Sales Tax Calculator

To calculate sales tax, multiply the pre-tax price of the item by the applicable sales tax rate for your location. For example, if an item costs $100 and the combined state and local sales tax rate is 8.5%, the tax owed is $8.50, making the total $108.50. Our calculator handles this automatically — just enter the price and your state or ZIP code.

Sales tax rates vary by state, county, and city, so the most accurate way is to look up the combined rate for your specific ZIP code or address. The combined rate includes the state base rate plus any applicable county, city, or special district taxes. Use our calculator to instantly look up the exact rate for any US location.

If you already paid a total that includes tax and want to find the original pre-tax price, divide the total by (1 + the tax rate). For example, a $108 total with an 8% tax rate gives a pre-tax price of $108 / 1.08 = $100. Our reverse sales tax mode does this calculation automatically.

Five US states currently have no statewide sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. However, some localities in Alaska do impose local sales taxes even without a state-level rate. Always verify the local combined rate, as city and county taxes can still apply.

Sales tax is collected by the seller at the point of purchase, while use tax is a complementary tax owed by the buyer when a taxable item is purchased without paying sales tax — for example, buying out of state or online from a retailer that doesn't collect your state's tax. Both are typically the same rate; the key difference is who is responsible for remitting the tax to the government.

Sales tax on a car is calculated based on the vehicle's purchase price and the sales tax rate of the state (and sometimes county or city) where the car is registered, not necessarily where it was bought. Some states also allow trade-in value deductions before applying the tax. Use our sales tax calculator and enter the full vehicle price to get an instant estimate.

Yes — the IRS allows you to deduct either state and local income taxes or state and local sales taxes from your federal taxable income, but not both. This is most beneficial for residents of states with no income tax. The IRS provides a Sales Tax Deduction Calculator to help you estimate the deductible amount based on your income, filing status, and large purchases made during the year.