Find the tax amount and total price on any purchase — or work backward from a total
💡 Why This Matters Sales tax rates vary widely by state, county, and city, so the sticker price is rarely what you actually pay. This calculator adds the exact tax on top of any price — or works backward from a receipt total — so you always know the real numbers.
Five U.S. states — Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon — charge no statewide sales tax at all, though some allow local jurisdictions to add their own.
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Sales tax is a percentage of a purchase price collected by the seller and passed on to state and local governments. To find it, multiply the pre-tax price by the tax rate (expressed as a decimal — so 8% becomes 0.08). Add that tax amount to the original price to get your final total. This calculator does both steps automatically.
The large number is your final out-the-door price — what you'll actually pay or see charged. The breakdown underneath separates the tax itself from the original price, which is useful for bookkeeping, expense reports, or simply understanding how much of your total is tax versus product cost.
This calculator uses a single flat rate you enter yourself. Real-world combined rates often stack a state rate with county and city rates, and some categories of goods (groceries, clothing, prescription drugs) are taxed differently or exempted entirely depending on where you live. Always confirm your local combined rate for exact figures, especially for large purchases.
Use this before a big purchase to budget accurately, to compare true costs when shopping across state lines, or to quickly check a receipt. If you know your local combined tax rate, keep it saved — you'll likely reuse the same rate for most everyday purchases in your area.
Example (forward): Say your item costs $50.00 and your local sales tax rate is 8%. Tax = $50.00 × 0.08 = $4.00. Total price = $50.00 + $4.00 = $54.00.
Example (reverse): Say your receipt shows $54.00 total at 8% tax. Pre-tax price = $54.00 ÷ 1.08 = $50.00, meaning $4.00 was tax.
Multiply the price by the tax rate expressed as a decimal, then add that amount to the original price. For example, a $50 item at 8% tax: 50 × 0.08 = $4.00 tax, so the total is $54.00.
Yes — in the US, sales tax is set at the state level and often layered with additional county or city rates, so the combined rate can vary significantly even between nearby cities. Always check your local combined rate for an exact figure.
Sales tax is almost always calculated on the discounted price, not the original price. If an item is marked down, the discount is applied first, then tax is calculated on the reduced amount.
Divide the total price by 1 plus the tax rate (as a decimal) to find the pre-tax price, then subtract that from the total to find the tax amount. For example, a $54.00 total at 8% tax: 54 ÷ 1.08 = $50.00 pre-tax, so the tax paid was $4.00. Use "Reverse from Total" mode above to do this automatically.