Sales Tax Calculator

Add sales tax to a price, or work backward from a tax-included total (like a receipt) to find the pre-tax price — updates instantly as you type.

Enter a pre-tax price above to calculate the tax and total.

Sales tax on a $100 purchase

Illustrative figures at common rate levels — actual combined state and local rates vary by location, so check your own to be sure.

Tax rateTax on $100Total
4%$4.00$104.00
5%$5.00$105.00
6%$6.00$106.00
6.25%$6.25$106.25
7%$7.00$107.00
7.25%$7.25$107.25
8%$8.00$108.00
8.50%$8.50$108.50
9%$9.00$109.00
10%$10.00$110.00

How is sales tax calculated?

Tax is the pre-tax price multiplied by the tax rate as a decimal. The total is the pre-tax price plus that tax amount:

tax=price×rate %100

To go the other way — finding the pre-tax price from a total that already includes tax — divide by (1 + the rate as a decimal) instead of multiplying:

pre-tax price=total1+rate %100

Example: $50 item, 8% sales tax

50 × 0.08 = $4.00 tax, for a total of 50 + $4.00 = $54.00.

Example: a $54 receipt total at 8% tax

54 ÷ 1.08 gives a pre-tax price of $50.00, meaning $4.00 of the $54 was tax — the same split as the example above, worked backward.

Frequently asked questions

Why isn't dividing the total by the tax rate correct?
Because the tax rate applies to the pre-tax price, not the total. A total already includes both the price and the tax on top of it, so you need to divide by (1 + rate) to back out the original price — dividing the total directly by the rate (e.g. total × 8%) overstates the tax.
Does this include local or city sales tax?
Only if you enter the combined rate. In many places, sales tax is a combination of state, county, and city rates added together — enter the full combined percentage that applies at checkout, not just the state rate, for an accurate result.
Are sales tax rates the same everywhere?
No. Rates vary widely by state, county, and city, and some categories of goods (like groceries or clothing) are taxed differently or exempted entirely in some places. This calculator applies whatever rate you enter — check your local rate if you're not sure of it.
How do I find the tax rate from a price and a total?
Subtract the pre-tax price from the total to get the tax amount, divide that by the pre-tax price, and multiply by 100. For example, a $50 item that totals $54 has $4 of tax: 4 ÷ 50 × 100 = 8%.