Enter your before-tax price and sales tax rate to calculate the sales tax amount and final after-tax price. You can also work backwards — enter the final price and tax rate to find the original pre-tax amount. The Sales Tax Calculator handles both directions so you always know exactly what you're paying.
Sales Tax Amount
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Final After-Tax Price
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Pre-Tax Price
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Tax as % of Final Price
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Sales tax is a consumption tax imposed by a government on the sale of goods and services. It is typically collected by the seller at the point of purchase and then remitted to the government. In the U.S., sales tax is set at the state and local level — there is no federal sales tax.
Sales tax is calculated by multiplying the before-tax price by the tax rate. For example, a $100 item with an 8.25% tax rate results in $8.25 in tax, making the final price $108.25. The formula is: Sales Tax = Price × (Tax Rate / 100).
To reverse-calculate the pre-tax price, divide the final price by (1 + tax rate / 100). For example, if the final price is $108.25 and the tax rate is 8.25%, the pre-tax price is $108.25 / 1.0825 = $100.00. This calculator handles this automatically when you select the reverse mode.
Sales tax rates vary by state, county, and city in the U.S. Rates typically range from 0% (in states like Oregon and Montana that have no sales tax) to over 10% in some local jurisdictions. Check your state's department of revenue website or use an address-based lookup tool for your exact rate.
Five U.S. states have no statewide sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. However, some local jurisdictions within Alaska do impose local sales taxes, so always verify your local rate.
U.S. taxpayers who itemize deductions can deduct either state income tax or state and local sales tax — whichever is greater. The IRS provides a Sales Tax Deduction Calculator to help estimate your deductible amount based on your income, filing status, and location.
No. Many states exempt certain goods and services from sales tax, such as groceries, prescription medications, and clothing below a certain value. The rules vary significantly by state, so it's important to check your local tax regulations for specific exemptions.
Sales tax is collected once at the final point of sale to the consumer, and is common in the United States. Value-Added Tax (VAT) is collected at each stage of the supply chain and is more common in Europe and other countries. Both are consumption taxes but are structured and applied differently.