Free Sales Tax Calculator · No Signup
Sales tax calculator — add or reverse-calculate tax instantly
Work out how much sales tax to add to a price, or back out how much of a total was tax. Includes base rate lookups for all 50 US states, and supports stacking state + county + city rates into one combined total.
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How US sales tax actually works
Unlike VAT, US sales tax is only charged once, at the final retail sale to the end customer — not at every step of a supply chain. The rate itself is rarely just one number: most states set a base statewide rate, and then counties, cities, and special districts can each add their own percentage on top, so the actual rate a customer pays can vary block to block within the same state. That's why this calculator lets you stack multiple rate lines (state + county + city) into one combined total instead of assuming a single flat number covers it.
Add Tax vs. Reverse / Extract Tax
Use Add Tax when you're starting from a price you want to charge and need to know the tax and final total — the normal case when building an invoice or quote. Use Reverse / Extract Tax when you already have a total (a receipt, a tax-inclusive price a supplier quoted you, or cash a customer handed over) and need to know how much of that total was actually tax versus the underlying sale amount — common for bookkeeping and reconciling end-of-day sales.
US sales tax rates by state (base rate)
These are the statewide base rates only — click any row's state name into the calculator's rate lookup above to use it, then add your county/city rate as a second stacked line for the real combined total. Five states charge no statewide sales tax at all.
| State | Base rate |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 4% |
| Alaska | No state sales tax |
| Arizona | 5.6% |
| Arkansas | 6.5% |
| California | 7.25% |
| Colorado | 2.9% |
| Connecticut | 6.35% |
| Delaware | No state sales tax |
| District of Columbia | 6% |
| Florida | 6% |
| Georgia | 4% |
| Hawaii | 4% |
| Idaho | 6% |
| Illinois | 6.25% |
| Indiana | 7% |
| Iowa | 6% |
| Kansas | 6.5% |
| Kentucky | 6% |
| Louisiana | 4.45% |
| Maine | 5.5% |
| Maryland | 6% |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% |
| Michigan | 6% |
| Minnesota | 6.875% |
| Mississippi | 7% |
| Missouri | 4.225% |
| Montana | No state sales tax |
| Nebraska | 5.5% |
| Nevada | 6.85% |
| New Hampshire | No state sales tax |
| New Jersey | 6.625% |
| New Mexico | 4.875% |
| New York | 4% |
| North Carolina | 4.75% |
| North Dakota | 5% |
| Ohio | 5.75% |
| Oklahoma | 4.5% |
| Oregon | No state sales tax |
| Pennsylvania | 6% |
| Rhode Island | 7% |
| South Carolina | 6% |
| South Dakota | 4.2% |
| Tennessee | 7% |
| Texas | 6.25% |
| Utah | 6.1% |
| Vermont | 6% |
| Virginia | 5.3% |
| Washington | 6.5% |
| West Virginia | 6% |
| Wisconsin | 5% |
| Wyoming | 4% |
Mistakes people make with sales tax rates specifically
Beyond the general invoice-math mistakes covered in our sales tax guide, these are the ones specific to picking and applying the right rate:
- Using only the state base rate and stopping there. Most states allow county, city, and special-district add-ons — the statewide number alone usually isn't the rate a customer actually pays.
- Using "Add Tax" on a price that already includes tax. A price a customer already paid, or a tax-inclusive quote from a supplier, needs "Reverse / Extract Tax" instead — running it through "Add Tax" charges tax on top of tax.
- Assuming your own state's rate applies to an out-of-state customer. Depending on the state and how the sale is sourced (origin vs. destination-based), the applicable rate can be the buyer's location, not yours.
- Treating a preset rate as permanently correct. Rates do change — use the lookup as a fast starting point, not a substitute for checking the current rate when it actually matters (a large sale, an audit, a new location).
Who this is for
- Freelancers and small businesses figuring out what to charge a client in their state before sending an invoice.
- Retailers and shop owners double-checking a combined state + local rate before ringing up a sale.
- Bookkeepers reconciling how much of a batch of sales was tax versus revenue.
- Anyone quoting across state lines who needs to quickly compare rates between locations.
Once you've worked out the right total, you can create a full invoice or use Quick Billing to ring up the sale directly.
Common questions
Is this sales tax calculator free?
Yes — completely free, with no signup and no account required.
How accurate are the state rate presets?
They're the base statewide rate — a useful starting point, but most states also allow counties and cities to add their own local sales tax on top, which this preset can't capture since it varies address by address. Always confirm the exact combined rate for your specific location before charging a customer.
What's the difference between "Add Tax" and "Reverse / Extract Tax"?
"Add Tax" starts from a price before tax and adds tax on top, for when you're building up a price to charge. "Reverse / Extract Tax" does the opposite — starting from a total a customer already paid (or a tax-inclusive price you've been quoted) and backing out how much of it was tax versus the actual sale amount.
Can I combine state, county, and city tax rates?
Yes — click "+ Add another rate" to add as many rate lines as you need; they're all added together into one combined rate before the calculation runs.
Does this calculator save my numbers anywhere?
No — everything happens in your browser and nothing is sent to or stored on our servers. Refreshing the page clears it.
Can I use this for VAT or GST instead of US sales tax?
Yes — the same calculator handles any percentage-based tax, and the rate lookup includes common VAT/GST rates by country too. Our dedicated VAT Calculator opens with that list shown first if VAT is mainly what you need.
Which US states have no sales tax?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Alaska still allows some local (borough/city) sales taxes even though the state itself doesn't levy one, so "no state sales tax" isn't always the same as "no sales tax at all" there.
Which state has the highest sales tax?
By base statewide rate alone, California's 7.25% is among the highest. But base rate isn't the full picture — several states with a lower statewide rate allow large local add-ons that push the actual combined rate in specific cities well above states with a higher base rate. The state rate is only a starting point; always check the local add-on for the exact address.
Do out-of-state or online sellers have to collect my state's sales tax?
Often yes — following the 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair Supreme Court decision, most states now require a seller to collect their sales tax once sales into that state cross a revenue or transaction threshold ("economic nexus"), even with zero physical presence there. Our sales tax guide covers nexus in more detail.
How often do sales tax rates change?
States and localities can adjust rates, and most changes take effect on a fixed date (commonly January 1 or July 1), though not always. Treat any preset rate — here or anywhere else — as a snapshot, not a guarantee, and confirm the current rate for your specific situation before relying on it.
More general questions? See our full FAQ or our guide to calculating sales tax on an invoice.