Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate US sales tax: tax amount and total from the pre-tax price — or work backward from the total. With a freely adjustable rate.
Key facts
- Adding sales tax: pre-tax price × rate = tax, plus the price = total. Example: $100 at 7.5% → $7.50 tax, $107.50 total.
- Rates vary widely: five states have no sales tax, California starts at 7.25% (state), and with local add-ons Louisiana leads at about 10.11% combined (Tax Foundation 2026). Enter your local rate.
- Working backward from the total: pre-tax = total ÷ (1 + rate). At $107.50 and 7.5% that gives $100.00 pre-tax and $7.50 tax — handy when only the total is on the receipt.
FAQ
- How do I calculate US sales tax?
- Multiply the pre-tax price by the rate: $100 × 7.5% = $7.50 tax, for a $107.50 total. The rate is the combined state plus local rate at your location.
- Is there a nationwide sales tax?
- No. The US has no federal sales tax. Each state (and many counties/cities) sets its own rate. Five states — Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon — levy no state sales tax (Alaska may have local rates).
- How do I extract the tax from a total price?
- Divide the total by (1 + rate). Example: $107.50 ÷ 1.075 = $100.00 pre-tax, and the $7.50 difference is the tax. Switch the calculator to “From total (reverse)” for this.