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Free sales tax calculator

This free sales tax calculator helps you quickly
calculate sales tax. Perfect for freelancers,
contractors, and small businesses in the US.

5 %
Sales tax: $00.00
Total: $00.00
What is sales tax?

Sales tax, also called consumption tax, is added to the price of goods and services that are sold to consumers. This means that business-to-business (B2B) transactions usually don’t include sales tax.

If you run a business, or you work as a freelancer or contractor, you have include sales tax on your invoices if you sell goods and services to consumers in a state that has sales tax.

This also means that you have to file sales tax returns, remit sales tax to the state, and keep sales tax records.

What is sales tax?

What is a sales tax calculator?

A sales tax calculator is a tool that helps you calculate sales tax for your products or services. If you’re selling goods and services to consumers in a state with sales tax, you have to include sales tax on your invoices, unless you sell exempt goods or services.

The calculator helps you work out the price including or excluding sales tax, and to comply with the rules and regulations in the US.

Why use the sales tax calculator? ⚖️

  • Accurate sales tax calculations
  • Easy to use
  • Save time and work out sales tax in seconds
  • Work out the price both including and excluding sales tax
  • Completely free to use
What is the sales tax rate?

The sales tax rate ranges from 0% to 11% depending on the state and location you operate in—and on the type of product or service you sell.

45 states have a statewide sales tax, while Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon don’t. 38 states also have local sales taxes, which means that within a state, local or city sales tax can influence the amount of tax you have to charge.

The total sales tax is the sum of all applicable taxes.

See the tax rate per state.

What is the sales tax rate?
How do I work out the sales tax?

The sales tax rate varies from state to state—and even from area to area—and depends on what goods or services you sell. In these examples we’ve used a sales tax rate of 5%.

For prices excluding sales tax

Add sales tax to the price

To figure out the total price including sales tax, simply multiply the original price by 1.05.

$100 x 1.05 = $105

Work out the amount of sales tax to add

To figure out how much sales tax you’ll be charging, simply multiply the original price by 0.05.

$100 x 0.05 = $5

For prices including sales tax

Exclude sales tax from the price

If you want the price without sales tax, divide by 1.05

$105 / 1.05 = $100

Work out the sales tax amount that was added

To figure out how much sales tax was included in the price you can take the price with sales tax minus the price without sales tax

$105 / $100 = $5

How do I work out the sales tax?
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the sales tax calculator

How do I calculate tax from the total amount?

To to see the price without sales tax, you have to divide the total amount by 1.[tax rate].

The sales tax is 2 percent: 110 / 1.02 = $107.84
The sales tax is 3 percent: 110 / 1.03 = $106.80
The sales tax is 4 percent: 110 / 1.04 = $105.77
The sales tax is 5 percent: 110 / 1.05 = $104.76
The sales tax is 6 percent: 110 / 1.06 = $103.77
The sales tax is 7 percent: 110 / 1.07 = $102.8
The sales tax is 8 percent: 110 / 1.08 = $101.85
The sales tax is 9 percent: 110 / 1.09 = $100.91
The sales tax is 10 percent: 110 / 1.10 = $100

How to calculate sales tax percentage from total?

If you want to know what the sales tax percentage is, you take the price including tax minus the price excluding tax, then divide by the price including tax multiplied by 100.

If the price excluding sales tax was 95 and the price including sales tax was 100, the formula would look like this:
(100-95) / 95 * 100 = 5%.

What is VAT and GST?

VAT and GST stand for value-added tax and goods and services tax. These are types of sales tax used in different countries. Unlike the US sales tax, VAT and GST are added to all transactions, not just B2C transactions. This means that a business that sells goods or services to another business has to include sales tax on the invoice.

VAT is used by most countries in the world, with the exception of Australia, Canada, India, Jersey, Malaysia, New Zealand, Samoa, and Singapore, which use GST.

Sales tax vs. value-added tax (VAT)?

Sales tax and value-added tax (VAT) are a type of tax that’s added to the sale of goods and services. Most countries in the world use VAT, but Australia, Canada, India, Jersey, Malaysia, New Zealand, Samoa, and Singapore call this tax GST instead.

The US uses neither GST or VAT, but calls it sales tax. Sales tax is usually only added to B2C sales, meaning sales to consumers. VAT and GST are added to all types of sales.

The sales tax rate varies from country to country—and, in the case of the US, from state to state and place to place. The rate can also vary depending on what types of goods and services you sell, and what type of industry you’re operating in.

Sales tax vs. goods and services tax (GST)?

Sales tax and goods and services tax (GST) are a type of tax that’s added to the sale of goods and services. Australia, Canada, India, Jersey, Malaysia, New Zealand, Samoa, and Singapore call this tax GST, while most countries in the world refer to it as value-added tax (VAT) instead.

The US uses neither GST or VAT, but calls it sales tax. Sales tax is usually only added to B2C sales, meaning sales to consumers. VAT and GST are added to all types of sales.

How do I calculate sales tax backwards from the total?

To work out the sales tax amount when you have the total amount including sales tax, you use this formula:

First work out what the price was without sales tax. To do that, you divide the total amount including sales tax by 1.[tax rate]. For example if the tax rate was 5%, you divide the total amount by 1.05. If the tax rate was 10%, you divide the total amount by 1.10.

Once you have the price without sales tax, simply take the price with sales tax, minus the price without sales tax. That’ll show you the sales tax amount.

You can also use the free sales tax calculator to easily work out prices with and without sales tax.

How does this sales tax calculator work?

The sales tax calculator lets you easily work out the price with and without sales tax, and the sales tax amount. Simply enter your amount and the sales tax rate, then choose whether that amount includes or excludes sales tax. You’ll instantly see the sales tax amount and the total.

You can then send invoices for free with this rate.

How is sales tax calculated?

Sales tax is calculated using formulas that are adjusted depending on the sales tax you enter. The formulas look like this:

The amount includes sales tax
Sales tax amount is worked out with the formula: amount x 0.[tax rate], for example 0.05 for a 5% tax rate.
Total is worked out with the formula: amount x 1.[tax rate], for example 1.05 for a 5% tax rate.

The amount excludes sales tax
Sales tax amount is worked out with the formula: amount x rate / (100+rate). With an amount of 100 and 5% sales tax, this looks like 100 x 5 / (100+5) = 4.76
The total is the same as amount.

What is my sales tax rate?

The US sales tax varies from state to state. Some states don’t have a state-wide sales tax, but there can also be local and city sales tax, that you have to take into account. The rate can also vary depending on which goods and services you’re selling, or what industry you’re operating in.

To find your tax rate, you should check with the tax authorities in your country, a tax specialist or an accountant.

Why do we have sales tax?

Sales tax is just one of many taxes that help raise income for state and local governments, and allows them to provide public services.

How do I know if my business is required to collect sales tax?

It’s important to figure out your sales tax nexus—the connection between a business and a state that creates a sales tax collection requirement.

There are more than 46 different sales tax nexus law, and 11,000 tax jurisdictions in the US. If your business has an office, a warehouse or employees in a state, you likely have physical nexus, and you’ll need to collect and file sales tax in that state. You can have an economic nexus if you sell products to a state, even if you don’t have a physical presence there.

To determine your sales tax nexus, you should check with the tax authorities in your state, a tax specialist or an accountant.

Once you have determined which sales tax nexuses apply to you, you have to register for a sales tax permit in those states, cities and locations.

What is a sales tax nexus?

A sales tax nexus is the connection between your business and a state, city or location. If you have a sales tax nexus, you have to register for a sales tax permit in those states, cities and locations.

You’re then required to collect sales tax on your consumer sales, which means you have to invoice with sales tax, and file sales tax.

To determine your sales tax nexus, you should check with the tax authorities in your state, a tax specialist or an accountant.

Who should collect sales tax?

Businesses that have a sales tax nexus with a state, city or location, should collect sales tax. Sales tax nexus is the connection between your business and a location, which requires you to collect and file taxes in that location.

To determine your sales tax nexus, you should check with the tax authorities in your state, a tax specialist or an accountant.

Do I need to collect sales tax when selling online?

It depends. You need to collect sales tax for states where you have a physical and/or economic nexus. This means that your business has a connection to that state—either because you have an office or a warehouse or employees there—or you sell goods and services in that state.

As an online seller, you could have a sales tax nexus in multiple states. To determine your sales tax nexus, you should check with the tax authorities in your state, a tax specialist or an accountant.

What is the sales tax in my area?

The sales tax is a combination of the state sales tax rate and additional sales tax levied by a county or city. There can also be special taxing district rates.

To work out your sales tax rate, you need to combine these different sales tax rates in all the states where you have a sales tax nexus. A sales tax nexus is a physical or economical connection to a place, that requires you to collect and file sales tax in that area.

To determine your sales tax nexus, you should check with the tax authorities in your state, a tax specialist or an accountant.

What happens if you forget to collect sales tax?

If you don’t collect, file and remit taxes correctly, you could have to pay penalties and interest on top of the sales tax you owe.

Depending on how bad the negligence is, business owners also risk criminal penalties, lawsuits and reputational damage.

To determine your responsibilities, you should check with the tax authorities in your state, a tax specialist or an accountant.

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