Sales Tax Calculator

How US sales tax rates work

US sales tax is set by states and by the counties, cities and special districts inside them. The rate on a sale is the sum of every layer that applies where the buyer receives it. In downtown Chicago (ZIP 60601), that’s 6.25% Illinois state tax, 1.75% Cook County, 1.25% city tax and 1.25% in special district taxes, for a combined 10.5%. One ZIP code can span more than one city or district, so the calculator’s rate is an estimate for the ZIP.

Forty-five states and Washington, DC have a statewide sales tax. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon don’t, though many Alaska cities and boroughs charge their own sales tax and some Montana resort towns charge a resort tax.

Origin vs. destination sourcing

Sourcing rules decide whose location sets the rate. Most states use destination sourcing: the rate where the buyer receives the order applies. A few, including Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, use origin sourcing for sellers based in the state, so the seller’s location sets the rate. California splits it: state, county and city taxes follow the seller, and district taxes follow the buyer. Sellers shipping in from out of state generally charge the destination rate.

When you have to collect sales tax

You collect a state’s sales tax once you have nexus there. A physical presence such as an office, employees or inventory creates nexus, and since the Supreme Court’s 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair decision, so can sales alone. Every state with a sales tax now has an economic nexus threshold, most often $100,000 in sales into the state in a year. A few states, including California, New York and Texas, set theirs at $500,000.

Compare sales tax by state: rates, local ranges and nexus thresholds, or go straight to a state guide: California sales tax, Texas sales tax, New York sales tax, Florida sales tax, Illinois sales tax and Washington sales tax.

How the calculator works

The calculator finds the combined rate for the ZIP code, multiplies your amount by it and rounds the tax to the nearest cent. For the formula and worked examples, see how to calculate sales tax. It uses each location’s general rate: some products, such as groceries or clothing in some states, are taxed at a lower rate or not at all. Rates are as of October 2026 and include announced rate changes from the day they take effect.

Have a total that already includes tax? The reverse sales tax calculator splits it into the price before tax and the tax. Each state also has its own calculator, such as the California sales tax calculator, Texas sales tax calculator and New York sales tax calculator.