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Sales Tax Calculator
Add sales tax to a price, or remove it from a total that already includes tax. Works for US sales tax, VAT and GST.
How it works
To add tax, multiply the price by the tax rate ÷ 100 and add it on: total = price × (1 + rate ÷ 100). To remove tax from a price that already includes it, divide instead: price before tax = total ÷ (1 + rate ÷ 100). Subtracting the rate from the total gives the wrong answer.
Worked example
A $100 item with 7.25% sales tax costs $107.25. Going the other way, if a receipt shows $107.25 including 7.25% tax, the price before tax is 107.25 ÷ 1.0725 = $100 and the tax is $7.25.
Sales tax, VAT and GST
In the United States, sales tax is set by states, counties and cities and is usually added at the till, so the shelf price excludes it. Combined rates range from 0% in states such as Oregon and Delaware to over 9% in parts of Louisiana, Tennessee and Washington. Many other countries use VAT or GST, which is normally already included in the shelf price, such as 20% VAT in the UK, 10% GST in Australia and 18% GST on many goods in India. Use the "already includes tax" option to see the tax part of those prices.
Tips
- Find your exact local rate on your state or city tax website, because it can differ between nearby towns.
- Businesses claiming back VAT or GST need the price before tax, so use the remove-tax option on receipts.
- For a discounted item, work out the sale price first with the discount calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate sales tax?
Multiply the price by the tax rate and divide by 100. For a $50 item at 8% tax, the tax is $4 and the total is $54.
How do I remove tax from a total?
Divide the total by 1 plus the tax rate as a decimal. $54 ÷ 1.08 = $50 before 8% tax.
Can I use this for VAT or GST?
Yes. VAT and GST are worked out the same way. Pick "already includes tax" if the price shown includes it.
Which states have no sales tax?
Alaska (at state level), Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax, although some Alaskan towns charge local tax.
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