Sales Tax Calculator (US)
Add or remove US sales tax with 2026 state rates for all 50 states and DC, plus your own local rate. Forward and reverse calculation with steps.
Results are estimates for information only, not financial advice. Check with a professional before making decisions.
Most states let counties, cities and special districts add their own sales tax, so the combined rate depends on the exact place of sale. Enter the local part here (0 if none).
- Price before tax
- –
- Total tax
- –
- Total
- –
- Combined rate
- –
| State tax | – | – |
|---|---|---|
| Local tax | – | – |
How it was calculated
State sales tax rates, 2026
| State | State rate | Note |
|---|
How to use the US sales tax calculator
- Choose Add tax (price before tax → total) to find what you will pay, or Remove tax (total → price before tax) to find the pre-tax price hidden in a receipt total.
- Enter the Price before tax (or the Total including tax in reverse mode).
- Pick the State. The bundled 2026 state rate is filled in automatically. Choose Other (enter the full rate below) if you already know the complete rate you want to use.
- Type the Local rate added (%): the county, city and special-district taxes of the place of sale. Leave it empty or at 0 if there is none.
The Price before tax, Total tax, Total and Combined rate update as you type, and the small table splits the tax into State tax and Local tax. How it was calculated shows the formula and Copy puts the result on your clipboard. Open State sales tax rates, 2026 to see every state’s rate.
State rate vs. combined rate
The United States has no national sales tax. Each state sets its own rate, and in 38 states local governments (counties, cities, transit or special districts) add their own. What a shopper pays is the combined rate: the state rate plus every local rate that applies at that address. In Illinois, for example, the state rate is 6.25%, but the combined rate in Chicago is above 10%. Two stores a few miles apart can charge different rates.
That is why this tool bundles only the state-level rates and asks you for the local part. You can find the exact combined rate on your receipt, on the state revenue department’s rate lookup, or by asking the seller. The state rates were checked in September 2026 against the Tax Foundation’s 2026 table and the state revenue departments; no statewide rate changed during 2026.
A few particular cases:
- Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no general state sales tax. Alaska boroughs and cities, and some Montana resort towns, levy local taxes.
- California (7.25%), Utah (6.1%) and Virginia (5.3%) include a mandatory local add-on charged everywhere in the state, as in the Tax Foundation table.
- Hawaii and New Mexico tax the seller’s gross receipts; the tax is usually passed on to buyers, so the calculation is the same.
- District of Columbia: the rate stays 6%; the planned increase to 7% was postponed to October 1, 2027.
Formulas
With a price P and a combined rate r = state rate + local rate:
- tax = P × r, rounded to the cent
- total = P + tax
- reverse: P = total / (1 + r)
Example in Illinois with a 4% local rate: 6.25% + 4% = 10.25%. $19.99 × 10.25% = $2.049, rounded to $2.05, so the total is $22.04. The state share ($19.99 × 6.25% = $1.25) is shown separately and the rest ($0.80) is local.
In reverse mode, when rounding makes a total impossible to reach exactly, the tool picks the closest pre-tax price and tells you.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't the tool know my city's rate?
There are thousands of local sales tax jurisdictions and their rates change several times a year. Bundling them would quickly go out of date, so this tool gives the state rate and lets you add the local one you see on a receipt or on the state’s official lookup.
Is sales tax charged on everything?
No. States exempt different things: groceries, prescription drugs and clothing are often exempt or taxed at a lower rate. Use this tool for items taxed at the general rate, or enter the special rate yourself with Other (enter the full rate below).
How do I remove sales tax from a total?
Choose Remove tax (total → price before tax) and enter the amount paid. The tool divides it by 1 plus the combined rate: $107.25 with 7.25% gives $100.00.
Why is my receipt one cent different?
Stores round per item or per invoice, and some round down. This tool rounds the tax once, half up, on the amount you enter.
Does this tool give tax advice?
No. It gives estimates from the rates you choose. Businesses collecting sales tax should confirm rates, exemptions and sourcing rules with the state revenue department or a tax professional.
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