Price vs tax in the total
How much of what you pay is the item vs the tax.
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Sales Tax Calculator
Add sales tax to a price, or work backward from a tax-included total to find the pre-tax amount. Pick a state for a typical combined rate, or type your own local rate.
Total with tax
$107.25
Pre-tax price—
Sales tax amount—
Tax rate applied—
Tax as % of total
Sales tax, defined
Sales tax is a percentage added to the price of goods and services at the point of sale, collected by the seller and passed to the government. Most purchases carry a combined rate, the state rate plus any local county and city rates. To add tax you multiply the price by the rate; to reverse it you divide the total by one plus the rate.
The formula
add tax: total = price × (1 + rate) · tax = price × rate
reverse: price = total ÷ (1 + rate) · tax = total − price
reverse: price = total ÷ (1 + rate) · tax = total − price
Worked example
A $100 item at a 7.25% rate: tax = 100 × 0.0725 = $7.25, total = $107.25. Working backward from a $107.25 total: price = 107.25 ÷ 1.0725 = $100, so $7.25 was tax.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate sales tax?
Multiply the pre-tax price by the tax rate, then add it back.
How do I find the price before tax?
Divide the total by 1 plus the tax rate.
Do all states charge sales tax?
No, AK, DE, MT, NH and OR have no statewide sales tax.
What is a combined rate?
State rate plus local county, city and district rates.
Is sales tax charged on everything?
No, many states exempt groceries, drugs or clothing.