The sales tax calculator computes the exact sales tax you owe on a purchase, covering all 50 U.S. states plus Washington D.C. and all Canadian provinces and territories. Sales tax in North America is far more complex than a single rate — U.S. sales tax is administered at the state, county, and municipal level, creating thousands of unique tax jurisdictions, while Canada uses a combination of federal and provincial systems that differ by province.

United States: Sales tax in the U.S. is imposed at the state level, with most states also allowing counties and municipalities to add their own layers. Five states impose no statewide sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon (though Alaska allows local jurisdictions to impose sales tax). The highest combined state + local sales tax rates in 2025 are found in:

• Louisiana: up to 9.56% combined average (state 4.45% + local)
• Tennessee: up to 9.55% (state 7% + local)
• Arkansas: up to 9.44%
• Washington: up to 9.38%
• Alabama: up to 9.29%

Canada: The Canadian sales tax system operates on three components that vary by province:

• GST (Goods and Services Tax): Federal tax of 5% applied in all provinces on most goods and services.
• HST (Harmonized Sales Tax): A combined federal-provincial tax that replaces both GST and provincial tax in Ontario (13%), New Brunswick (15%), Nova Scotia (15%), PEI (15%), and Newfoundland and Labrador (15%).
• PST (Provincial Sales Tax): Imposed separately alongside GST in British Columbia (7%), Saskatchewan (6%), and Manitoba (7%). Quebec uses QST (Quebec Sales Tax) at 9.975%.

This calculator covers all U.S. state + local rate estimates and all Canadian province/territory tax structures, with rates sourced from IRS sales tax tables and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) GST/HST resources.

Sales tax calculations follow a straightforward formula, though the complexity lies in identifying the correct applicable rate for your jurisdiction and product type.

U.S. Sales Tax:

Canadian GST/HST:

Reverse Calculation (Tax-Inclusive to Pre-Tax Price):

Note that Quebec's QST is unique among Canadian provinces in applying to the GST-inclusive price, not just the pre-tax price. This "tax on a tax" structure means the effective combined rate in Quebec is approximately 14.975% + (9.975% × 5%) = approximately 15.46% on the pre-tax amount, per Revenu Québec's GST/QST guidance.

Follow these steps to compute the exact sales tax on any purchase in the U.S. or Canada.

1. Enter the pre-tax purchase price. This is the price shown on the price tag or invoice before any tax is added. If you know the total (tax-included) price and want to work backward, use the reverse calculation option. Example: $799.99 for a laptop.
2. Select your country. Choose United States or Canada. The calculator will immediately display the appropriate tax structure options for your selection.
3. Select your state or province/territory. For the U.S., select your state. For high-sales-tax states like California (7.25% base), Tennessee (7%), or Texas (6.25%), you'll then add local rates. For Canada, select your province to apply the correct GST/HST or GST+PST combination.
4. Add local/city rates for U.S. purchases. Many states allow counties and cities to add sales tax on top of the state rate. In California, total rates range from 7.25% (state minimum) to 10.75% in some cities. Look up your specific city on your state's Department of Revenue website, or use the calculator's built-in average local rate for your state as an estimate. For exact rates, search "[your city] sales tax rate 2025."
5. Check product category exemptions. Many states and Canadian provinces exempt certain product categories from sales tax:
   • Groceries: Exempt or reduced in many U.S. states (e.g., exempt in Texas, Virginia, Illinois; taxable in most others)
   • Prescription drugs: Exempt in all U.S. states
   • Clothing: Exempt under $110 per item in New York; exempt in Pennsylvania and Minnesota
   • Basic groceries in Canada: Zero-rated (exempt from GST/HST) under the Excise Tax Act
   Select the appropriate product category if applicable.
6. Enter the quantity if buying multiple items. For bulk purchases, the calculator applies the tax rate to the total pre-tax price. Note that some jurisdictions cap the taxable price per item (e.g., New York's per-item clothing exemption).
7. Review your results. The calculator displays:
   • Pre-tax price
   • Sales tax amount (broken out by component for Canadian GST+PST/QST jurisdictions)
   • Total (tax-included) price
   • Effective tax rate
   For Canadian businesses, the calculator also indicates the GST/HST input tax credit (ITC) recovery amount for registered businesses, per CRA ITC guidance.

Sales tax is not uniform even within a single state or province. Understanding the layered structure helps you compute accurate figures and identify potential savings.

U.S. State Sales Tax Rates (2025 — Statewide Base Only):

• No state sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon
• 1–4%: Hawaii (4%), Alabama (4%), Georgia (4%), Louisiana (4.45%), Missouri (4.225%), Oklahoma (4.5%), South Dakota (4.5%), Wyoming (4%)
• 5–6%: Colorado (2.9% state + local), North Carolina (4.75%), Virginia (4.3%), Wisconsin (5%), Iowa (6%), Michigan (6%), Nevada (6.85%), Idaho (6%), West Virginia (6%), South Carolina (6%)
• 6–7%: Florida (6%), Arizona (5.6%), Ohio (5.75%), Pennsylvania (6%), New York (4% state, up to 8.875% combined)
• 7%+: California (7.25%), Tennessee (7%), New Jersey (6.625%), Minnesota (6.875%), Indiana (7%), Mississippi (7%), Rhode Island (7%)

Canadian Provincial Sales Tax Rates (2025):

• Alberta: 5% GST only (no provincial tax)
• British Columbia: 12% total (5% GST + 7% PST)
• Manitoba: 12% total (5% GST + 7% PST)
• New Brunswick: 15% HST
• Newfoundland and Labrador: 15% HST
• Northwest Territories: 5% GST only
• Nova Scotia: 15% HST
• Nunavut: 5% GST only
• Ontario: 13% HST
• Prince Edward Island: 15% HST
• Quebec: ~14.975% effective (5% GST + 9.975% QST)
• Saskatchewan: 11% total (5% GST + 6% PST)
• Yukon: 5% GST only

IRS Sales Tax Deduction: U.S. taxpayers who itemize deductions can deduct either state income taxes or state and local sales taxes (not both) under the SALT deduction — capped at $10,000 for all SALT combined through at least 2025. The IRS provides optional sales tax tables for those who don't track actual sales tax paid, available in the instructions for Schedule A and through the IRS Sales Tax Deduction Calculator. In high-sales-tax states or for major purchases (car, boat, home materials), the actual amount often exceeds the IRS table estimate.

• For large purchases, compare tax rates across nearby jurisdictions. Buying a $50,000 vehicle in a city with 9.5% combined sales tax vs. a neighboring county with 7.5% saves $1,000 in sales tax. In states where vehicle sales tax is imposed at the county level (e.g., Colorado), driving to a lower-tax county for registration can be legal and worthwhile for major purchases. However, most states require you to register at your home address and will assess use tax on goods purchased elsewhere — verify your state's use tax rules before assuming cross-border savings are available.
• Take advantage of sales tax holidays. Many U.S. states offer annual sales tax holidays — typically for back-to-school supplies, clothing, energy-efficient appliances, or emergency preparedness items. Texas, Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, and many others participate. A Florida sales tax holiday on energy-efficient appliances can save $52.50 on a $750 air conditioner (at 7% state rate). Track upcoming holidays via your state's Department of Revenue website.
• Canadian small businesses: Register for GST/HST to claim input tax credits. If your Canadian business makes more than $30,000 in annual revenue in any 12-month period, you are required to register for GST/HST. Once registered, you recover all GST/HST you pay on business inputs (the input tax credit or ITC). A retail business paying $12,000/year in GST on supplies recovers that entire amount through ITCs, effectively eliminating the GST cost from business operations, per CRA GST/HST for businesses.
• Track actual sales tax paid for the IRS SALT deduction. If you live in a state with low or no income tax (Texas, Florida, Nevada, Washington), you likely benefit from deducting actual sales tax paid rather than state income tax on Schedule A. Keep receipts for major purchases (vehicles, appliances, home improvement materials, boats) throughout the year. The IRS adds these to the optional table amount, and large purchases can push your actual sales tax deduction significantly above the table figure — though the $10,000 SALT cap limits the benefit for most filers in high-income states.
• Understand nexus rules for online purchases. Following the 2018 Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, online retailers are required to collect sales tax in states where they have "economic nexus" — typically $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions in a state. Most major online retailers now collect sales tax in all states that impose it. If a retailer does not collect sales tax on an online purchase, you technically owe "use tax" to your state at the same rate — a legal obligation many consumers are unaware of. Most states provide a use tax line on their income tax returns for this purpose.