Florida sales tax is a tax on most goods and some services that you pay at the point of sale
Florida's sales tax rate is 6 percent on the state level. Most counties add their own local sales tax on top of that, so your total rate depends on where you buy. In Miami-Dade County, for example, the combined rate is 7 percent. In Duval County (Jacksonville), it is 7.5 percent. The rate you see on a receipt is always the combined state and local rate together.
Sales tax applies to most physical goods — clothing, groceries, electronics, furniture — and to some services like haircuts, repairs, and restaurant meals. A few categories are taxed differently or not at all. Prescription medications are not taxed. Most groceries sold for home consumption are not taxed, but prepared food and food eaten on premises are. Gasoline has its own separate fuel tax in addition to sales tax.
The seller collects the tax from you at checkout and sends it to the state and county. You do not file a separate form or send money yourself unless you own a business.
Key Takeaways
- Florida's state sales tax is 6 percent, and your county adds a local rate on top, making your total anywhere from 6 to 7.5 percent depending on location.
- Sales tax applies to most goods and some services, but prescription medications and most groceries for home use are not taxed.
- The seller collects and remits the tax; you pay it at the register as part of your total bill.
- Restaurant meals, prepared foods, and services like haircuts and repairs are taxed, even though they are not physical goods.
What is and is not taxed in Florida
Most items you buy in a store are subject to sales tax. Clothing, shoes, electronics, furniture, toys, books, and household goods all have tax added at checkout. Services like haircuts, car repairs, plumbing, and painting are taxed. Restaurant meals and takeout food are taxed. Movie tickets, gym memberships, and hotel stays are taxed.
Some things are not taxed. Prescription medications filled by a pharmacist are exempt. Most groceries bought for home consumption — bread, milk, vegetables, meat, cereal — are not taxed, but this exemption does not cover prepared foods. A rotisserie chicken from a grocery store deli is taxed. Candy and soft drinks are taxed even in a grocery store. Gasoline is not subject to sales tax but has a separate fuel tax instead.
Medical equipment like wheelchairs, crutches, and hearing aids may be exempt depending on the specific item and how it is classified. If you are unsure whether something is taxed, ask the cashier or check your receipt after purchase.
How sales tax rates vary by county
Florida's 6 percent state rate is the floor. Every county adds its own local sales tax on top, and these rates differ across the state. Some counties add 0.5 percent, others add 1.5 percent. Your total rate is always state plus local combined.
Here are examples from major counties:
| County | Local Rate | Combined Total |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | 1% | 7% |
| Broward | 1% | 7% |
| Hillsborough (Tampa) | 1.5% | 7.5% |
| Duval (Jacksonville) | 1.5% | 7.5% |
| Orange (Orlando) | 0.5% | 6.5% |
| Polk | 1% | 7% |
If you shop in one county and live in another, you pay the rate where you make the purchase. Online purchases are more complex — Florida taxes remote sales based on where the item is shipped, so you pay the rate of your delivery address, not the seller's location.
When you do not pay sales tax at checkout
Some purchases are exempt from sales tax at the point of sale. Prescription medications are the most common. When you fill a prescription at a pharmacy, no sales tax is added. Over-the-counter medications like pain relievers and cold medicine are taxed, but prescriptions are not.
Most groceries for home consumption are not taxed, but the line between grocery and prepared food matters. Raw ingredients — flour, eggs, vegetables, uncooked meat — are not taxed. A loaf of bread from the bakery section is not taxed. But a sandwich made in the deli, a rotisserie chicken, or a bakery cake with frosting is taxed because it is considered prepared food. Soft drinks and candy are taxed even in a grocery store.
Some nonprofit organizations and government entities may be exempt from sales tax on certain purchases, but this does not affect what you pay as a consumer. If you are buying something for personal use, you pay the standard rate.
How sales tax appears on your receipt
When you check out, the cashier or register shows you a subtotal, then adds the sales tax, then shows you the final total. The receipt breaks down the tax amount separately so you can see what was taxed and what was not. If you buy groceries and a magazine together, the receipt usually shows the grocery items without tax and the magazine with tax.
The tax amount is calculated on the subtotal before any discounts or coupons are applied. If you have a coupon that reduces the price, the tax is calculated on the reduced amount. Some stores round the tax to the nearest cent if the exact calculation produces fractions of a cent.
You do not need to do anything with the sales tax information on your receipt unless you own a business or are tracking deductible expenses for tax purposes. As a consumer, you simply pay what the register shows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I pay sales tax on online purchases shipped to Florida?
Yes. Florida taxes remote sales based on the delivery address. If you order something online and it ships to your Florida address, you pay Florida sales tax at the rate of your county, even if the seller is out of state. The tax is usually added at checkout or charged when the item arrives.
Why is prepared food taxed but groceries are not?
Florida law treats prepared food as a service, not a grocery item. A sandwich made in a deli or a rotisserie chicken is considered ready to eat, so it is taxed. Raw ingredients you cook at home are not taxed because they are groceries. The distinction is whether the food is prepared for immediate consumption.
What if the sales tax on my receipt looks wrong?
Check the receipt against the tax rate for your county. If you bought only non-taxed items like prescription medications or groceries and were still charged tax, ask the cashier to review the receipt. If taxed items were charged at the wrong rate, report it to the store manager. Errors happen, and most stores will correct them.
Do I owe sales tax if I buy something in another state and bring it to Florida?
No. Sales tax is paid where you purchase the item. If you buy something in Georgia and bring it home to Florida, you do not owe Florida sales tax on it. However, if you order it online and have it shipped to Florida, you pay Florida tax based on your delivery address.