Finance

Sales Tax Calculator

Free sales tax calculator: add sales tax to a price or extract tax from a tax-inclusive price. Enter price and tax rate to get the breakdown.

YOUR WORKSPACEFree to use. No sign-up.

Price

Tax rate (%)

Price already includes tax

Shipping taxability varies by jurisdiction — some US states tax shipping, others don't. Add it to the price if your state taxes it.

—

Enter price and tax rate.

Deep dive guides

A LITTLE CONTEXT · 3 MIN READSales Tax Math: Adding Tax On and Backing Tax Out

All 7 related guides

How Sales Tax Works — How US sales tax is calculated, why the rate varies by state and locality, and how to add tax to a price (or back it out).
How Currency Conversion Works — A plain-English guide to exchange rates: what a rate is, how to convert an amount, cross-rates through USD, and why the mid-market rate is not what you pay.
Unit Price Explained: How to Find the Best Value — Why the cheapest box is rarely the best value, how unit price (price per gram, ml, or item) is calculated, and how to compare products in different units.
Exchange Rates Explained: What Moves a Currency's Value — A plain-English guide to exchange rates: floating vs fixed rates, what makes a currency rise or fall, real vs nominal rates, and purchasing power parity.
How Discounts Work: Percent Off vs Dollars Off — Percent off vs dollars off, the switch point where one beats the other, stacking rules, and the discount traps that inflate perceived savings.
Sales Tax Math: Adding Tax On and Backing Tax Out — Two sales tax modes: adding tax to a sticker price and extracting it from a tax-inclusive total.
Unit Price: The One Division That Finds the Best Deal — How to read any shelf with a single division: the unit price formula, choosing a unit, multipacks, and how much decimal precision actually matters.

How sales tax calculator works

This calculator handles two sales tax scenarios. In standard mode, it adds tax to a price: the tax amount is the price times the rate divided by 100, and the final price is the original plus the tax. For example, 100 at 8.5% tax gives 8.50 in tax and a final price of 108.50.

In tax-inclusive mode, the price already includes tax. The calculator extracts the tax by dividing the price by (1 + rate/100) to find the pre-tax amount, then subtracting. For example, if 108.50 includes 8.5% tax, the pre-tax price is 100 and the tax is 8.50.

This is useful for shopping, invoicing, and VAT calculations. Sales tax rates vary widely by jurisdiction; check your local rate. The calculator rounds to two decimal places.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate sales tax?

Multiply the price by the tax rate and divide by 100 to get the tax amount, then add it to the price. For example, 100 at 8% tax is 100 times 0.08 = 8 in tax, final price 108.

How do I find the price before tax?

If the price includes tax, divide by (1 + rate/100). For example, if 108 includes 8% tax, the pre-tax price is 108 / 1.08 = 100. The tax portion is 8.

What is the difference between sales tax and VAT?

Sales tax is applied once at the point of sale to the final consumer. VAT (value added tax) is applied at each stage of production but only on the value added. This calculator works for both.

What tax rate should I use?

Tax rates vary by country, state, and city. Check your local jurisdiction for the correct rate. US sales tax averages 6-9%, while European VAT is typically 19-25%.

Is shipping charged sales tax?

It depends on the jurisdiction. Some US states tax shipping and delivery charges, others tax them only when listed separately from taxable goods, and many exempt shipping entirely. If your state taxes shipping, add the shipping charge to the price before applying the rate; VAT countries generally tax delivery as part of the supply.

Sales Tax Calculator

Deep dive guides

How sales tax calculator works

Frequently asked questions

Related tools

Discount Calculator

Sales Tax by State Calculator

Tip Calculator

Tip Splitter

Credit Card Validator