How do I calculate sales tax backwards from a total?

To find the before-tax price, divide the total after-tax price by (1 + Tax Rate / 100). For example, $108 with 8% sales tax: $108 / 1.08 = $100 before tax, and the sales tax paid was $8.

What states have no statewide sales tax in the US?

Five US states do not have a statewide general sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.

What is the difference between Sales Tax and VAT/GST?

Sales tax is a single-stage consumption tax collected once at the retail point of sale from the final consumer. VAT (Value-Added Tax) and GST are multi-stage taxes collected incrementally at each step of the production and distribution chain.

Do local and city taxes get added to the state sales tax?

Yes. In many jurisdictions (like California, New York, and Texas), county, city, and transit district taxes are added on top of the state-level tax rate.

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Sales Tax Calculator — Calculate Tax, Before-Tax & After-Tax Price

Free sales tax calculator. Calculate the exact sales tax amount, before-tax price, and final price with state tax rate presets and reverse tax calculations.

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How to use this calculator

👉 Fill in the boxes below and your answer appears instantly — no maths needed, we do it all for you! 🎉

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In plain English — what does this do?

💵 A money helper! It works out things like how much to save, how much you owe, or how much you’ll have in the future. Just fill in the boxes and you’ll get your answer.

📌 Direct Answer & Summary

A sales tax calculator computes the sales tax amount, before-tax price, and final total price for any purchase. It supports both forward calculation (adding sales tax to a net price) and reverse calculation (extracting the original price and tax from a total receipt amount).

Currency Calculation Mode

🏷️ Price before tax

Enter the net price of the item

📊 Sales Tax Rate (%)

Combined state + city sales tax percentage

Quick US Presets:

Total Price to Pay 💳

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Net Price (Before Tax)

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Sales Tax Amount

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Applied Tax Rate

What is Sales Tax Calculator — Calculate Tax, Before-Tax & After-Tax Price?

How to use it

1️⃣ Enter the price of the item or service.
2️⃣ Enter the sales tax rate percentage, or pick a state preset.
3️⃣ Select whether your entered price is 'Before Tax' or 'After Tax (Total)'.
4️⃣ Instantly view the sales tax amount, the net amount, and the total price to pay.

Formula

Sales Tax = Before-Tax Price × (Tax Rate / 100) | Total Price = Before-Tax Price + Sales Tax

💡 See it in action — a real example

If an item costs $100 before tax with a 7.5% sales tax rate: Sales Tax = $100 × 0.075 = $7.50. Total Price = $107.50. In reverse, if the final receipt is $107.50, Before-Tax Price = $107.50 / 1.075 = $100.00.

❓ Common questions

How do I calculate sales tax backwards from a total?: To find the before-tax price, divide the total after-tax price by (1 + Tax Rate / 100). For example, $108 with 8% sales tax: $108 / 1.08 = $100 before tax, and the sales tax paid was $8.
What states have no statewide sales tax in the US?: Five US states do not have a statewide general sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.
What is the difference between Sales Tax and VAT/GST?: Sales tax is a single-stage consumption tax collected once at the retail point of sale from the final consumer. VAT (Value-Added Tax) and GST are multi-stage taxes collected incrementally at each step of the production and distribution chain.
Do local and city taxes get added to the state sales tax?: Yes. In many jurisdictions (like California, New York, and Texas), county, city, and transit district taxes are added on top of the state-level tax rate.