US Sales Tax Calculator – Add or Reverse by State
Work out US sales tax in any state: add tax to a pre-tax price or reverse it out of a receipt total, using statewide base rates.
Pre-tax price (to add tax) or receipt total (to remove tax).
Total price at checkout
$107.25
- Sales tax
- $7.25
- Rate used
- 7.25%
- Pre-tax price
- $100.00
California statewide base rate shown. Many cities and counties add local sales tax on top, so the combined rate where you shop may be higher.
For informational purposes only — not financial or tax advice.
How the US sales tax calculator works
Pick a state, enter an amount and choose a direction. Adding tax answers the classic checkout question: what will I actually pay? Reversing tax is the accountants’ favourite: given a receipt total, how much of it was tax and what was the pre-tax price?
Formula: adding sales tax
total = price × (1 + rate) tax = price × rate
An $80 purchase in California (7.25%) costs $80 × 1.0725 = $85.80, of which $5.80 is tax.
Formula: reverse sales tax from a total
pre-tax = total ÷ (1 + rate) tax = total − pre-tax
A $53.12 receipt from New York (4% base rate) breaks down as $53.12 ÷ 1.04 = $51.08 pre-tax and $2.04 tax. Never subtract the percentage directly from the total — the rate applies to the smaller pre-tax amount.
What the state rates include
The dropdown uses each state’s statewide base rate. It is the figure every retailer in that state charges before local add-ons. Colorado, for example, starts at 2.90% but most cities add several points. Five states — Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon — have no statewide sales tax at all.
Sales tax is a destination tax in most states: the rate follows where the buyer is, not where the seller is. That is why online checkouts ask for your ZIP code — combined state + local rates are keyed to the delivery address.
Worked examples
- Checkout estimate: a $249.99 laptop bag in Texas (6.25%) → tax = $249.99 × 0.0625 = $15.62, total $265.61.
- Reverse from a receipt: your restaurant bill in a 7% area is $107.00 → pre-tax = $107.00 ÷ 1.07 = $100.00, tax $7.00.
- No-tax state: a $100 purchase in Oregon stays $100 — the calculator shows $0.00 tax.
Frequently asked questions
Which US states have no sales tax?
Most purchases in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon are not subject to state or local sales tax. Alaska allows some local sales taxes, so a few cities there still charge tax.
How do I calculate sales tax from a total (reverse)?
Divide the total by 1 plus the tax rate to get the pre-tax amount, then subtract. For a $110 total at 10% tax: $110 ÷ 1.10 = $100 pre-tax, so the tax included is $10.
How do I add sales tax to a price?
Multiply the pre-tax amount by the tax rate and add it to the price. A $100 purchase at 7% tax becomes $100 × 1.07 = $107 at the register.
Are the state rates on this page exact?
The calculator uses state-level base rates, which are correct as statewide figures. Many US cities and counties add local sales taxes on top, so your exact combined rate may be higher. Confirm with your state's Department of Revenue for precise rates.
Is sales tax included in the listed price?
In the United States, sales tax is almost always added at checkout rather than shown on the shelf price, unlike VAT in the UK and EU.