About this tool
How US sales tax works
Sales tax in the United States is added to the price at checkout — it is not built into the shelf price the way VAT is in Europe. It is levied by the state, and on top of that by counties, cities and special districts. There is no federal sales tax. This calculator works forward from a pre-tax price: it shows the exact state rate, and an estimated combined rate that adds the average local rate on top.
Why there is no single exact rate for a state
The state rate is a fixed, published number. The local rate is not: it changes from one county or city to the next, and thousands of special districts add their own fractions of a percent. The "combined" figure here is the state rate plus a population-weighted average of local rates across the state (Tax Foundation methodology, data as of 1 July 2026). It is a good estimate for a typical purchase in the state, but your specific address can be higher or lower — always confirm with the state Department of Revenue or a rate-lookup tool for an exact figure.
The five states with no statewide sales tax — and the Alaska exception
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Four of them are genuinely 0% everywhere. Alaska is different: it has no state rate, but most boroughs and cities levy their own local sales tax, from 0% up to about 7.85% in the highest-taxed localities, for a statewide average around 1.8%. So "no state sales tax" does not mean "no sales tax" in Alaska.
Louisiana, Tennessee and the highest combined rates
Comparing state rates alone is misleading. Louisiana's state rate is a modest 5%, but its local rates average over 5% more, giving the highest combined rate in the country at about 10.1%. Tennessee (9.6%), Arkansas (9.5%) and Washington (9.6%) are close behind, all driven by high local add-ons rather than a high state rate.
California, Utah and Virginia — a different state/local line
These three fold a uniform mandatory local tax into what they call the "state" rate (1.25 points in California and Utah, 1 point in Virginia). It does not change what you pay; it just means their headline "state" rate is not directly comparable to the other states' — part of it is really a guaranteed local component.
What this calculator doesn't cover
It applies one rate to the whole pre-tax amount. It does not model product-level exemptions and reduced rates, which vary enormously by state — groceries, prescription drugs and clothing are often untaxed or taxed at a lower rate — nor sales-tax holidays, use tax on out-of-state purchases, or the special-district boundaries that decide your exact local rate. Hawaii, New Mexico and South Dakota also tax a far broader base (many business-to-business services), so their headline rates understate the real burden.
Disclaimer
Indicative estimate, rates as of 1 July 2026 (Tax Foundation, State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026). Not tax advice — confirm the current rate for your address with the relevant state Department of Revenue.