How US sales tax works
Unlike VAT, US sales tax is added at checkout, not included in the shelf price. The rate is a combination of state, county and city taxes, so two stores a few miles apart can charge different totals.
States with no sales tax
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax (Alaska allows local taxes). Everywhere else, combined rates typically run 4%–10%.
Frequently asked questions
What rate should I enter?
Your destination’s combined rate — state plus any county and city add-ons. Your state revenue department publishes a lookup by ZIP code.
How do I reverse-calculate tax from a total?
Switch to “Remove tax”. The calculator divides the total by (1 + rate) to recover the pre-tax price and the tax portion.