Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate sales tax, VAT, or GST on any purchase. Works two ways: add tax to a price, or back out the pre-tax price from a total.
What this calculates
Sales tax (or VAT/GST in most of the world) is added on top of the listed price in some places and included in the price in others. This calculator handles both directions: enter a pre-tax price and a rate to see the tax and total, or enter a tax-inclusive total to back out the original price. The math is the same regardless of whether it's called sales tax, VAT, or GST.
Formula & how it works
Adding tax: total = price × (1 + rate/100). Tax amount = price × rate/100. Backing out tax from an inclusive total: price = total ÷ (1 + rate/100). Tax = total − price. The common mistake is multiplying a tax-inclusive price by the rate again — always remove the tax first, then any further math.
Worked example
A $50 item with 8.875 % sales tax (New York City): tax = 50 × 0.08875 = $4.44. Total = $54.44. Going the other way: a €120 receipt in Germany with 19 % VAT included. Pre-tax = 120 ÷ 1.19 = €100.84. VAT = €19.16. Check: 100.84 × 1.19 = 120 ✓.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between sales tax and VAT?
Sales tax (US, Canada provinces) is collected only at the final retail sale. VAT/GST (most other countries) is collected at every step of production with credits flowing through. Both look the same to the end consumer, but the bookkeeping differs and rates differ widely — VAT is usually higher (15–25 %) than US sales tax (0–10 %).
Why does sales tax vary so much in the US?
There's no federal sales tax. Each state sets its own rate (0–7.25 %), and cities/counties can add their own — total combined rates run 0–11 %. Five states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon) have no statewide sales tax at all.
Is shipping taxable?
It depends on the state and the shipping method. Many states tax shipping when the item itself is taxable; others exempt clearly separately stated shipping charges. Online sellers use tax-engines (Avalara, TaxJar) to handle this — it's surprisingly complex.
How do I find the tax rate for my city?
Search your state's department of revenue or use a free lookup like TaxJar's. ZIP codes alone aren't reliable in the US because tax boundaries don't match postal boundaries — the same ZIP can have different rates on different streets.