About this sales tax calculator
US sales tax calculator by ZIP code for combined state and local rates
Unlike most countries with one national sales tax rate, the United States layers state, county, city and special-district taxes on top of each other — which is why the rate at one ZIP code can differ from another just down the road. This calculator finds the state for your ZIP code, applies its base rate, estimates the local portion, and works out the sales tax on either a tax-exclusive subtotal or a tax-inclusive total.
How the ZIP-code sales tax estimate works
- 1
Enter the ZIP code
The first three digits identify the state, and the state's base rate is loaded automatically.
- 2
Choose how local tax is handled
Estimate the local rate as a midpoint, enter your own local rate, or ignore local tax entirely.
- 3
Enter the amount
Add the price, quantity and any discount. Pick tax-exclusive (add tax) or tax-inclusive (extract tax).
- 4
Read the combined result
The result shows the combined rate, the tax amount, the taxable subtotal and the final total.
State vs local rate examples
| State | State base rate | Typical local range |
|---|---|---|
| California | 7.25% | 0% – 3% |
| New York | 4% | 0% – 5% |
| Tennessee | 7% | 1.5% – 2.75% |
| Washington | 6.5% | 0.5% – 4.2% |
| Delaware / Montana / NH / Oregon | 0% | 0% (no state rate) |
Local estimates are indicative. Actual combined rates depend on the specific county, city and district where the purchase is delivered.
Worked example: $500 purchase delivered to Los Angeles
A $500 order is shipped to a Los Angeles ZIP code (90001). The calculator identifies California, loads the 7.25% state rate and estimates the local portion as the midpoint of 0–3%.
- Subtotal
- $500.00
- California state rate
- 7.25%
- Estimated local rate
- ≈ 1.5%
- Combined rate
- ≈ 8.75%
- Sales tax
- $43.75
Estimated result
Total payable ≈ $543.75
In a city with the full 10.25% combined rate (California's maximum), the same $500 order would owe $51.25 — the difference of a few percentage points adds up on large purchases.
Common mistakes when estimating US sales tax
- Using the state rate alone. The combined rate, including city and district tax, is what you actually pay.
- Applying the rate to tax-inclusive amounts the wrong way. To extract tax you divide by (1 + rate), not multiply.
- Ignoring destination rules. Sales tax is charged based on where goods are delivered, not where the seller is.
- Assuming every ZIP in a state is the same. Local rates differ within the same city.
Check the exact rate for big purchases
Official references
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