How does the sales tax calculator work?
The calculator multiplies the price by the tax rate to find the tax, then adds it to the price. The formula is total = price × (1 + tax rate), and the tax itself is price × tax rate. A $100 purchase at a 7.25% rate adds $7.25 in tax, for a total of $107.25. Enter any price and rate to see the tax and the total instantly.
How do I figure out the tax from a total?
Switch to Back out tax mode. To remove sales tax from a tax-included total, divide the total by 1 plus the rate: price = total ÷ (1 + tax rate). A $107.25 receipt at 7.25% works out to a $100.00 pre-tax price and $7.25 of tax. This reverse calculation is how you separate the tax on a receipt for an expense report or a refund.
What sales tax rate should I use?
Use the combined rate for where you buy — the statewide rate plus any city, county, or district add-on. Most U.S. consumers pay between 6% and 9%. The average combined rate ranges from 0% in Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon to about 10.11% in Louisiana. The tables below list the 2026 rate for every state.
How to calculate sales tax by hand
- 1
Convert the tax rate to a decimal. Divide the sales tax rate by 100. A 7.25% rate becomes 0.0725.
- 2
Multiply the price by that decimal. That gives the tax. On a $100 item at 7.25%, $100 × 0.0725 = $7.25.
- 3
Add the tax to the price. The result is the total you pay. $100 + $7.25 = $107.25.
- 4
To work backward, divide instead. To pull tax out of a total, divide by 1 plus the rate. $107.25 ÷ 1.0725 = $100.00 before tax.
Sales tax rate tables
Combined 2026 rates for every state, where tax is highest and lowest, and the tax each rate adds.
Sales tax rates by state (2026)
Statewide base rate, the average local add-on, and the combined rate the typical shopper pays in each state. Five states have no statewide sales tax: Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon charge none at all, and Alaska has only local taxes.
| State | State rate | Avg. local | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4.00% | 5.46% | 9.46% |
| Alaska | 0.00% | 1.82% | 1.82% |
| Arizona | 5.60% | 2.92% | 8.52% |
| Arkansas | 6.50% | 2.96% | 9.46% |
| California | 7.25% | 1.74% | 8.99% |
| Colorado | 2.90% | 4.99% | 7.89% |
| Connecticut | 6.35% | 0.00% | 6.35% |
| Delaware | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Florida | 6.00% | 0.98% | 6.98% |
| Georgia | 4.00% | 3.49% | 7.49% |
| Hawaii | 4.00% | 0.50% | 4.50% |
| Idaho | 6.00% | 0.03% | 6.03% |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 2.71% | 8.96% |
| Indiana | 7.00% | 0.00% | 7.00% |
| Iowa | 6.00% | 0.94% | 6.94% |
| Kansas | 6.50% | 2.19% | 8.69% |
| Kentucky | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% |
| Louisiana | 5.00% | 5.11% | 10.11% |
| Maine | 5.50% | 0.00% | 5.50% |
| Maryland | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | 0.00% | 6.25% |
| Michigan | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% |
| Minnesota | 6.88% | 1.26% | 8.13% |
| Mississippi | 7.00% | 0.06% | 7.06% |
| Missouri | 4.22% | 4.22% | 8.45% |
| Montana | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Nebraska | 5.50% | 1.48% | 6.98% |
| Nevada | 6.85% | 1.39% | 8.24% |
| New Hampshire | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| New Jersey | 6.63% | -0.02% | 6.61% |
| New Mexico | 4.88% | 2.79% | 7.67% |
| New York | 4.00% | 4.54% | 8.54% |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7.00% |
| North Dakota | 5.00% | 2.09% | 7.09% |
| Ohio | 5.75% | 1.54% | 7.29% |
| Oklahoma | 4.50% | 4.56% | 9.06% |
| Oregon | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Pennsylvania | 6.00% | 0.34% | 6.34% |
| Rhode Island | 7.00% | 0.00% | 7.00% |
| South Carolina | 6.00% | 1.49% | 7.49% |
| South Dakota | 4.20% | 1.91% | 6.11% |
| Tennessee | 7.00% | 2.61% | 9.61% |
| Texas | 6.25% | 1.95% | 8.20% |
| Utah | 6.10% | 1.32% | 7.42% |
| Vermont | 6.00% | 0.39% | 6.39% |
| Virginia | 5.30% | 0.47% | 5.77% |
| Washington | 6.50% | 3.01% | 9.51% |
| West Virginia | 6.00% | 0.59% | 6.59% |
| Wisconsin | 5.00% | 0.72% | 5.72% |
| Wyoming | 4.00% | 1.56% | 5.56% |
| District of Columbia | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% |
Source: Tax Foundation, State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (as of Jan 1, 2026)
Highest and lowest combined sales tax rates (2026)
Louisiana has the highest average combined rate in the country; among states that levy a sales tax, Hawaii has the lowest. Alaska has no statewide sales tax, but its local rates average 1.82%. Combined rates blend the state rate with the average local add-on.
| State | Combined rate | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 10.11% | Highest |
| Tennessee | 9.61% | 2nd highest |
| Washington | 9.51% | 3rd highest |
| Arkansas | 9.46% | 4th highest |
| Alabama | 9.46% | 5th highest |
| Hawaii | 4.50% | Lowest with a state tax |
| Maine | 5.50% | 2nd lowest with a state tax |
| Wyoming | 5.56% | 3rd lowest with a state tax |
| Wisconsin | 5.72% | 4th lowest with a state tax |
| Alaska | 1.82% | No statewide tax (local only) |
Source: Tax Foundation, State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (as of Jan 1, 2026)
Sales tax owed by rate
The tax added to a $100 purchase at each rate, and — for a $100 receipt total — the pre-tax price that reverse mode backs out. Scale either column to your own amount.
| Tax rate | Tax on $100 | Total on $100 | Pre-tax of a $100 total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $4.00 | $104.00 | $96.15 |
| 5% | $5.00 | $105.00 | $95.24 |
| 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 | $94.34 |
| 7% | $7.00 | $107.00 | $93.46 |
| 7.25% | $7.25 | $107.25 | $93.24 |
| 8% | $8.00 | $108.00 | $92.59 |
| 8.25% | $8.25 | $108.25 | $92.38 |
| 8.5% | $8.50 | $108.50 | $92.17 |
| 9% | $9.00 | $109.00 | $91.74 |
| 9.5% | $9.50 | $109.50 | $91.32 |
| 10% | $10.00 | $110.00 | $90.91 |
Source: Socko calculation: tax = price × rate; pre-tax = total ÷ (1 + rate).
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate sales tax on a purchase?
Multiply the price by the rate as a decimal. At 7%, a $50 item is $3.50 in tax, so you pay $53.50. (Or just multiply by 1.07.)
How do I back sales tax out of a total?
Divide the total by 1 + the rate. A $53.50 total at 7% is $50.00 before tax (÷ 1.07), so the tax was $3.50. Use Back out tax mode.
Why is the tax on my receipt higher than my state’s rate?
Because receipts show the combined rate. Cities, counties, and districts add local tax on top of the state base rate, so what you pay is usually higher than the statewide figure.
Which states have no sales tax?
Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon charge none. Alaska has no statewide tax but lets localities add their own (about 1.8% on average).
Which state has the highest sales tax?
Louisiana, at about 10.11% combined (2026), ahead of Tennessee and Washington. California has the highest statewide base rate at 7.25%.
Is sales tax calculated before or after a discount?
After the discount. The markdown comes off first, then tax is charged on the lower price — so a coupon trims the tax too.
Do I pay sales tax on online orders?
Usually yes. Since the 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair ruling, most online sellers collect tax based on your shipping address and its combined rate.
Is this calculator free, and is my data saved?
Yes — it is free and runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
This tool is for estimation and education, not financial advice. See our methodology for how these figures are calculated and sourced.