Reverse Sales Tax Calculator
Enter a receipt total and your combined rate to get the price before tax, plus the tax itself. Divides by the rate rather than subtracting it.
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Getting the pre-tax price from a total
Sales tax is added to the shelf price, so a receipt total is 100% + the rate. Recovering the pre-tax figure means dividing by that multiplier, not subtracting the percentage.
A receipt totals $54.13 at a combined rate of 8.25%.
- Pre-tax = 54.13 ÷ 1.0825 = $50.00
- Tax = 54.13 − 50.00 = $4.13
Subtracting 8.25% from $54.13 gives $49.66 — close enough to look right, and wrong on every line of an expense report.
Use the combined rate, not the state rate
This is the mistake that makes reversed totals miss by a few cents. Most US jurisdictions stack several taxes: a state rate, then county, city and sometimes transit or special district add-ons. California's statewide 7.25% is a floor, and combined rates in parts of Los Angeles County reach 10.25%.
Your receipt shows the rate that was actually applied, and that is the number to enter. If the receipt shows only the tax amount, you can recover the rate: divide the tax by the pre-tax subtotal. Rates also change, so a figure you memorised two years ago may quietly be wrong now.
Statewide base rates
Statewide rates only — local add-ons are extra, and rates change. Always prefer the rate printed on the receipt.
| State | Statewide rate | Divide total by |
|---|---|---|
| California | 7.25% | 1.0725 |
| Texas | 6.25% | 1.0625 |
| Florida | 6% | 1.06 |
| New York | 4% | 1.04 |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 1.0625 |
| Oregon, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire | 0% | 1.00 |
When you need the pre-tax figure
Expense reports. Many employers reimburse the pre-tax amount and account for the tax separately, so a receipt total is not the number that goes in the box.
Bookkeeping. Sales tax collected is a liability, not revenue. Recording a gross total as income overstates the top line and understates what is owed at filing.
Comparing prices across states. A $100 item is a different purchase in Portland than in Chicago. Stripping the tax is the only way to compare like with like.
Working in the UK or EU instead? Use the reverse VAT calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate the price before sales tax?
Divide the total by 1 plus the tax rate as a decimal. At 8.25%, a $54.13 total is 54.13 ÷ 1.0825 = $50.00 before tax.
How do I find the sales tax amount from a total?
Work out the pre-tax price first, then subtract it from the total. On a $54.13 receipt at 8.25%, the pre-tax price is $50.00, so the tax is $4.13.
Why is my combined rate not a round number?
Most US rates stack a state rate with county, city and sometimes special district rates. A 8.25% combined rate might be 6.25% state plus 2% local, which is why the total on your receipt rarely matches the headline state figure.
Which states have no sales tax?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax, though Alaska permits local sales taxes. In those states the receipt total is the pre-tax price.
Is sales tax reversed the same way as VAT?
The arithmetic is identical — divide by one plus the rate. The difference is presentational: US prices are usually advertised pre-tax and tax is added at the register, whereas VAT is normally included in the shelf price.