Calculate sales tax and total price for any US state instantly. Switch to reverse mode to find the pre-tax price from a tax-inclusive total.
Enter the product or service price before tax.
Number of units to calculate tax for in bulk.
State-level rate only. Add a local rate below for a combined rate.
Most US counties and cities add 1 to 3% on top of the state rate.
Total price (per unit)
$107.25
Applied rate: 7.250%
Pre-tax price
$100.00
Per unit, before tax
Tax amount
$7.25
7.250% applied
Tax-inclusive total
$107.25
What the customer pays
Effective rate
7.250%
California rate
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Rates vary by location
The US has over 13,000 distinct sales tax jurisdictions. State rates are fixed by law, but county and city rates stack on top. Always verify the combined rate for your specific ship-to address.
Use reverse mode for receipts
When you have a tax-inclusive total and need to split it into pre-tax price and tax amount, switch to reverse mode. This is useful for bookkeeping, expense reporting, and reconciling point-of-sale totals.
Discounts apply before tax
In most US states, sales tax is calculated on the discounted price after any coupon or promotional discount is applied. This means your coupon and gift card program directly reduces the taxable amount for your customers.
Everything you need to know about sales tax rates, how to calculate them, and how tax applies to discounts, gift cards, and online sales.
Multiply the pre-tax price by the tax rate expressed as a decimal. For example, a $50 product with an 8% tax rate: $50 x 0.08 = $4.00 tax, so the total is $54.00. This calculator does that arithmetic instantly for any price, quantity, and US state or custom rate you enter.
The state sales tax is set by the state legislature and applies uniformly across the state. The combined rate adds any county, city, or special district taxes on top. For example, California's state rate is 7.25%, but the combined rate in Los Angeles County is typically 10.25% once local taxes are included. Always use the combined rate when calculating what a customer actually pays at checkout.
Five states charge no state-level sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. Alaska allows local jurisdictions to levy their own sales taxes, so some Alaskan cities and boroughs do collect tax even though the state does not. Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon have no state or general local sales tax.
Reverse calculation starts from the tax-inclusive total and works backwards to find the original pre-tax price. The formula is: pre-tax price = total price divided by (1 + tax rate as a decimal). For example, a $108 total at 8% tax: $108 / 1.08 = $100 pre-tax, and $8 is the tax portion. Use the reverse mode in this calculator when you have a receipt total and need to separate the tax from the base price for bookkeeping.
In the vast majority of US states, sales tax is calculated on the price after discounts are applied. If a $100 item has a $20 coupon, tax is calculated on $80, not $100. This is called the 'net selling price' rule and is the standard in states including California, New York, Texas, and Florida. A small number of states treat certain manufacturer coupons differently, so verify the rule for your specific state if you operate in a high-volume retail environment.
Legally, sales tax applies to the total taxable sale amount, which equals unit price multiplied by quantity. Both approaches produce the same result because multiplication is distributive: (price x rate) x quantity equals (price x quantity) x rate. This calculator shows per-unit tax and a bulk total so you can verify line-item amounts on invoices and match them to order-level calculations.
Since the US Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair (2018), states can require out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax based on economic nexus rather than physical presence. Most states set thresholds around $100,000 in annual sales or 200 transactions in that state. Once you exceed a state's threshold, you are required to register, collect, and remit sales tax in that state. Consult a tax professional to determine your nexus obligations across states.
Gift cards and store credit are generally treated as a form of payment, not a discount. Sales tax is calculated on the full product price, and the gift card simply covers part or all of that amount. This is different from a coupon or promotional discount, which reduces the taxable base. When a customer uses a gift card at checkout, the taxable amount is unchanged; the gift card just settles the resulting bill.
Smarter pricing for your store
99minds helps you run promotions the right way: discount codes, gift cards, and store credit that apply before tax, so your customers see accurate totals at checkout every time.