Sales Tax Calculator
Enter a price and your local rate to get the after-tax total — or flip it to pull the tax back out of a receipt total.
| Tax amount | — |
| Pre-tax price | — |
Forward and reverse formulas
Total = Price × (1 + rate) · Price = Total ÷ (1 + rate)
The reverse direction trips people up: to pull 7.5% tax out of a $53.74 total, you divide by 1.075 (giving $49.99) — you do not subtract 7.5% of the total, which would over-remove because the tax was charged on the smaller pre-tax price. Businesses doing expense reports use the reverse form constantly.
Why US price tags exclude tax
Unlike VAT countries where display prices include tax, US sales tax varies by state, county, and city — thousands of overlapping rates from 0% to over 10%. Retailers with national pricing print pre-tax amounts, and the register adds your local rate. Five states charge no state sales tax at all: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon.
What usually is and is not taxed (varies by state)
- Most goods: taxed. Groceries: exempt or reduced in most states.
- Prescription drugs: exempt almost everywhere.
- Clothing: exempt in a few states (NJ, PA, most of NY under $110).
- Services and digital goods: a patchwork — increasingly taxed.
Frequently asked questions
How much is tax on $49.99 at 7.5%?
$3.75, making the total $53.74. Formula: 49.99 × 0.075.
How do I calculate the price before tax?
Divide the total by (1 + rate). $53.74 at 7.5%: 53.74 ÷ 1.075 = $49.99. Subtracting 7.5% of the total instead gives the wrong answer.
Which US states have no sales tax?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon (Alaska allows local rates). Combined state+local rates elsewhere run from ~4% to over 10%.
Do online purchases charge sales tax?
Yes — since the 2018 Wayfair ruling, large retailers must collect tax based on the delivery address in states that charge it.
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Last updated: 2026-07-08