Add or Remove Sales Tax: Calculator for Any US State

Register Math: Net × (1 + Rate)

Variables Explained

Exemptions, Sourcing & Nexus

• 1Worked example: $189.99 taxed at 8.25% → $15.67 tax, $205.66 at the register; backwards, a $205.66 receipt in an 8.25% state hides a $189.99 pre-tax price.
• 2US state sales tax rates range from 0% in states like Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Alaska to more than 7% in others, so always confirm your state's base rate first.
• 3Many purchases are taxed at a combined rate of the state plus county, city, and special-district surcharges — a base rate like California's 7.25% can reach 9.5% or more once local add-ons are included.
• 4Groceries, prescription drugs, and sometimes clothing are exempt or taxed at reduced rates in several states, so identical items can carry very different tax depending on where you buy them.
• 5To strip tax out of a total, divide the final price by (1 + tax rate): a $107.25 total with 7.25% tax means the pre-tax amount was $100 — this is how you "reverse" a sales tax.
• 6When estimating a final cost, remember tax applies to the pre-tax purchase price only, and optional tips are normally computed before tax rather than on the taxed total.

Sales Tax Terms by State

Sales Tax Nexus

A physical or economic connection between a seller and a state that triggers a sales tax collection obligation. Post-2018, states can require remote sellers with significant sales volume to collect tax.

Use Tax

A tax owed by consumers on purchases made from out-of-state retailers that did not collect sales tax. It complements sales tax and is self-reported on state income tax returns.

Exempt Items

Specific goods (often groceries, prescription drugs, and clothing) that states exclude from sales tax or tax at a reduced rate to ease the burden on essential purchases.

State Revenue Department Sources

Our calculations are based on established financial and scientific formulas. The following sources inform the default values and methodology used in this calculator:

• Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates
• Streamlined Sales Tax Project — State tax rate tables

2026 US Sales Tax Rates: State-by-State Comparison

Sales tax rates vary significantly by state and locality. Below are the combined state and average local tax rates for all US states with sales tax, plus the five states with no sales tax.

Five states have no statewide sales tax: Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Alaska (though Alaska allows local taxes). Louisiana has the highest combined rate at 10.11%. When shopping online, you may owe use tax if the retailer does not collect sales tax in your state. Always verify your specific zip code rate, as city and county taxes can add 1-5% to the base state rate.

Sales Tax Deduction: Can You Write Off Sales Tax on Your Taxes?

When you itemize deductions on your federal tax return, you can choose to deduct either state income tax OR state and local sales tax — but not both. This is particularly beneficial for residents of the nine states with no state income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming).

The IRS Sales Tax Deduction Calculator helps you determine which deduction gives you the larger benefit. In practice, income tax deduction is usually larger for most people — but residents of no-income-tax states and anyone who made a major taxable purchase should check the sales tax option. Remember that the SALT (State and Local Tax) deduction cap of $10,000 ($5,000 if married filing separately) applies to the combined total of income + sales tax, not each individually.

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