Reverse Sales Tax Calculator
Find the original pre-tax price from any total — all 50 US states included
What Is Reverse Sales Tax?
Reverse sales tax (also called backwards tax calculation) finds the original price before tax when you only know the final total you paid.
Common mistake: Don't use "Total × (1 − rate)" — this is wrong. Always divide by (1 + rate). Example: $107.50 ÷ 1.075 = $100, not $107.50 × 0.925 = $99.44.
Sales Tax Rates — All 50 States (2026)
Click any row to auto-fill the tax rate above. Rates include state + average local taxes.
When to Use This Calculator
- Expense reports — separate tax from the total for accounting records.
- Business bookkeeping — record the net purchase amount excluding tax.
- VAT refunds — calculate the taxable base amount when claiming a refund.
- Price verification — confirm the correct tax rate was applied to your purchase.
- Receipt analysis — when the pre-tax price is not printed on your receipt.
- Cross-state shopping — compare real costs when buying in high-tax vs. low-tax states.
- Online sales — verify destination-state tax was correctly applied to your order.
No-tax states: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska have 0% state sales tax. Shopping in these states? Enter 0% or click OR / MT / NH / DE buttons above.
Common Reverse Sales Tax Mistakes
- Using state rate only — most areas have state + local/county taxes combined. Always use the combined rate shown on your receipt.
- Using wrong formula — the correct formula is: pre-tax = total ÷ (1 + rate). A common error is: total × (1 − rate), which underestimates the pre-tax amount.
- Applying tax to tip in restaurants — in most states, tax applies before the tip. Calculate pre-tax on the food subtotal only.
- Using outdated tax rates — sales tax rates change. Always verify your state's current combined rate before calculating for official reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the formula for reverse sales tax?
Pre-Tax Price = Total Paid ÷ (1 + Tax Rate ÷ 100). For a $215 total with 7.75% tax: $215 ÷ 1.0775 = $199.54 pre-tax.
Which US states have no sales tax?
Five states have no statewide sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska. Alaska allows local taxes so some cities do charge sales tax. Enter 0% in the calculator for these states.
What is the sales tax rate in Texas?
Texas has a 6.25% state rate with a combined average of 8.19%. Cities like Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio typically charge the maximum 8.25% combined rate.
What is the sales tax rate in California?
California's combined average rate is 8.68% (7.25% state + local). Los Angeles is 10.25%, San Jose is 9.375%, San Francisco is 8.625%.
What is the sales tax in Washington state?
Washington's state rate is 6.5% with a combined average of 10.25% — among the highest in the country. Seattle's combined rate is 10.25%.
Can I use this for VAT (Value Added Tax)?
Yes — reverse VAT uses the same formula. Enter the VAT-inclusive price and the VAT rate (e.g., 20% UK, 19% Germany, 10% Australia GST) to find the pre-tax price.
Is the combined rate or state rate used on receipts?
Receipts use the combined rate — both the state rate plus local/county taxes. Always use the combined rate in this calculator for accurate pre-tax results.