Sales Tax Calculator
I built this one for shopping days. See the full price with tax before you get to the till.
You can also work backwards from a total to find the price before tax.
Tax is charged on the price after the discount.
How to use this tool
- 1Price times tax rate gives the tax bit.
- 2Price plus tax gives the till total.
- 3Change the rate to match your state or city.
The math behind it
Total = price + (price x sales tax rate)
A 80 jacket at 8 percent sales tax adds 6.40.
The till will ask for 86.40.
Who this tool is for
I watch which tools folk open most, and this one gets used by the same kinds of people again and again. If any of these sound like you, you are in the right place.
- Shoppers in tax states planing the true till price
- Small sellers checking their tax lines
- Folk comparing prices across places with different rates
On my first trip to a state with sales tax, I budgeted the tag price and then stood at the till short. Nine percent on a pile of gear is not a small tip. Now I run the total before I fill the cart. The till holds no surprises any more.
Tips from me
- Type the pre tax price for the before mode, or the till total to strip tax back out.
- City rates differ inside states. Check the rate for the shop address, not the state capital.
- For big buys, the tax line can be a plane ticket. Price it in before you fall in love.
Mistakes I see with this sum
These are the three slips I made my self or watch folk make most. Skip them and your number will be closer to the truth on the first try.
- 1Using your home rate on a buy in another state or city.
- 2Forgetting tax applies after discounts, not before.
- 3Assuming the tag price is the final price. In most of the US, it is not.
Two words worth knowing
Taxable price
The price the rate applies to, after any discounts.
Combined rate
State plus county plus city tax, all in one.
That is the whole page. The tool does the math, and the words above give it a shape. If a number still looks odd, change an input and watch what moves. Playing with the boxes taught me more than any guide did.
Common questions
+What is my sales tax rate?
It changes by place. Search your state or city name plus the words sales tax rate to find it.
+Why do some prices already include tax?
Some places show tax in the tag price. If so, the tag is the total you pay.
+Which items escape sales tax?
It varies. Groceries, medicine and clothes dodge it in some places and not in others. Your state list is the truth.
+How do I remove tax from a total?
Use the reverse mode. It divides the total by one plus the rate and shows the clean price.
+Is sales tax the same as VAT?
They sit at opposite ends. Sales tax is added at the till. VAT is collected at every step and baked in to the tag.