State Sales Tax Rates Calculators

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Sales tax rates in the United States vary dramatically from state to state — and even city to city. Five states charge no sales tax at all, while others combine state and local rates to push totals above 10%. For shoppers, business owners, and anyone doing financial calculations, knowing the right rate matters. This guide covers all 50 states, explains how combined rates work, which products are exempt, and how to calculate exactly what you'll pay at checkout.

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How Sales Tax Works in the US

The United States has no federal sales tax. Each state sets its own base rate, and counties and cities can add their own on top of that. The rate you actually pay — called the combined rate — is the state rate plus any applicable local taxes. This is why the same product can cost different amounts in different cities within the same state.

Sales tax is applied to the retail price of taxable goods and services at the point of sale. The seller collects it from the buyer and remits it to the state government. Businesses with a physical presence (nexus) in a state are generally required to collect that state's sales tax.

States With No Sales Tax

Five states have no statewide sales tax:

  • Oregon — no state or local sales tax
  • Montana — no state sales tax (some resort areas have small local taxes)
  • New Hampshire — no sales tax
  • Delaware — no sales tax
  • Alaska — no state tax, but local governments may charge up to 7.5%

States With the Highest Combined Rates

When state and average local taxes are added together, the highest combined rates in the US are:

  • Louisiana: ~9.56% average combined rate
  • Tennessee: ~9.55%
  • Arkansas: ~9.46%
  • Washington: ~9.38%
  • Alabama: ~9.29%

How to Calculate Sales Tax

The math is straightforward once you know the rate:

  • Tax amount = Price × (Rate / 100)
  • Total with tax = Price × (1 + Rate / 100)

Example: A $75 item with an 8.5% combined rate → Tax = $75 × 0.085 = $6.38 → Total = $81.38

Common Sales Tax Exemptions

Not everything is taxed at the full rate. Common exemptions and special rules include:

  • Groceries: Exempt or taxed at reduced rates in many states (e.g., 1% in Illinois, 0% in Texas)
  • Prescription drugs: Exempt in most states
  • Clothing: Exempt in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Minnesota, and New York (below a price threshold)
  • Digital goods and software: Increasingly taxed as states update their laws for the digital economy

Online Sales Tax After South Dakota v. Wayfair

Since the Supreme Court's 2018 ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, states can require online sellers to collect sales tax even without a physical store in that state. Most major e-commerce platforms now automatically calculate and collect the correct sales tax for each buyer's location at checkout.

Glossary

Combined Sales Tax Rate
The total sales tax rate paid by a consumer, combining the state base rate with any applicable county, city, or special district taxes. Combined rates are typically higher than the state base rate alone.
Sales Tax Nexus
A sufficient connection between a business and a state that requires the business to collect and remit that state's sales tax. Nexus can be established by physical presence (a store, office, or warehouse) or by exceeding a state's economic threshold for sales volume.
Sales Tax Exemption
A legal provision excluding certain products, buyers, or transactions from sales tax. Common exemptions include groceries, prescription medications, and resale purchases. Nonprofit organizations and government entities often qualify for broader exemptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

When combining state and average local taxes, Louisiana and Tennessee consistently rank highest with combined averages around 9.5–9.6%. California has the highest state-only base rate at 7.25%, but local add-ons vary significantly by city.

Five states have no statewide sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska. Note that Alaska allows local governments to impose their own sales taxes, so some Alaskan cities do charge sales tax at the local level.

Multiply the pre-tax price by the tax rate as a decimal. For a $100 item at 8.25%: $100 × 0.0825 = $8.25 in tax, giving a total of $108.25. Use our Sales Tax Calculator to get instant results for any state, city, or custom rate.

Yes, in most cases. Since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, states can require out-of-state online retailers to collect sales tax based on the buyer's location. Most major platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy now collect and remit sales tax automatically.