Sales Tax Calculator

Use this free Sales Tax Calculator to add tax to a purchase or work backward from a tax-included total. It supports Canadian GST, HST, PST, and QST rates by province or territory, along with U.S. state sales tax and an editable local rate for counties, cities, and other taxing jurisdictions.

Enter the purchase amount, choose Canada or the United States, and select the location that applies. You can calculate the tax added to a pre-tax price or use the reverse option to find the original price before tax. A Custom mode is also included for any rate that is not covered by the built-in location lists.

How to Use the Sales Tax Calculator

Choose Canada, United States, or Custom Rate. Enter the purchase amount and select whether you want to add tax to a pre-tax price or remove tax from a total that already includes tax.

For Canada, select the province or territory and the calculator applies the general GST, HST, PST, RST, or QST rates that normally apply there. For the United States, select the state and then enter any additional local tax rate that applies to the transaction. Local sales tax is important because many U.S. cities, counties, and special districts add tax on top of the state rate.

Custom Rate is useful when you already know the exact combined rate from a receipt, invoice, point-of-sale system, or local tax lookup.

How to Calculate Sales Tax

To calculate tax from a pre-tax price, convert the tax percentage to a decimal and multiply it by the purchase price. Add the result to the original price to get the total after tax.

For example, an item costing $100 with an 8% sales tax has $8 of tax. The final total is $108.

If you are working with percentages separately, the Percentage Calculator can help with percentage increases, decreases, and percentage-of-number calculations.

Reverse Sales Tax Calculator

A reverse sales tax calculation starts with the final amount and works backward to find the price before tax. This is useful when a receipt shows only the tax-included total or when you need to separate tax from a gross sale.

The correct method is not simply to subtract the tax percentage from the final price. Instead, divide the tax-included amount by one plus the tax rate.

For example, if the total is $113 and the tax rate is 13%, dividing $113 by 1.13 gives a pre-tax price of $100. The tax portion is $13.

Sales Tax in Canada

Canada uses a combination of federal and provincial consumption taxes. Depending on the province or territory, a purchase may be subject to GST alone, HST, or GST plus a separate provincial tax.

The federal Goods and Services Tax is 5% in provinces and territories that have not harmonized it into HST. Provinces using HST combine the federal and provincial portions into one rate.

Tax treatment also depends on what is being sold. Some supplies are zero-rated, some are exempt, and some provincial taxes use their own tax base or exemptions. The calculator therefore provides a general retail estimate rather than a determination of tax liability.

GST and HST

GST stands for Goods and Services Tax. The general federal GST rate is 5%. Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon generally use the 5% GST without a separate general provincial sales tax.

HST stands for Harmonized Sales Tax. It combines the federal GST with a provincial component. Ontario has a 13% HST. New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island use 15%. Nova Scotia uses 14% following the reduction that took effect April 1, 2025.

PST, RST, and QST

British Columbia and Saskatchewan use a provincial sales tax in addition to the 5% GST. Manitoba calls its provincial tax Retail Sales Tax, or RST. Quebec uses the Quebec Sales Tax, commonly abbreviated QST.

For a general taxable purchase, British Columbia combines 5% GST with 7% PST, Manitoba combines 5% GST with 7% RST, Saskatchewan combines 5% GST with 6% PST, and Quebec combines 5% GST with 9.975% QST.

Canadian Sales Tax Rates

These are the general rates used by the calculator. The Canada Revenue Agency notes that the rate actually charged can depend on the type of supply, where the supply is made, and who receives it. For official rate information, see the CRA GST/HST rates and calculator.

Alberta Sales Tax

Alberta does not have a general provincial sales tax. Most taxable purchases are subject to the 5% federal GST. A $100 taxable purchase therefore has $5 of GST and a total price of $105.

Ontario HST

Ontario uses a 13% HST. A $100 taxable purchase generally produces $13 of HST and a final price of $113.

British Columbia GST and PST

British Columbia generally applies 5% GST and 7% PST to a purchase that is taxable under both systems, producing a combined 12% rate. Some goods or services may be treated differently under GST and PST rules.

Quebec GST and QST

Quebec generally applies 5% GST and 9.975% QST to taxable purchases, for a combined rate of 14.975%. On a $100 purchase, the general calculation produces $5 of GST and $9.98 of QST after normal cent rounding.

Sales Tax in the United States

The United States does not have one national retail sales tax rate. State and local governments set their own rates and rules. Forty-five states impose a statewide sales tax, while local sales taxes are permitted in many states.

That structure makes a U.S. sales tax calculation more location-sensitive than a simple state lookup. A buyer in one city may pay a different combined rate than a buyer elsewhere in the same state because counties, cities, transit districts, or other local jurisdictions may add tax.

State and Local Sales Tax

The U.S. mode starts with a 2026 state-level reference rate and lets you enter an additional local rate. This is useful when you already know the local rate from a tax authority, receipt, address-based lookup, or point-of-sale system.

Local rates can be substantial. Tax Foundation data for midyear 2026 show that average local sales tax exceeds 5% in Louisiana and is close to 5% in Colorado, with several other states also relying heavily on local sales taxes.

For an exact U.S. transaction, use the rate for the specific address and product rather than assuming the statewide figure is the final combined rate. Address-level tools are especially useful in states where local rates vary significantly.

2026 U.S. State Sales Tax Reference Rates

The calculator includes the current 2026 state-level rates as a starting point. California, Utah, and Virginia are shown using state-level figures that include mandatory statewide local add-ons in the Tax Foundation methodology. New Mexico uses a gross receipts tax rather than a conventional retail sales tax, and Hawaii’s general excise tax also differs from a traditional sales tax.

For current U.S. state and local comparisons, see the Tax Foundation 2026 state and local sales tax data.

States With No Statewide Sales Tax

Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon do not levy a statewide general sales tax. Alaska is the important exception when looking only at the state rate because local governments can impose local sales taxes.

A 0% state rate therefore does not always mean the transaction is completely free of sales-related taxes or fees. Product-specific taxes and local rules may still apply.

Why U.S. Sales Tax Can Change by Address

Many U.S. purchases are affected by overlapping jurisdictions. A single address may fall within a state, county, city, transportation district, or other special taxing district. The total rate can therefore change when crossing a city or county boundary.

Online sellers can face additional complexity because the applicable rate may depend on destination, sourcing rules, economic nexus, marketplace laws, and the taxability of the product or service.

Sales Tax on Online Purchases

Online purchases are not automatically tax-free. In the United States, many online sellers and marketplaces collect sales tax based on destination and nexus rules. In Canada, GST/HST and provincial tax obligations can also apply to online and digital sales depending on the seller, customer, and place-of-supply rules.

The calculator can perform the arithmetic once you know the applicable rate, but it does not determine whether a particular seller has a legal obligation to collect tax.

Sales Tax vs VAT

Retail sales tax and value-added tax are both consumption taxes, but they are collected differently. A retail sales tax is generally imposed at the final sale to the consumer. A VAT is collected throughout the supply chain, with businesses typically receiving credits for tax paid on inputs.

Canada’s GST/HST is a value-added tax system even though consumers often think of it simply as sales tax at checkout. U.S. state sales taxes are generally retail sales taxes.

Taxable, Exempt, and Zero-Rated Purchases

A tax rate by itself does not tell you whether an item is taxable. Groceries, medicine, clothing, digital products, professional services, utilities, and other categories may receive special treatment depending on the jurisdiction.

In Canada, a zero-rated supply is taxable at 0% for GST/HST purposes, while an exempt supply is outside the normal GST/HST collection mechanism. In the United States, exemptions and reduced rates vary substantially by state and sometimes by locality.

Tax-Inclusive vs Tax-Exclusive Pricing

Tax-exclusive pricing shows the base price first and adds tax at checkout. Tax-inclusive pricing displays a final amount that already contains the tax. The calculator supports both approaches.

When the amount is tax-exclusive, choose Add Tax to Price. When the amount already includes tax, choose Remove Tax From Total.

How Rounding Affects Sales Tax

Sales tax is normally rounded to the nearest cent, but the exact result can differ depending on whether tax is calculated per item, per line, or on the invoice total. This can create a one-cent difference between a calculator and a receipt.

For large invoices with many line items, accounting software may apply its own rounding conventions. Treat calculator results as estimates when exact invoice-level reconciliation is required.

Sales Tax Examples

Example 1: Alberta

A $250 taxable purchase in Alberta is subject to 5% GST. Tax is $12.50 and the total is $262.50.

Example 2: Ontario

A $250 taxable purchase in Ontario at 13% HST produces $32.50 of tax and a final total of $282.50.

Example 3: British Columbia

For a purchase taxable under both taxes, $250 in British Columbia produces $12.50 of GST and $17.50 of PST, for a general total of $280.

Example 4: U.S. State and Local Tax

If the state rate is 6% and the applicable local rate is 2%, the combined rate is 8%. A $250 taxable purchase has $20 of sales tax and a final price of $270.

Example 5: Reverse Tax

If a final total is $108 and the applicable tax rate is 8%, dividing $108 by 1.08 gives a pre-tax price of $100. The included sales tax is $8.

Sales Tax for Business Pricing

Businesses often need to separate the selling price from the tax collected. The reverse calculation is useful when a quoted or cash price includes tax and the accounting records require the taxable sale and tax amount separately.

If you are also working with margins, markup, or selling prices, the Percentage Calculator can help with the underlying percentage math.

Sales Tax and Discounts

When a discount applies, tax is often calculated on the discounted taxable price, but the treatment can depend on the type of coupon, rebate, and local tax rules. If you know the taxable amount after discount, enter that figure directly into the calculator.

Sales Tax and Tips

Whether a gratuity is taxable depends on the jurisdiction and whether it is voluntary or mandatory. Restaurant bills can therefore show different tax treatment for service charges and optional tips.

The calculator does not automatically tax or exclude tips. Enter the taxable purchase amount determined under the applicable local rule.

Using a Sales Tax Calculator While Shopping

A quick tax calculation is useful when comparing the final checkout price of electronics, furniture, appliances, vehicles, building materials, and other larger purchases. Even a small rate difference can become noticeable on an expensive item.

For budgeting a purchase, calculate the total after tax rather than comparing sticker prices alone.

Sales Tax Formula

The basic formula is useful when you want to check the calculator manually. Convert the percentage rate into decimal form by dividing by 100, then multiply by the taxable price. A 7.5% tax rate becomes 0.075.

For a $480 purchase at 7.5%, the tax is $480 × 0.075 = $36. The total after tax is $516. For quick arithmetic checks, the Simple Math Calculator can be used alongside the tax calculator.

Sales Tax vs Income Tax

Sales tax and income tax are different. Sales tax is tied to a taxable purchase or transaction, while income tax is based on income and is normally calculated under a separate set of federal, state, provincial, or local rules.

A purchase-tax calculator therefore should not be used to estimate payroll withholding or personal income tax. If you are trying to understand deductions from wages instead, a Paycheck Calculator is the more relevant tool.

Calculating Sales Tax After a Discount

If an item is discounted before tax, the taxable amount is often the discounted selling price. For example, a $200 item discounted by 25% has a new price of $150. If the applicable tax rate is 8%, the tax on $150 is $12 and the final total is $162.

Coupon and rebate rules are not identical everywhere. Manufacturer rebates, store coupons, trade-ins, and other reductions can receive different treatment, so use the taxable amount that applies under the local rule.

Sales Tax on Large Purchases

Tax becomes more noticeable as the purchase price increases. At an 8% rate, tax on a $50 item is $4, but tax on a $5,000 purchase is $400. This matters when budgeting for appliances, furniture, electronics, equipment, or building materials.

Some large purchases, especially vehicles, can be subject to different tax bases, registration fees, trade-in rules, or jurisdiction-specific charges. The calculator can do the percentage arithmetic, but it should not be treated as a vehicle registration or title-fee calculator.

Sales Tax on Services

Not every jurisdiction taxes services in the same way. Some services may be fully taxable, some exempt, and others taxable only under specific conditions. Digital services and software can be particularly complicated because rules differ across provinces and U.S. states.

Before applying a general retail rate to a service, confirm that the service itself is taxable. Once the correct taxable amount and rate are known, the calculator can handle the math.

Using the Calculator for Invoices

If an invoice lists a pre-tax subtotal, use Add Tax to Price. If the invoice total already contains tax and you need to separate the tax component for bookkeeping, use Remove Tax From Total.

For Canadian businesses charging separate GST and PST or GST and QST, the results break the two components apart. For U.S. transactions, the results separate the state/base portion from the additional local rate you entered.

Why the U.S. Calculator Does Not Guess Your Local Rate

An automatic state-only calculator can create false precision. In many states the state rate is only part of the final tax. A city, county, or special district may add another percentage, and tax boundaries do not always match a ZIP code perfectly.

That is why this calculator shows the state reference rate separately and leaves the local field editable. If you know the exact combined local portion for the transaction, enter it directly rather than relying on a statewide average.

Why Canadian Sales Tax Is Easier to Estimate by Province

Canadian general consumption-tax rates are more standardized at the province or territory level than U.S. local sales taxes. That makes a province selector useful for ordinary retail estimates. The main complication is not usually the geographic rate but whether the particular good or service is taxable under each applicable tax.

For that reason, the province selector is a good starting point for a normal taxable purchase, while unusual products, cross-border transactions, business-to-business supplies, and exempt or zero-rated items may require additional research.

Sales Tax Calculator Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

A sales tax calculation is simple once the correct taxable amount and rate are known. The difficult part is often determining which rate and tax rules apply. Canada has relatively standardized provincial GST/HST/PST structures, while U.S. sales tax can vary significantly by state and local jurisdiction.

Use the calculator for quick purchase estimates, invoices, reverse tax calculations, and price comparisons. For tax filing, business compliance, or an address-specific U.S. transaction, verify the rate and taxability with the appropriate government authority or an address-level tax service.