Sales Tax Calculator
A sales tax calculator does the one sum every American shopper and seller needs: how much tax goes on top of a price. The sales tax calculator above has five modes — add tax, remove tax, find the rate, a multi-item receipt and a state comparison — and it uses the average combined state and local rates from the Tax Foundation’s midyear 2026 table. With the defaults loaded — a $100 item in California at 9.03% — the tax is $9.03 and the total is $109.03.
There is no federal sales tax in the United States. Instead, 45 states levy a statewide sales tax, 38 states let cities and counties add their own, and the combined rate runs from 0% in Oregon to 10.13% on average in Louisiana. The national population-weighted average is 7.53%. Because the rate depends on where you buy, not just what you buy, the state selector matters as much as the price. This page shows how each mode works and how to check the result by hand.
How Sales Tax Is Calculated
Sales tax is a percentage of the price before tax. The formula is simple: tax equals price times rate divided by 100, and the total equals price plus tax. On the defaults, $100 times 9.03% is $9.03 of tax, and $100 plus $9.03 is $109.03 in total. The hard part is not the arithmetic but the rate, because the rate at the register is the state rate plus the local rate for that city or county. California’s state rate is 7.25%, the highest in the country, and the average local add-on brings the average combined rate to 9.03%. Louisiana has the highest average combined rate at 10.13%, from a 5.00% state rate and a 5.13% average local rate.
The calculator handles the reverse sums too. Removing tax from a total divides the total by one plus the rate: $109.03 divided by 1.0903 is $100.00 before tax, so the tax paid was $9.03. Finding the rate divides the tax by the price before tax: $9.03 of tax on a $100 price is a 9.03% rate. All three modes use the same two numbers, just rearranged, which is why one calculator can cover all of them.
- Add tax. Price before tax plus the rate gives the tax and the total.
- Remove tax. Total including tax divided by one plus the rate gives the price before tax.
- Find the rate. Tax divided by the price before tax gives the rate as a percentage.
- Receipt mode. Several items, one combined tax line, with exempt items unticked.
- Compare mode. The same price taxed in six states side by side.
Step 1 — Pick the State
Choose the state where the purchase happens. The calculator fills in that state’s average combined rate from the Tax Foundation’s midyear 2026 table. California fills in 9.03%, Texas 8.20%, New York 8.54%, Florida 6.98% and Oregon 0%. The rate is an average, so the exact rate at a particular shop can differ by a point or two depending on the county and city.
Step 2 — Enter the Price
Enter the price before tax. The default is $100. The calculator multiplies it by the rate and rounds to the nearest cent, showing two decimal places. A $200 item in California at 9.03% gives $18.06 of tax and a $218.06 total.
Step 3 — Read the Result and the Formula
Every result shows the step-by-step formula underneath, so you can check it by hand. The add-tax result shows the price before tax, the tax at the rate, and the total. The remove-tax result shows the total, the tax and the price before tax. The find-rate result shows the price, the total, the tax charged and the rate.
Worked Examples: The Same $100 in Six States
The table below uses the calculator’s compare mode on a $100 item, with the average combined rates from the Tax Foundation’s midyear 2026 table.
| State | Average combined rate | Tax on $100 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 9.03% | $9.03 | $109.03 |
| Texas | 8.20% | $8.20 | $108.20 |
| New York | 8.54% | $8.54 | $108.54 |
| Florida | 6.98% | $6.98 | $106.98 |
| Oregon | 0.00% | $0.00 | $100.00 |
| US average | 7.53% | $7.53 | $107.53 |
The same $100 item costs $109.03 in California and $100.00 in Oregon, a $9.03 difference on a single purchase. On a $1,000 purchase the gap is $90.30. Louisiana is the most expensive state on average at 10.13%, so the same $100 item costs $110.13 there. These are averages, and the exact rate depends on the county and city, so verify the rate with your local jurisdiction before using it for a business decision.
How to Use the Sales Tax Calculator
Pick a mode, enter the numbers, and the result updates instantly.
- Choose the mode. Add tax is the default. Switch to remove tax, find the rate, receipt or compare from the first dropdown.
- Pick the state. The calculator fills in the average combined rate. You can type a different rate in the rate field if you know the exact local rate.
- Enter the price. The default is $100. For remove-tax mode, enter the total including tax instead.
- Read the result. The headline figure is the total, the price before tax or the rate, depending on the mode, with a full breakdown table below it.
- Check the formula. Every result shows the arithmetic underneath, so you can verify it by hand.
What the Calculator Reports
Each mode reports a different headline figure. This table explains them all.
| Mode | Headline result | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Add tax | Total including tax | What you pay at the register |
| Remove tax | Price before tax | Splitting a tax-inclusive price |
| Find the rate | Tax rate as a percentage | Working out the rate from two prices |
| Receipt | Receipt total including tax | Shopping with exempt items mixed in |
| Compare states | Same item in six states | Seeing how the rate changes the price |
Common Mistakes With Sales Tax
Sales tax errors are almost always rate errors, not arithmetic errors.
- Using the state rate instead of the combined rate. California’s state rate is 7.25%, but the average checkout rate is 9.03% once local tax is added. Using 7.25% understates the tax by $1.78 on a $100 item.
- Assuming every state charges tax. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Alaska still allows local taxes, averaging 1.82%.
- Taxing exempt items. Groceries are exempt in most states and prescription drugs are exempt almost everywhere except Illinois, which charges 1% on drugs. The receipt mode lets you untick exempt items.
- Adding the local rate twice. California, Utah and Virginia include a mandatory statewide local add-on in their published rate, so do not add it again.
- Using a stale rate. Rates change. Louisiana’s state rate rose to 5% in 2025, and many pages still show the old 4.45%. The calculator’s table is dated July 2026 from the Tax Foundation.
Tips for Accurate Sales Tax
Five habits that keep the numbers right.
- Use the combined rate. The rate at the register is state plus local. The calculator’s dropdown uses the average combined rate for each state.
- Check the exact local rate for business use. Averages are fine for shopping, but a business should verify the rate for the exact address.
- Separate taxable and exempt items. Use the receipt mode and untick groceries and prescription drugs where they are exempt.
- Remember sales tax is a one-time charge. Sales tax is charged once at the register, not at every stage like the value-added taxes used in other countries.
- Date-stamp your rates. If you save a rate for later, note the date and the source. The Tax Foundation updates its table twice a year.
Sales Tax Quick Answers
The 2026 rates people look up most often, from the Tax Foundation’s midyear 2026 table.
| Figure (July 2026) | Value |
|---|---|
| States with a statewide sales tax | 45 states plus DC |
| States with no statewide sales tax | Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon |
| Highest average combined rate | Louisiana, 10.13% |
| Highest state rate | California, 7.25% |
| Lowest non-zero state rate | Colorado, 2.90% |
| National average combined rate | 7.53% |
| California average combined rate | 9.03% |
| Tax on $100 in California | $9.03, total $109.03 |
Related tools on this site: the main sales tax calculator, the discount calculator for sale prices, and the percentage calculator for any other percentage sum. The rates come from the Tax Foundation’s 2026 sales tax rates, midyear update.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is sales tax on $100 in California?
At California’s average combined rate of 9.03%, the tax on $100 is $9.03 and the total is $109.03. The state rate alone is 7.25%, and the average local add-on of 1.78% brings the combined rate to 9.03%. The exact rate depends on the county and city.
How do I calculate sales tax on a price?
Multiply the price before tax by the rate and divide by 100, then add the tax to the price. For a $100 item at 9.03%, the tax is $100 times 9.03 divided by 100, which is $9.03, and the total is $109.03.
Which states have no sales tax?
Five states have no statewide sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon. Alaska is the exception that proves the rule — local Alaskan cities can still charge sales tax, averaging 1.82% statewide and up to 7% in some cities.
What is the average sales tax rate in the US?
The population-weighted average combined state and local rate is 7.53%, according to the Tax Foundation’s midyear 2026 table. A $100 item costs $107.53 on average across the country.
How do I remove sales tax from a total?
Divide the total by one plus the rate as a decimal. A $109.03 total at 9.03% gives $109.03 divided by 1.0903, which is $100.00 before tax, so the tax paid was $9.03. Use the remove-tax mode in the calculator above for any total.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for general information only and is not tax advice. Rates are averages from the Tax Foundation’s midyear 2026 table; your exact rate depends on the county and city. Verify the rate with your local jurisdiction before using it for business or tax filing.