Sales Tax Calculator
Add sales tax to a price — or work backwards from a tax-inclusive total to find the pre-tax price.
Tax calculation
How sales tax math works
Adding tax: tax = price × rate; total = price × (1 + rate).
Removing tax: pre-tax price = total ÷ (1 + rate); tax = total − pre-tax price.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate sales tax?
Multiply the pre-tax price by the tax rate: tax = price × rate. Total = price + tax. For example, 8% tax on $50 = $4 tax, $54 total.
How do you remove sales tax from a total?
Divide the tax-inclusive total by (1 + rate). A $54 total with 8% tax means a pre-tax price of 54 ÷ 1.08 = $50.
What is the average US sales tax rate?
Combined state and local rates average around 7–8% nationally, but range from 0% (five states have no statewide sales tax) to over 10% in some cities.
Which states have no sales tax?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon have no statewide sales tax (local taxes may still apply in Alaska).
Is sales tax charged on the pre-tax price?
Yes. Sales tax is calculated on the pre-tax selling price, then added to get the total you pay at checkout.
How do you find the tax rate from two prices?
Divide the total by the pre-tax price and subtract 1: rate = (total ÷ pre-tax) − 1. A $54 total on a $50 item means a rate of 8%.