Sales Tax Calculator — Step-by-Step Solutions
The Sales Tax Calculator helps you work out tax amounts, totals with tax, and pre-tax prices. It supports four modes: calculate tax from a price and rate, reverse-calculate the pre-tax price from a tax-inclusive total, show the total with tax, and compare multiple tax rates side by side.
A built-in reference table lists base sales tax rates for all 50 US states, making it easy to find the rate you need.
US State Sales Tax Rates (2025)
| State | Base Rate |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 4% |
| Alaska | No sales tax |
| Arizona | 5.6% |
| Arkansas | 6.5% |
| California | 7.25% |
| Colorado | 2.9% |
| Connecticut | 6.35% |
| Delaware | No sales tax |
| Florida | 6% |
| Georgia | 4% |
| Hawaii | 4% |
| Idaho | 6% |
| Illinois | 6.25% |
| Indiana | 7% |
| Iowa | 6% |
| Kansas | 6.5% |
| Kentucky | 6% |
| Louisiana | 4.45% |
| Maine | 5.5% |
| Maryland | 6% |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% |
| Michigan | 6% |
| Minnesota | 6.875% |
| Mississippi | 7% |
| Missouri | 4.225% |
| Montana | No sales tax |
| Nebraska | 5.5% |
| Nevada | 6.85% |
| New Hampshire | No sales tax |
| New Jersey | 6.625% |
| New Mexico | 4.875% |
| New York | 4% |
| North Carolina | 4.75% |
| North Dakota | 5% |
| Ohio | 5.75% |
| Oklahoma | 4.5% |
| Oregon | No sales tax |
| Pennsylvania | 6% |
| Rhode Island | 7% |
| South Carolina | 6% |
| South Dakota | 4.5% |
| Tennessee | 7% |
| Texas | 6.25% |
| Utah | 6.1% |
| Vermont | 6% |
| Virginia | 5.3% |
| Washington | 6.5% |
| West Virginia | 6% |
| Wisconsin | 5% |
| Wyoming | 4% |
Note: Rates shown are state-level base rates only. Local taxes may apply.
Your calculations will appear here
How to Use the Sales Tax Calculator
- Choose a calculation mode. Calculate Tax finds the tax amount from a pre-tax price. Reverse Tax finds the pre-tax price from a tax-inclusive total. Total with Tax shows the total you will pay. Compare Rates lets you compare multiple tax rates side by side.
- Enter the price and tax rate. The calculator accepts decimal rates (e.g. 8.25% for Texas). Results update in real time as you type.
- Review the step-by-step breakdown to see the formula used. The visual bar shows the proportion of tax relative to the base price.
- Scroll down to the US State Tax Reference table to look up base sales tax rates by state. Use the filter box to search for a specific state.
Formula and Theory
Sales tax is a consumption tax imposed by governments on the sale of goods and services. In the United States, sales tax is set at the state and local level, meaning rates vary significantly depending on where a purchase is made.
The basic tax calculation multiplies the pre-tax price by the tax rate expressed as a decimal. For example, 8% tax on $100 is $100 x 0.08 = $8, making the total $108.
Reverse tax calculation is useful when you know the total amount paid (including tax) and want to find the original pre-tax price. The formula is: pre-tax price = total / (1 + rate/100). This is commonly needed for expense reporting and accounting.
Five US states have no state-level sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. However, some localities within these states may impose their own sales taxes.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Calculating sales tax on a purchase
Problem: What is the tax on a $99.99 item with 8.25% sales tax?
Solution: Tax = $99.99 x 8.25 / 100 = $8.25. Total = $99.99 + $8.25 = $108.24.
Answer: $8.25 tax, $108.24 total
Example 2: Finding the pre-tax price from a receipt total
Problem: Your receipt shows a total of $54.00 including 8% tax. What was the pre-tax price?
Solution: Pre-tax = $54.00 / (1 + 8/100) = $54.00 / 1.08 = $50.00. Tax = $54.00 - $50.00 = $4.00.
Answer: $50.00 pre-tax, $4.00 tax
Example 3: Comparing tax across states
Problem: Compare the tax on a $500 laptop in California (7.25%), Texas (6.25%), and Oregon (0%).
Solution: California: $500 x 0.0725 = $36.25, total $536.25. Texas: $500 x 0.0625 = $31.25, total $531.25. Oregon: no tax, total $500.00.
Answer: $536.25 (CA), $531.25 (TX), $500.00 (OR)
Example 4: Tax on a restaurant bill
Problem: A restaurant bill is $45.00 before tax. The local tax rate is 9.5%. What is the total?
Solution: Tax = $45.00 x 9.5 / 100 = $4.28. Total = $45.00 + $4.28 = $49.28.
Answer: $49.28 total
Frequently Asked Questions
Which US states have no sales tax?
Is sales tax included in the displayed price?
What is the difference between sales tax and VAT?
How do I calculate tax backwards from a total?
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