US Sales Tax Calculator by State

Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon, NOMAD, as the mnemonic goes. But read the fine print: Alaska lets boroughs and cities levy their own local tax, so "no statewide tax" does not always mean zero at the till. Everywhere else, the state rate is just the starting point.

Almost never. The calculator's state list holds base rates only; counties, cities and special districts add their own on top. A 7.25% California base can easily be 9 to 10% after local add ons. For the exact figure, pull the combined rate from a recent receipt and use the custom rate mode. It takes ten seconds and beats every estimate.

In most states, on the discounted price, coupons and sales lower the tax you pay, not just the price. That is also why the receipt maths sometimes surprises people: the taxable base is the final selling price, after the store's discounts but generally before manufacturer's coupons in some states.

Sales tax is collected by the seller at the till; use tax is what you owe when no sales tax was collected, typically on out of state or online purchases shipped to your home state. Most people never think about it, but states are enforcing it more aggressively on big ticket items these days. When in doubt, your state's department of revenue explains it in plain terms.

Completely state dependent, there is no national rule. Many states exempt groceries and prescription medicine, a few exempt certain clothing, and several run annual sales tax holidays. Before you assume, check your state's department of revenue for the current exemption list.

Usually yes. Since the 2018 Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, most states require out of state sellers with enough sales in the state (economic nexus) to collect sales tax, and marketplace facilitator laws mean Amazon, eBay and similar platforms collect it for their sellers. The rate charged is generally the combined rate at your delivery address, not the seller's location.

It varies by state, and the taxable list keeps growing. Most states still exempt the majority of services, but Texas, New York and Washington tax specific ones (repairs, cleaning, some professional services), and others keep widening the net to plug budget gaps. If a service invoice shows tax, it is almost certainly right for that state; if something looks off, your state's revenue department has the final word.

Roughly half the states tax delivery charges in some form. The usual pattern: if shipping is bundled into the sale price or not broken out separately on the invoice, it gets taxed like the item; if it is stated separately, many states leave it alone. A few states tax it no matter what. Before assuming, check your own state's rule. It is the difference between a correct total and a surprise at checkout.

Generally no, sales tax is meant to fall on the final buyer, not on every step of the supply chain. Retailers buy inventory tax free using a resale certificate, then collect tax from the customer at checkout. If you are starting a small shop, your state's revenue department can issue the certificate you need.

Divide the total by 1 plus the tax rate as a decimal, a $107 total at 7% divided by 1.07 gives a $100 pre tax price. Switch the calculator to "Remove tax" and it does this in one step.