Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate sales tax on purchases, find the pre-tax price, or determine total prices with tax included.
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Tax Rate Applied
0%
Tax = Price × Rate → $0.00 × 0% = $0.00
Quick Answer: Sales Tax Formula
Tax Amount = Price × Tax Rate. For example, a $100 item with 8% tax: $100 × 0.08 = $8 tax, for a total of $108.
Dr. Snezana Lawrence
Mathematical Historian
15+ years experience
PhD from Yale University. Published mathematical historian ensuring precision in all calculations.
Education
PhD in Mathematical History - Yale University
Table of Contents
How Sales Tax Works
Sales tax is a consumption tax imposed by state and local governments on the sale of goods and services. It's calculated as a percentage of the purchase price and added to the total at checkout.
To Calculate Tax
Multiply the price by the tax rate:
Tax = Price × (Rate ÷ 100)
Example: $50 × 0.08 = $4 tax
To Find Pre-Tax Price
Divide total by (1 + rate):
Pre-Tax = Total ÷ (1 + Rate/100)
Example: $54 ÷ 1.08 = $50 pre-tax
Sales Tax Rates by State
State sales tax rates in the US (base rate only, local taxes may apply):
| State | State Rate | Avg. Combined |
|---|---|---|
| California | 7.25% | 8.68% |
| Texas | 6.25% | 8.2% |
| New York | 4% | 8.52% |
| Florida | 6% | 7.02% |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 8.83% |
| Pennsylvania | 6% | 6.34% |
| Washington | 6.5% | 9.38% |
| Tennessee | 7% | 9.55% |
| Arizona | 5.6% | 8.4% |
| Nevada | 6.85% | 8.23% |
Note: Five states have no state sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.
International Sales Tax (VAT)
Many countries use Value Added Tax (VAT) instead of sales tax. VAT is typically included in the displayed price, unlike US sales tax which is added at checkout.
European Union
VAT ranges from 17% (Luxembourg) to 27% (Hungary). Standard rate around 20%.
United Kingdom
Standard VAT rate is 20%. Reduced rate of 5% for some items.
Canada
GST of 5% plus provincial taxes. Combined rates 5-15%.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate sales tax?
Multiply the price by the tax rate (as a decimal). For a $100 item with 8% tax: $100 × 0.08 = $8 tax. Total = $108.
How do I find the pre-tax price from a total?
Divide the total by (1 + tax rate). For a $108 total with 8% tax: $108 ÷ 1.08 = $100 pre-tax price.
Which US state has the highest sales tax?
California has the highest state sales tax at 7.25%. However, when combined with local taxes, Louisiana has the highest average combined rate at about 9.55%.
Which states have no sales tax?
Five states have no state sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. However, Alaska allows local sales taxes.
What's the difference between sales tax and VAT?
Sales tax is collected only at the final sale to consumers (US system). VAT is collected at each stage of production and included in the displayed price (European system).
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Dr. Snezana Lawrence
Mathematical Historian | PhD from Yale
Dr. Lawrence is a published mathematical historian with a PhD from Yale University. She ensures mathematical precision and accuracy in all our calculations, conversions, and academic score calculators. Her expertise spans computational mathematics and educational assessment.
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