US Sales Tax Calculator 2026 — Add or Reverse Tax

US sales tax is local

Unlike most countries, the US has no national sales tax. Instead, 45 states plus DC charge a state sales tax, and thousands of cities and counties add local taxes on top. The result is a combined rate that varies not just by state but by zip code.

The no-sales-tax states

Five states charge no statewide sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon (though Alaska allows local sales taxes). For those, this calculator shows $0 unless you enter a custom local rate.

How US sales tax works

There is no federal sales tax in the United States. Sales tax is set and collected at the state and local level, which is why the amount added at the register depends entirely on where the sale takes place. A typical combined rate is built from several layers:

State rate — the base percentage set by the state legislature.
County rate — an extra percentage some counties add.
City or district rate — additional local taxes charged by a city or a special taxing district (for transit, stadiums and so on).

Added together, these make up the combined rate you actually pay. Two towns in the same state can have noticeably different totals, and a handful of states charge no state sales tax at all. Because of this patchwork, the safest number to use is the exact combined rate for the sale location rather than a broad average.

What each input means

The calculator keeps the inputs simple:

Amount (before tax) — the price of the item or purchase. If you are using "Remove tax", this is instead the total that already includes tax.
State — pick a state and the calculator fills in an average combined state-and-local rate as a starting point.
Calculation — choose "Add tax to amount" to add tax on top of a pre-tax price, or "Remove tax (reverse)" to work backward from a tax-included total.
Override rate (optional) — leave this blank to use the state average, or type your exact local rate (for example, from a receipt) to get a precise figure for your city or county.

A worked example

Here is an illustrative example using a round, made-up rate — it is not the real rate for any particular place. Suppose you buy an item for $50 in a location with an example combined sales tax rate of 8%:

Sales tax = $50 × 0.08 = $4.00
Total price = $50 + $4.00 = $54.00

To reverse it: if you paid $54.00 including that same example 8% tax, the pre-tax price is $54.00 ÷ 1.08 = $50.00, and the tax portion is $4.00. Always use your own local combined rate for real purchases.

Origin- vs destination-based sales tax

States differ in which location's rate applies, which mostly matters for sellers and online orders:

Destination-based — tax is charged at the rate of the buyer's location (where the item is delivered or used). Most states work this way.
Origin-based — tax is charged at the rate of the seller's location. A smaller number of states use this approach for in-state sales.

For an everyday in-store purchase the distinction rarely matters, because the store and the buyer are in the same place. It becomes important for shipping and remote sales, where the applicable rate may be the customer's address rather than the seller's.

What's usually taxable vs exempt

Rules vary widely by state, but some general patterns are common:

Often exempt or taxed at a lower rate: unprepared groceries, prescription medicine and, in some states, certain clothing.
Usually taxable: most general retail goods, prepared or restaurant food, and many taxable services.

These are only broad tendencies. Because each state writes its own list of exemptions, always check your state's rules if you need to know whether a specific item is taxed.

Why use a custom rate

Because local taxes vary so much, the state averages here are a guide. If you know your exact local rate — from a receipt or your city's website — enter it in the override field for a precise figure.

Reverse calculation

Choose "Remove tax" to find the pre-tax price from a total that already includes sales tax — handy for bookkeeping and expense reports.

Why the rate at your address isn't the state rate

US sales tax is stacked, not single. A shopper can pay four separate taxes on one purchase, each set by a different authority that never consulted the others:

State rate — the only one most people can name, and often the smallest slice.
County rate — added on top across the whole county.
City or municipal rate — added again inside city limits.
Special district rate — transit authorities, stadium districts, hospital districts and tourism zones all levy their own, and their boundaries frequently ignore city lines.

The practical consequence is that the combined rate can be several points above the state rate, and it can change as you drive across a street. Two houses facing each other can sit in different special districts and pay different totals on the same television. This is why a national "average" sales tax rate is close to meaningless for budgeting, and why this calculator lets you enter a custom combined rate rather than guessing from the state alone.

If you need the exact figure for one address rather than an estimate, your state's department of revenue publishes an address-level rate lookup. That is the only authoritative answer — a ZIP code is not enough, because ZIP boundaries and tax district boundaries are unrelated.

When an out-of-state seller has to charge you tax

Before 2018 an online retailer generally only collected sales tax in states where it had physical presence — a warehouse, an office, staff. The Supreme Court's decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair ended that. States may now require collection based on economic nexus: crossing a threshold of sales into the state, commonly around $100,000 in revenue or a set number of separate transactions in a year.

Two things follow that surprise people. First, tax is charged based on where the item is delivered, not where the seller sits, so the same online order costs different amounts shipped to different addresses. Second, if a seller is genuinely below a state's threshold and doesn't collect, the tax usually hasn't disappeared — most states levy a matching use tax that the buyer is legally responsible for reporting, typically on their state income tax return. It is widely ignored on small consumer purchases and enforced on large ones like vehicles and boats.

Sources. US sales tax is set independently by each state and by thousands of local jurisdictions, so a combined rate is an estimate for the state as a whole. Confirm the exact rate for your address with your state's department of revenue before relying on it for filing.
USA.gov — state tax agencies · IRS — federal income tax rates and brackets

Frequently asked questions

How is US sales tax calculated?

Sales tax is calculated by multiplying the item's price by the sales tax rate for your location, then adding it to the price. This calculator lets you enter a price and rate to see both the tax amount and the final total. Because rates vary by state, county and city, you enter the rate that applies where the purchase happens.

Why does sales tax vary by state and city?

The US has no national sales tax. Instead, each state sets its own base rate, and counties and cities can add local rates on top. This means the combined sales tax on the same item can differ significantly from one location to another, and a few states have no sales tax at all.

How do I find my local sales tax rate?

Your total sales tax rate is the state rate plus any county and city rates for the exact location of the sale. You can usually find your combined rate on your state's department of revenue website or on a recent local receipt. Enter that combined rate into the calculator for an accurate total.

Is sales tax added to the listed price?

In the US, listed prices usually do not include sales tax — it's added at checkout. This differs from many other countries where tax is built into the displayed price. That's why the final amount you pay is often higher than the sticker price.

What items are exempt from sales tax?

Exemptions vary by state, but common examples include certain groceries, prescription medicine and some clothing. Because rules differ so much between states, always check your state's specific exemptions if you're unsure whether tax applies to a particular purchase.

What is use tax?

Use tax is a companion to sales tax. If you buy a taxable item without paying sales tax — for example, from an out-of-state seller — and then use it in your own state, you may owe use tax at your local rate. It exists so purchases are taxed consistently no matter where they are bought.

Do online purchases have sales tax?

Often, yes. Many online sellers now collect sales tax based on the buyer's delivery address, especially larger retailers and marketplaces. If tax is not collected at checkout, you may still owe use tax on the purchase in your state.

How does the reverse (remove tax) calculation work?

Reverse mode starts from a total that already includes tax and divides it by one plus the tax rate to find the pre-tax price. The difference between the total and that pre-tax price is the tax portion. It's useful for expense reports and bookkeeping when you only have the final amount.

This calculator provides estimates for general information only and is not financial or tax advice. See our disclaimer.