Sales tax calculator
Price plus tax, or the price before tax from a receipt total.
Total with tax
Total with tax: US$270.00
- Sales tax
- US$20.00
How it works
Sales tax is added to the price at the point of sale. Multiply the price by (1 + rate) for the total; divide a total by (1 + rate) to get the price before tax.
In places with several layers of sales tax, the rate you pay is their sum. Some goods are exempt or taxed at a different rate, so check what applies.
Formula
Total = price × (1 + rate ÷ 100) Price = total ÷ (1 + rate ÷ 100) Tax = total − price
Worked example
A 250 purchase at an example rate of 8% has 20 of tax, for a total of 270. A receipt total of 270 at 8% means a price before tax of 270 ÷ 1.08 = 250.
Questions people ask
Is sales tax the same as VAT?
Both are taxes on spending, but VAT is charged at every stage of production and usually included in shelf prices, while sales tax is charged once, at the final sale, and often added at the till.
Why does my receipt differ by a cent?
Shops round tax per item or per receipt under local rules. This calculator rounds only the displayed result.