Sales Tax Calculator — Add or Remove Tax
Sales tax is the small number that makes a checkout total bigger than the price tag, and working backwards from a tax-inclusive price is surprisingly easy to get wrong. This free sales tax calculator handles both directions: add tax to a before-tax price to see your total, or remove tax from a price that already includes it to find the pre-tax price and the tax hidden inside. It includes base state rate presets for California (7.25%), New York (4%), Texas (6.25%), Florida (6%), Washington (6.5%) and the no-tax states Oregon, Delaware and Montana (0%), plus a custom rate field for your exact combined local rate. Whether you are a shopper checking a total, a seller pricing an item, or a freelancer working out the tax in an invoice, you will get the exact figures in seconds. All calculations run in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
Your Sales Tax Results
Total price
$0.00
US State Base Sales Tax Rates
These are base state rates only. Counties and cities often add local sales tax on top, so your total rate at checkout may be higher — check your state and local tax authority for the exact combined rate.
| State | Base state rate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| California | 7.25% | Local rates can add up to about 2.5% more |
| New York | 4% | Local rates commonly add 3–4.75% more |
| Texas | 6.25% | Local rates can add up to 2% more |
| Florida | 6% | Local rates can add up to 2% more |
| Washington | 6.5% | Local rates commonly add 2–4% more |
| Oregon | 0% | No statewide sales tax |
| Delaware | 0% | No statewide sales tax |
| Montana | 0% | No statewide sales tax |
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the price. Type the price in dollars — either the before-tax price or the tax-inclusive price, depending on the mode you choose.
- Choose add tax or remove tax. Use Add tax when the price is before tax and you want the total. Use Remove tax when the price already includes tax and you want to find the pre-tax price and the tax hidden inside it.
- Pick a state preset or enter a custom rate. The presets fill in the base state rate (for example California 7.25% or Texas 6.25%). If your area adds local tax, enter your combined rate by hand instead.
- Click Calculate. You will see the pre-tax price, the tax amount and the total. Change any input and recalculate as many times as you like.
Worked Example
Suppose an item costs $100 before tax and your rate is 8%. Adding tax gives $100 × 1.08 = $108.00 total, so the tax is $108.00 − $100.00 = $8.00. Now take the reverse case: a price tag of $108 already includes 8% tax. Divide by 1.08 to recover the pre-tax price: $108 ÷ 1.08 = $100.00, and the tax inside it is $108.00 − $100.00 = $8.00. The same logic works for any rate — for example, $250 in California at the 7.25% base rate costs $250 × 1.0725 = $268.13, with $18.13 of tax.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate sales tax on a price?
Multiply the before-tax price by the tax rate as a decimal. At 8%, a $100 item has $100 × 0.08 = $8.00 of tax, for a total of $108.00. The total is the price times 1 plus the rate: $100 × 1.08 = $108.00.
How do I remove sales tax from a tax-inclusive price?
Divide the tax-inclusive price by 1 plus the rate as a decimal. For a $108 price that includes 8% tax: $108 ÷ 1.08 = $100.00 pre-tax, so the tax is $8.00. Do not simply subtract 8% of $108 — that gives $99.36, which is wrong.
What is the sales tax rate in California, New York and Texas?
The base state rates are California 7.25%, New York 4% and Texas 6.25%. These are state rates only — counties and cities usually add local tax, so the combined rate at checkout is often higher. Oregon, Delaware and Montana have no statewide sales tax (0%).
Which US states have no sales tax?
Five states have no statewide sales tax: Oregon, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Alaska (Alaska allows some local sales taxes). This calculator includes presets for Oregon, Delaware and Montana at 0%.
Is sales tax charged on the price before or after a discount?
In most states, sales tax is charged on the discounted price — the amount you actually pay for the item. If a $200 item is 25% off, you pay tax on $150, not on $200. Rules vary by state, so check your state's guidance for coupons and rebates.