🧰 ToolPicoAll Tools →

Sales Tax Calculator

Add sales tax to a price, or back a pre-tax price out of a tax-included total. The United States has no federal sales tax — rates are set by each state (and often by local cities and counties) — so this tool works state by state, using typical combined state + local average rates for all 50 states plus DC.

50 states + DC Avg. combined ~7.5% No federal sales tax Updated: Jul 21, 2026
%
Typical combined state + local average rate. Edit the rate field if you know your exact city/county rate.
$
Enter the pre-tax price; sales tax is added on top using the rate above.
$
Enter a receipt total that already includes sales tax; this backs out the pre-tax price and the tax amount.
$
$
Enter both the pre-tax price and the tax-included total from a receipt; this works out the exact sales tax rate that was charged — handy when you don't know your local rate.
Quick answer There is no national sales tax in the US. Sales tax is set state by state — currently ranging from 0% (Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon, plus Alaska at the state level) up to roughly 9.5% combined (Louisiana, Tennessee). To estimate tax on a purchase: Sales tax = Price × combined rate ÷ 100, then Total = Price + Sales tax.
5US states with no state sales tax
~7.5%Commonly cited national average rate
~9.5%Highest avg. combined rate (LA, TN)
$0Federal sales tax — it doesn't exist
⚠️ Note: Combined rates shown are typical state-level averages of state + local sales tax, intended for quick estimation; they are not exact for every address — actual rates vary by specific city, county, and special tax district, and can also vary by product category. Results are for informational purposes only and are not tax, legal, or accounting advice. For an exact rate or filing question, check your state/local revenue department or a licensed tax professional.
🧾 Sales Tax Calculator — ToolPico ↗

What is sales tax in the US, and how is it calculated?

A complete guide to how US sales tax works: why there's no federal rate, how state and local rates combine, and the formulas for adding or removing tax from a price.

Unlike many countries that use a national value-added tax (VAT), the United States has no federal sales tax. Instead, sales tax is imposed by individual states, and in most states, cities, counties, and special districts can add their own local sales tax on top of the state rate. That's why the same $100 purchase can be taxed completely differently depending on where it's made — from $0 in Oregon to roughly $9.55 in parts of Louisiana. The calculator above uses typical combined state + local average rates for all 50 states and Washington, DC, so you can quickly estimate what you'd pay (or should charge) — while always deferring to your exact local rate for anything official.

How do you calculate sales tax on a purchase?

Quick answerMultiply the pre-tax price by the combined sales tax rate: Sales tax = Price × Rate ÷ 100. Add that to the price for the total: Total = Price + Sales tax. For example, a $100 purchase at an 8% combined rate: 100 × 8 ÷ 100 = $8.00 tax, for a total of $108.00.
  • Formula: Sales tax = Price × (Rate ÷ 100)
  • Example: $250 at 7% → 250 × 0.07 = $17.50 tax, total $267.50
  • Rate source: a typical combined state + average local rate for the selected state

How do you find the pre-tax price from a tax-included total?

Quick answerDivide the tax-included total by (1 + Rate ÷ 100): Pre-tax price = Total ÷ (1 + Rate ÷ 100). The difference between the total and the pre-tax price is the sales tax amount. For example, a $108 receipt total at an 8% rate: 108 ÷ 1.08 = $100 pre-tax, meaning $8.00 was tax.

Why doesn't the US have one national sales tax rate?

Quick answerSales tax authority in the US rests with state governments, not the federal government — there is no federal sales tax or VAT. Each state legislature sets its own state rate (or no rate at all), and most states also let counties, cities, and special districts add local sales tax on top, which is why rates vary by exact address, not just by state.

This is a key structural difference from countries that use a VAT: in the US, tax is collected only once, at the final retail sale to the consumer, by the seller, and remitted to state (and sometimes local) tax authorities — never to a federal one. There have been federal proposals for a national sales tax or VAT over the years, but none has ever been enacted.

Which states have no sales tax?

Quick answerFive states have no statewide sales tax: Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Alaska. The first four have no state or local general sales tax at all. Alaska is the exception: while it has no state-level sales tax, it allows individual boroughs and cities to levy their own local sales taxes, so some purchases in Alaska are still taxed — just never by the state itself.

If you select one of these five states in the calculator above, the tool flags that no (or, for Alaska, only local) sales tax typically applies, rather than silently showing a misleading 0%.

Which state has the highest sales tax?

Quick answerLouisiana and Tennessee typically have the highest combined average state + local sales tax rates in the country, both around 9.5%, closely followed by Arkansas, Washington, and Alabama, which all fall in the 9%–9.5% range.

At the other end, among states that do charge sales tax, Alaska's local-only average, Hawaii's general excise tax, and Wyoming tend to sit at the low end — well under the national average. See the full state-by-state table below for exact figures used in this calculator.

Sales tax examples by rate

The same purchase amount taxed at a few illustrative combined rates: no tax, the national average, and two of the higher-tax states. For your own state, use the calculator above.

Tax-included total at different combined sales tax rates
Pre-tax amountNo tax (0%)National avg. (~7.5%)California (8.85%)Louisiana (9.55%)
$50$50.00$53.75$54.43$54.78
$100$100.00$107.50$108.85$109.55
$250$250.00$268.75$272.13$273.88
$500$500.00$537.50$544.25$547.75
$1,000$1,000.00$1,075.00$1,088.50$1,095.50
$2,500$2,500.00$2,687.50$2,721.25$2,738.75

Popular calculations

Related mini calculators

Three practical extensions of the sales tax calculator: a multi-item cart, a two-state comparison, and a quick tax-only lookup when you already know the rate. All work instantly.

🛒Cart / invoice tax
Quantity × unit price, plus a tax rate, to get a subtotal, sales tax, and grand total.
$
%
⚖️Compare two states
See how much more (or less) the same purchase is taxed in one state versus another.
$
🧾Tax-only calculator
Already know your exact local rate? Get just the sales tax amount, either way.
$
%

US sales tax rates by state (reference tables)

Citable reference data: typical combined state + local average sales tax rates for all 50 states and DC, the 5 states with no state sales tax, and the highest/lowest rates.

Typical combined average state + local sales tax rate, by state, with the typical min/max combined-rate range
StateMin local (combined)Combined avg. rateMax local (combined)

"Min local" and "max local" show the typical low-end and high-end combined (state + local) rate found within that state — i.e. the range a shopper might actually see depending on the city or county, around the statewide average shown in the middle column. Figures are approximate, Tax-Foundation-style estimates for general estimation — not exact for every city or county.

The 5 US states with no state sales tax
StateState rate
Delaware — no state or local sales tax of any kind0%
Montana — no state or local general sales tax0%
New Hampshire — no state or local sales tax of any kind0%
Oregon — no state or local sales tax of any kind0%
Alaska — no state tax, but boroughs/cities may levy local sales tax (~1.76% average where it applies)0%

Alaska is the one exception among the "no sales tax" states: there is never a state-level sales tax charge, but local sales tax can still apply depending on the city or borough.

Highest and lowest combined average rates
StateCombined avg. rate
Louisiana (highest)9.55%
Tennessee (highest)9.55%
Arkansas9.45%
Washington9.38%
Alabama9.29%
Oklahoma8.98%
Wyoming (low, taxed)5.44%
Maine (low, taxed)5.50%
Hawaii (general excise tax)4.50%
Alaska (state-level)0% state / ~1.76% local avg.
Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon0%

"Highest" and "lowest" refer to typical combined average rates, not the maximum possible rate at any single address.

Add this calculator to your site (embed code)

Embed the sales tax calculator on your own website for free. Copy the code below into your HTML — the tool runs in a simplified view and links back to this page as its source.

The embedded tool has a fixed layout; you can adjust the height value to fit your site. No ads or personal data, runs entirely client-side.

Sales tax terms glossary

Short definitions of the core terms used when talking about US sales tax.

Sales taxA tax on the retail sale of goods and, in some states, services, collected by the seller and remitted to state/local government. Never imposed at the federal level.
State rateThe base sales tax rate set by a state legislature. Ranges from 0% (five states) to roughly 7.25% at the state level.
Local rateAdditional sales tax added by a city, county, or special district on top of the state rate; varies by exact address.
Combined rateThe state rate plus applicable local rates — the total percentage actually charged at checkout in a given location.
Use taxA companion tax owed by a buyer when sales tax wasn't collected at purchase (e.g. some out-of-state or online buys), self-reported in many states.
NexusThe connection (physical presence or, since 2018, sufficient sales volume) that requires a seller to collect a state's sales tax.
Excise taxA separate, narrower federal or state tax on specific goods like fuel, tobacco, or alcohol — distinct from general sales tax.
Tax-exempt itemA product or service a state chooses not to tax, commonly groceries, prescription drugs, or certain clothing.
Origin-based sourcingTax is charged at the seller's location rate rather than the buyer's — used by a minority of states.
Destination-based sourcingTax is charged at the buyer's (ship-to) location rate — the method used by most states and most online retailers.

In-depth guides

Step-by-step explanations of the most commonly confused US sales tax questions.

How is sales tax calculated on a purchase? (step by step)

Step 1: Find your combined rate → select your state above, or use a known local rate.
Step 2: Multiply the price by the rate → $100 × 8% = $8.00 sales tax.
Step 3: Add it to the price → $100 + $8.00 = $108.00 total.

To go the other way from a receipt total, divide by (1 + rate ÷ 100) instead — the "Remove sales tax" tab above does this instantly.

The 5 states with no sales tax — and Alaska's exception, explained

Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon have no state or local sales tax at all — retail prices are exactly what's on the shelf tag. Alaska is different: the state itself never charges sales tax, but it's one of the few states that lets individual boroughs and cities impose their own local sales tax, so a purchase in one Alaska town might be taxed while another isn't.

This matters for planning cross-state purchases — a big-ticket item bought in a no-tax state can meaningfully undercut the same item bought where combined rates run 8–9.5%, though use tax rules can still apply if you bring it back to a taxing state.

Origin-based vs. destination-based sales tax sourcing

Most states use destination-based sourcing: the tax rate charged is based on where the buyer receives the goods (the ship-to or delivery address), not where the seller is located. A smaller group of states use origin-based sourcing, charging the seller's local rate regardless of where the buyer is.

This is why the "combined rate" for a purchase can depend on the buyer's address for online orders, even when the retailer is based somewhere else entirely — always check the rate actually applied at checkout for anything precise.

How do online purchases get taxed across state lines?

Before 2018, online retailers generally only had to collect sales tax in states where they had a physical presence. The Supreme Court's South Dakota v. Wayfair decision changed that, allowing states to require out-of-state sellers with enough sales activity in the state (called economic nexus) to collect that state's sales tax too.

As a result, most online checkouts today calculate sales tax automatically based on your shipping address, combining the applicable state and local rates — which is exactly what this calculator estimates using typical combined averages.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a federal sales tax in the United States?
No. The United States has no federal or national sales tax and no VAT. Sales tax is imposed only at the state level, and in most states, local governments can add their own tax on top of the state rate. The federal government does levy narrow excise taxes on specific goods like fuel, tobacco, and alcohol, but that's a different kind of tax from a general sales tax on purchases.
Which states have no sales tax?
Five states have no statewide sales tax: Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Alaska. The first four have no state or local general sales tax at all. Alaska is the exception: it has no state-level sales tax, but it allows individual boroughs and cities to levy their own local sales taxes, so some purchases in Alaska are still taxed at a local, not state, level.
What is the average sales tax rate in the US?
The commonly cited national average combined (state + local) sales tax rate is around 7.5%, but the real rate you pay depends entirely on your state and local jurisdiction — from 0% in the no-tax states up to roughly 9.5% in the highest-rate states, such as Louisiana and Tennessee.
How do you calculate sales tax on a purchase?
Multiply the pre-tax price by the combined rate and divide by 100: Sales tax = Price × Rate ÷ 100. Add that to the price for the total: Total = Price + Sales tax. A $100 purchase at an 8% combined rate adds $8.00 in tax, for a total of $108.00.
How do you find the pre-tax price from a total that already includes tax?
Divide the tax-included total by (1 + Rate ÷ 100): Pre-tax price = Total ÷ (1 + Rate ÷ 100). The difference between the total and the pre-tax price is the sales tax amount. A $108 receipt total at an 8% rate: 108 ÷ 1.08 = $100 pre-tax, meaning $8.00 was tax.
Which state has the highest sales tax?
Louisiana and Tennessee typically have the highest combined average state + local sales tax rates in the country, both around 9.5%, closely followed by Arkansas, Washington, and Alabama, all in the 9%–9.5% range.
Does Alaska really have no sales tax?
Alaska has no state-level sales tax, which is why it's grouped with the other no-sales-tax states. However, Alaska is unique in permitting local governments — boroughs and cities — to impose their own local sales taxes, and many do. So there's never a state charge in Alaska, but a purchase in a specific town may still include a local sales tax.
Are these combined sales tax rates exact for my exact address?
No. The rates in this calculator are state-level typical averages of the state rate plus a blended average of local rates, meant for quick estimation. Actual combined rates vary by specific city, county, and special tax district, and can also vary by product category. For an exact rate, check your state or local revenue department, or the receipt/invoice itself.
Is online shopping taxed the same as an in-store purchase?
In most cases, yes. Following the 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair Supreme Court decision, most states require online retailers with enough sales activity in that state (economic nexus) to collect sales tax, generally based on the buyer's shipping address rather than the seller's location. Some product categories or small-seller exemptions can still apply.
What's the difference between US sales tax and a VAT used in other countries?
US sales tax is collected once, at the final retail sale to the consumer, only in states and localities that impose it, and never by the federal government. A value-added tax (VAT), used in many other countries, is instead collected incrementally at each stage of production and distribution. The US has never adopted a national VAT — sales tax remains a state and local tax only.

Methodology & sources

ToolPico's Sales Tax Calculator is a free, independent tool. Because the US has no federal sales tax, the calculator is built around typical combined state + local average rates for all 50 states and Washington, DC — figures broadly consistent with widely published, Tax-Foundation-style combined average estimates. The engine performs standard arithmetic: sales tax is Price × Rate ÷ 100, the tax-included total is Price + Sales tax, and the reverse (pre-tax price from a tax-included total) is Total ÷ (1 + Rate ÷ 100). Results are computed instantly client-side (in your browser); no data is sent to a server.

Basis: Publicly available, widely cited combined average state + local sales tax rate estimates; standard arithmetic. Last updated: July 21, 2026. These are estimates for informational purposes only, not tax, legal, or accounting advice, and are not exact for every address or product category — for official calculations, consult your state/local revenue department or a qualified tax professional.

🔗 Add this tool to your site

Copy the code below into your own site. The tool is free, always up to date, and runs entirely on your page. No sign-up required.

Preview →
⚡ Built with ToolPico · toolpico.com