Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate the final price including sales tax, or reverse-calculate the pre-tax price.
The Formula
Total = Price + Tax
Tax = $85.00 × 0.085 = $7.23
Total = $92.23
How Sales Tax Works
Sales tax is a percentage of the purchase price collected by retailers at the point of sale and remitted to the government. In the United States, there is no federal sales tax — rates are set by each state, and in many cases by counties and cities on top of that. Combined state and local rates range from 0% in states like Oregon and Montana to over 10% in parts of Louisiana and Tennessee. That means a $1,000 purchase could cost you $1,000 flat in one state and $1,107 in another. Knowing the rate where you are buying matters.
How to Add Sales Tax to a Price
To find the total price with tax, multiply the pre-tax price by (1 + tax rate). A $250 item at 8.5% tax costs $250 x 1.085 = $271.25. Our calculator does this instantly. This is useful when budgeting for a purchase and you want to know the true out-of-pocket cost before you get to the register.
How to Remove Sales Tax from a Total (Reverse Calculation)
If you have a receipt showing the final total and want to find the original pre-tax price, divide the total by (1 + tax rate). A $271.25 total at 8.5% tax means the pre-tax price was $271.25 / 1.085 = $250. This reverse calculation is handy for expense reports, accounting, or figuring out a store's actual price before tax was added.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which US states have no sales tax?
Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska have no statewide sales tax. Alaska allows local jurisdictions to impose sales taxes.
Is sales tax the same as VAT?
No. Sales tax is only applied at the final point of sale. VAT (Value Added Tax) is applied at each stage of production and is common in Europe and many other countries.