Money
Sales Tax Calculator
Add sales tax to a price, or take it out of a total
This sales tax calculator adds your combined state and local rate to a price, or works backwards from a receipt total to the price before tax and the tax you paid. Pick your state to fill in its 2026 statewide rate, then add your local rate.
The key idea
Taking tax out of a total is not subtracting the rate: you divide by it
If you paid $54 with an 8% sales tax, the price before tax is $54 / 1.08 = $50 and the tax $4. Subtracting 8% of $54 gives $49.68, 32 cents off. The bigger the purchase, the bigger the gap.
How it is calculated
Total = price × (1 + rate) Price before tax = total / (1 + rate)
The rate is the combined rate where you buy: the state rate plus any county, city or district rate. To take tax out of a total, divide by 1 plus the rate; subtracting the rate from the total gives the wrong answer.
State rates as of January 1, 2026 range from 0% in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon to 7.25% in California. Counties and cities add their own rates, so the combined rate where you buy is usually higher than the state rate.
What is taxable also changes from state to state: groceries, clothing or medicine can be exempt or taxed at a lower rate, and a few states have no statewide sales tax. In stores, the price on the shelf usually does not include sales tax; it is added at the register.
Worked example
A $50 item with an 8% sales tax: tax $4, total $54. Backwards: a $54 receipt at 8% is $54 / 1.08 = $50 before tax.
Official sources
- Iowa Legislative Services Agency: State General Sales Tax Rates as of January 1, 2026 (data from the Tax Foundation) · statewide general sales tax rates as of January 1, 2026
Typical cases
Sales tax on common prices
How much sales tax you pay on a price at the most common combined rates. To get the total, add the tax to the price.
| Price | 5% tax | 6% tax | 7% tax | 8% tax | 9% tax | 10% tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.50 | $0.60 | $0.70 | $0.80 | $0.90 | $1.00 |
| $20 | $1.00 | $1.20 | $1.40 | $1.60 | $1.80 | $2.00 |
| $50 | $2.50 | $3.00 | $3.50 | $4.00 | $4.50 | $5.00 |
| $100 | $5.00 | $6.00 | $7.00 | $8.00 | $9.00 | $10.00 |
| $200 | $10.00 | $12.00 | $14.00 | $16.00 | $18.00 | $20.00 |
| $500 | $25.00 | $30.00 | $35.00 | $40.00 | $45.00 | $50.00 |
| $1,000 | $50.00 | $60.00 | $70.00 | $80.00 | $90.00 | $100.00 |
Save or share this table as an image Typical cases
Sales tax rate by state in 2026
The statewide general sales tax rate of every state and D.C. as of January 1, 2026, and what it adds to a $100 purchase. Local taxes come on top.
| State | State rate | Tax on $100 | Total on $100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4% | $4.00 | $104.00 |
| Alaska | 0% | $0.00 | $100.00 |
| Arizona | 5.6% | $5.60 | $105.60 |
| Arkansas | 6.5% | $6.50 | $106.50 |
| California | 7.25% | $7.25 | $107.25 |
| Colorado | 2.9% | $2.90 | $102.90 |
| Connecticut | 6.35% | $6.35 | $106.35 |
| Delaware | 0% | $0.00 | $100.00 |
| District of Columbia | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Florida | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Georgia | 4% | $4.00 | $104.00 |
| Hawaii | 4% | $4.00 | $104.00 |
| Idaho | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Illinois | 6.25% | $6.25 | $106.25 |
| Indiana | 7% | $7.00 | $107.00 |
| Iowa | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Kansas | 6.5% | $6.50 | $106.50 |
| Kentucky | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Louisiana | 5% | $5.00 | $105.00 |
| Maine | 5.5% | $5.50 | $105.50 |
| Maryland | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | $6.25 | $106.25 |
| Michigan | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Minnesota | 6.875% | $6.88 | $106.88 |
| Mississippi | 7% | $7.00 | $107.00 |
| Missouri | 4.225% | $4.23 | $104.23 |
| Montana | 0% | $0.00 | $100.00 |
| Nebraska | 5.5% | $5.50 | $105.50 |
| Nevada | 6.85% | $6.85 | $106.85 |
| New Hampshire | 0% | $0.00 | $100.00 |
| New Jersey | 6.625% | $6.63 | $106.63 |
| New Mexico | 4.875% | $4.88 | $104.88 |
| New York | 4% | $4.00 | $104.00 |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | $4.75 | $104.75 |
| North Dakota | 5% | $5.00 | $105.00 |
| Ohio | 5.75% | $5.75 | $105.75 |
| Oklahoma | 4.5% | $4.50 | $104.50 |
| Oregon | 0% | $0.00 | $100.00 |
| Pennsylvania | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Rhode Island | 7% | $7.00 | $107.00 |
| South Carolina | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| South Dakota | 4.2% | $4.20 | $104.20 |
| Tennessee | 7% | $7.00 | $107.00 |
| Texas | 6.25% | $6.25 | $106.25 |
| Utah | 6.1% | $6.10 | $106.10 |
| Vermont | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Virginia | 5.3% | $5.30 | $105.30 |
| Washington | 6.5% | $6.50 | $106.50 |
| West Virginia | 6% | $6.00 | $106.00 |
| Wisconsin | 5% | $5.00 | $105.00 |
| Wyoming | 4% | $4.00 | $104.00 |
Save or share this table as an image Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate sales tax?
Multiply the price by the rate as a decimal: $50 × 0.08 = $4 of tax, $54 in total. With a rate of 6.25%, use 0.0625.
How do I find the price before tax from a total?
Divide the total by 1 plus the rate: $54 / 1.08 = $50. Subtracting 8% of $54 gives $49.68, which is wrong because the tax was figured on the lower price.
What sales tax rate should I use?
The combined rate where the sale happens: your state rate plus any county, city or special district rate. Your state department of revenue publishes the rates, and the receipt usually shows the tax charged.
Are all purchases taxed the same?
No. Each state decides what is taxable, and groceries, prescription drugs or clothing are often exempt or taxed at a reduced rate. Check your state rules for the item.
Do online purchases have sales tax?
Usually yes: most states require online sellers above a certain size to collect sales tax based on where the item is delivered, so the rate is the one at your address.
Which states have no sales tax?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Alaska lets its cities and boroughs charge a local one, so you can still pay sales tax there. California has the highest state rate, 7.25%.
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