Sales Tax Calculator

To calculate sales tax, multiply the price of the item by the tax rate expressed as a decimal. For example, for a $50 item with an 8% tax rate: $50 x 0.08 = $4.00 in tax. The total price would be $54.00.

To find the pre-tax price from a total that includes tax, divide the total by (1 + tax rate as a decimal). For example, if the total is $108 and the tax rate is 8%, the pre-tax price is $108 / 1.08 = $100.00.

The average combined state and local sales tax rate in the US is approximately 6.6%. However, rates vary significantly. Some states like Oregon, Montana, and Delaware have no sales tax, while others like Tennessee and Louisiana have combined rates exceeding 9%.

No. Many states exempt essential items like groceries, prescription medications, and clothing from sales tax. Some states also hold sales tax holidays where certain items are temporarily exempt. The rules vary by state and locality.

Sales tax is collected by the seller at the point of sale. Use tax is owed by the buyer when a purchase is made from a seller that does not collect sales tax, such as some out-of-state or online purchases. The rates are typically the same.