Calculators
Sales Tax Calculator
Enter a price and the applicable sales tax rate to find the tax amount and total price. The default rate is 8.25% (a common US combined rate), but any rate from 0–100% can be used.
About the Sales Tax Calculator
Enter a price and the applicable sales tax rate to find the tax amount and total price. The default rate is 8.25% (a common combined US state + local rate), but you can set any rate from 0% to 100%.
How sales tax is calculated
Tax amount = Price × (Rate ÷ 100). Total = Price + Tax amount. For example, $49.99 at 8.25%: tax = $4.12, total = $54.11.
US sales tax rates are set by state and often supplemented by county and city rates. California's combined rate averages around 8.68%; Tennessee's is the highest at around 9.55%. Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware and Alaska have no state sales tax.
Unlike UK VAT, US sales tax is always added on top of the listed price and is not embedded in the shelf price you see on a label.
Frequently asked questions
How is sales tax calculated?
Tax amount = Pre-tax price × (Rate ÷ 100). Total = Pre-tax price + Tax amount. For $49.99 at 8.25%: tax = $4.12, total = $54.11.
What is the difference between sales tax and VAT?
Sales tax (common in the US) is charged only at the final point of sale and is added on top of the listed price. VAT (common in the UK and EU) is embedded at every stage of the supply chain and is typically included in the displayed price.