Sales Tax Calculator (2026)
Add state and local sales tax to any purchase. Enter the pre-tax amount and your combined sales tax rate to see the tax and the total, and learn the reverse formula to back out tax from a total.
Add sales tax to a purchase
How to add (and reverse) sales tax
There is no federal sales tax in the United States - it is set by states and localities, so the rate you pay depends on where you buy. This state sales tax calculator adds your combined state and local rate to any amount and shows the total. Enter the pre-tax price and the rate, and it returns the tax and the final price.
Want to work backwards? A reverse sales tax calculator answers the opposite question: given a receipt total and the rate, what was the pre-tax price? The formula is pre-tax = total / (1 + rate/100). For example, a $108.25 total at an 8.25% rate works out to exactly $100 before tax. This is handy for bookkeeping, expense reports and checking receipts.
Rates vary widely. California's state rate is 7.25% before local add-ons; a florida sales tax calculator would start at the 6% Florida state rate; and an ohio sales tax calculator begins at 5.75% before county rates. Big-ticket items follow the same math, which is why a car sales tax calculator is just this tool with the vehicle price and your local combined rate. Five states - Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon - have no statewide sales tax at all.
Example state sales tax rates (2026)
| State | State rate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| California | 7.25% | Highest state base rate; local add-ons can reach ~10.25% |
| New York | 4.00% | NYC combined is 8.875% |
| Texas | 6.25% | Up to 8.25% with local |
| Florida | 6.00% | Most counties add a surtax |
| Ohio | 5.75% | Plus county rate |
Always confirm the exact combined rate for the buyer's address, since local rates change.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the pre-tax amount. Type the price before tax. This sales tax calculator works for a single item or a whole cart.
- Enter your combined sales tax rate. Add your state and local rate together. A car sales tax calculator uses the same method - enter the vehicle price and your combined rate.
- Read the tax and total. The result shows the sales tax and the final total. Use it as a state sales tax calculator for any state by entering that state's combined rate.
- Back out tax with the reverse formula. To use it as a reverse sales tax calculator, divide a known total by 1 plus the rate to recover the pre-tax price (see the FAQ for an example).
Frequently asked questions
How do I use this as a reverse sales tax calculator?
Divide the total by 1 plus the rate as a decimal. For a $108.25 total at 8.25%, compute 108.25 / 1.0825 = $100 pre-tax, so the tax was $8.25. The reverse formula lets you separate tax from any receipt total.
What rate should I enter?
Your combined rate: the state rate plus any county or city rate for the buyer's location. For example, enter 8.25 for many California areas or 8.875 for New York City. When in doubt, look up the exact rate for the delivery address.
Can I use this as a car sales tax calculator?
Yes. Enter the vehicle's purchase price and your local combined rate. Note that some states tax vehicles using the address where the car is registered, and a few apply special motor-vehicle rates.
Which states have no sales tax?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax, though some Alaska localities levy a local sales tax. For those states you would enter 0 (or just the local rate).
Does the total include income or property tax?
No. This is a sales tax calculator only. Income tax and property tax are separate; use the related calculators for those.