retail sale, with no reclaim mechanism for consumers. Use the VAT Calculator for UK, EU or other VAT/GST-style taxes instead.
Why does selecting a state not show one exact rate?
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Because there usually isn't one. Most states allow cities, counties or special districts to add their own sales tax on top of the state rate, so the combined rate varies by exact location. The rate filled in when you pick a state is a population-weighted average from Tax Foundation, meant as a starting point you should adjust to your actual local rate.
How do I calculate the pre-tax price from a receipt total?
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Switch to “back out tax from a total” and enter the total. The calculator divides by (1 + rate) rather than subtracting the rate directly, which is the calculation that correctly reverses the original tax addition.
Does this account for tax-exempt items like groceries?
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No. Many states tax groceries, clothing or other categories at a reduced rate or not at all, and this calculator applies a single flat rate to the whole amount. Adjust the rate manually, or treat exempt portions separately, if your purchase mixes taxable and exempt items.
Sources
- Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 — Combined state and average local sales tax rate for all 50 states plus DC, published 2026-07-06.