Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate sales tax and total price
Sales Tax Calculator
Common Tax Rates
How to Use
- Enter the price before tax
- Enter the sales tax rate percentage
- View the tax amount and total price instantly
- Use quick presets for common tax rates
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About Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate sales tax and total prices instantly with our comprehensive sales tax calculator. Whether you're shopping, running a business, or managing finances, understanding sales tax is essential for accurate pricing and budgeting. Our calculator handles all common sales tax scenarios including calculating tax on a pre-tax price, reverse-calculating the pre-tax amount from a total price including tax, and comparing prices across different tax rates. Perfect for shoppers estimating final costs, business owners pricing products, accountants processing invoices, and anyone needing quick sales tax calculations. The tool supports custom tax rates for any state, country, or municipality, handles VAT and GST calculations, shows detailed breakdowns of tax amounts, and helps with sales tax compliance. Essential for e-commerce businesses setting prices, consumers budgeting for purchases, and financial professionals processing transactions accurately.
Key Features
Multiple Calculation Modes
Calculate tax from pre-tax price, find pre-tax amount from total, or compare prices with different tax rates. All common scenarios covered.
Custom Tax Rates
Enter any tax rate from 0% to 100%. Supports state, local, county, and combined tax rates for accurate calculations worldwide.
Reverse Tax Calculation
Know the total but need the pre-tax amount? Reverse calculate to find the original price before tax was added.
Detailed Breakdown
See pre-tax amount, tax amount, and total separately. Understand exactly how much goes to tax vs. product cost.
Multiple Currency Support
Works with any currency. Calculator handles decimals precisely for accurate financial calculations.
Tax Rate Presets
Common tax rates for popular locations pre-loaded for quick selection. Saves time for frequently-used rates.
How to Use Sales Tax Calculator
Choose your calculation mode (add tax, remove tax, or compare rates)
Choose your calculation mode (add tax, remove tax, or compare rates). Follow the tool interface to complete this step.
Enter the price amount (pre-tax or including tax based on mode)
Enter the price amount (pre-tax or including tax based on mode). Follow the tool interface to complete this step.
Input your sales tax rate as a percentage
Input your sales tax rate as a percentage. Follow the tool interface to complete this step.
View the instant calculation showing pre-tax, tax amount, and total
View the instant calculation showing pre-tax, tax amount, and total. Follow the tool interface to complete this step.
For reverse calculation, enter the final price and
For reverse calculation, enter the final price and tax rate to find pre-tax amount
Use the detailed breakdown for invoices, budgets, or price planning
Use the detailed breakdown for invoices, budgets, or price planning. Follow the tool interface to complete this step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between sales tax, VAT, and GST?
Sales tax is added at final sale (common in US). VAT (Value Added Tax, used in Europe) is collected at each production stage but consumers pay once. GST (Goods and Services Tax, used in Canada, India, Australia) is similar to VAT. Our calculator works for all - just enter the tax rate percentage.
How do I calculate tax on a pre-tax price?
Multiply the pre-tax price by the tax rate as a decimal. For example, $100 with 8% tax: $100 × 0.08 = $8 tax. Total = $100 + $8 = $108. Our calculator does this instantly.
How do I find the pre-tax amount from a total?
Divide the total by (1 + tax rate as decimal). For example, $108 total with 8% tax: $108 ÷ 1.08 = $100 pre-tax. Our reverse calculator does this automatically.
Why are sales tax rates different in different places?
States, counties, and cities can each levy sales tax, creating combined rates. Some states have no sales tax, others exceed 10%. Local governments set rates to fund services. Always check current local rate for accurate calculations.
Are all products subject to sales tax?
No. Tax-exempt items vary by location but often include groceries, prescription medicine, and clothing in some states. Prepared food, luxury items, and most goods are taxable. Business-to-business sales may be exempt with resale certificates.
How do online businesses handle sales tax?
After the Supreme Court's South Dakota v. Wayfair ruling, online sellers must collect sales tax in states where they have economic nexus (significant sales). This means calculating tax based on customer location, not seller location, for many transactions.
Can I deduct sales tax on my tax return?
In the US, you can deduct either state income tax OR sales tax (not both) as an itemized deduction. Save receipts if you paid significant sales tax, especially on large purchases like vehicles, to potentially benefit from this deduction.
What's the highest sales tax rate in the US?
Combined state and local rates can exceed 10% in some locations. Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, Washington, and Alabama have some of the highest combined rates. Five states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon) have no statewide sales tax.
Use Cases
- Consumer Shopping and Budgeting: Calculate final cost before checkout, budget accurately for purchases knowing the real total including tax, and compare prices across states with different tax rates.
- Business Pricing Strategy: Set competitive product prices that include tax, calculate profit margins after tax, and ensure pricing covers both cost and tax obligations accurately.
- E-Commerce and Online Retail: Calculate tax for different customer locations, display accurate totals at checkout, handle multi-state or international tax rates, and ensure tax compliance.
- Accounting and Invoicing: Generate accurate invoices with tax breakdowns, process receipts and transactions, reconcile tax collected vs. tax owed, and prepare sales tax returns.
- Travel and International Purchases: Understand VAT and GST rates in different countries, calculate total costs when traveling, compare local prices with tax included vs. at-home prices.