Sales tax rates are published by your state revenue department and your city or county tax assessor
You do not have to calculate or guess your sales tax rate. Every state that collects sales tax publishes its current rate online, and most cities and counties publish their local add-ons as well. The rate you pay depends on where you buy the item, not where you live — so a purchase in one county may have a different tax than the same purchase five miles away in another county.
The fastest way to find your rate is to search "[your state] sales tax rate" plus your city or county name. Most state revenue departments have a rate lookup tool on their website. If you are buying something in a different location, search that location's rate instead.
Key Takeaways
- Your state revenue department website has a searchable tool or list showing the current sales tax rate for every city and county in your state.
- Sales tax rates change based on location of purchase, not your home address, so you need the rate where the store is, not where you live.
- Local add-ons (city and county taxes) stack on top of the state rate, and the total can range from under 5 percent to over 10 percent depending on where you shop.
- Tax rates update throughout the year as cities and counties pass new ordinances, so a rate you found three months ago may have changed.
How to use your state revenue department website
Every state that has a sales tax maintains a revenue or taxation department website. Search "[your state] department of revenue" or "[your state] tax commission" to find it. Once there, look for a link labeled "sales tax rates," "rate lookup," "local tax rates," or "tax rate finder."
Most sites let you enter your city and state, or your ZIP code, and return the combined state and local rate. Some states list rates by county only, which means you may need to know your county name. If the lookup tool does not work, scroll to the bottom of the page — most revenue departments publish a PDF or spreadsheet with every rate in the state, organized by county or city.
Write down or screenshot the rate you find, along with the date you found it. Rates change several times a year in most states, so knowing when you looked it up helps if you need to verify it later.
What the rate number means
Sales tax rates are shown as a percentage. A rate of 8.5 percent means the tax adds $0.085 to every dollar you spend. On a $100 purchase, the tax is $8.50. On a $50 purchase, the tax is $4.25.
The rate shown on a state website is almost always the combined rate — state tax plus all local add-ons stacked together. You do not need to add them yourself. If the site shows 8.5 percent, that is the total you will pay at checkout in that location.
Some states break out the state rate separately from local rates, which can be confusing. If you see two numbers, add them together to get the total you will actually pay.
When rates differ by neighborhood or address
In some states and cities, the tax rate changes block by block. This happens when a city has passed a local tax that applies only within city limits, or when a special district (like a transit authority or school district) adds its own tax to a small area. A store on one side of a street may have a different rate than a store across the street.
If you are buying from a physical store, the cashier will ring up the correct rate for that address automatically. If you are ordering online, the tax is calculated based on the delivery address you provide, not the store's location. If you are unsure whether your address is in a special tax district, call the store or the city tax assessor's office and give them your street address.
Finding rates for purchases in other states
If you are buying something in a state other than your own, use that state's revenue department website, not yours. Search "[destination state] sales tax rate" plus the city name where you are shopping. The rate that applies is always the one where the purchase happens, regardless of where you live or where the item is shipped.
Some states have no sales tax at all (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon). If you are buying in one of these states, there is no state sales tax to add, though some cities in these states may still collect a local tax. Check the destination state's website to be sure.
How to verify a rate you found
If you want to double-check a rate, you have two options. First, look it up on the state revenue department website again — if you get the same number, it is current. Second, call the city or county tax assessor's office directly. They can confirm the rate for a specific address and tell you if it has changed recently.
You can also ask the business where you are making the purchase. Retailers are required to know and apply the correct rate for their location. If a cashier or online checkout shows a different rate than what you found on the state website, ask the store to explain the difference — it may be that the store is in a special tax district you did not know about.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know my sales tax rate before I buy something?
No. The store will calculate and add the correct tax at checkout automatically. Knowing the rate beforehand is useful only if you want to budget the total cost or verify that the store charged you correctly.
Can sales tax rates change after I find them?
Yes. Most states and cities update rates several times per year. A rate you found three months ago may no longer be current. If you need an exact rate for budgeting or verification, check the state website again on the day you make the purchase.
What if I buy something online and it ships to me?
The tax is based on the address where the item is delivered, not where you live or where the seller is located. When you enter your delivery address at checkout, the website calculates tax using that location's rate.
Why is the tax different at two stores in the same city?
The stores may be in different tax districts. Some cities have special zones where an additional local tax applies — for example, a downtown district or a transit corridor. Both stores are charging the correct rate for their location.
How do I find the rate for a county instead of a city?
Search "[your state] sales tax by county" on the state revenue department website. Most states publish a county-level rate, though the actual rate at a specific store may be higher if the city has added its own tax on top of the county rate.