How do I calculate the pre-tax price from a total?

Pre-tax price = Total price ÷ (1 + tax rate). For example, if you paid $107 with a 7% sales tax: $107 ÷ 1.07 = $100 pre-tax. The tax amount = $107 − $100 = $7.

What is the sales tax rate in my state?

State sales tax rates vary. Common rates: California 7.25%, Texas 6.25%, New York 4% (local taxes bring it to 8–9%), Florida 6%, Washington 6.5%. Many states add local city/county taxes on top. Check your receipt or your state's department of revenue website for the exact combined rate.

What states have no sales tax?

Five US states have no state sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska. However, Alaska allows local municipalities to charge their own sales tax. If you shop in these states, your total price is the pre-tax price.

How is reverse sales tax different from regular sales tax?

Regular sales tax calculation: Pre-tax price × (1 + tax rate) = Total. Reverse sales tax works backwards: Total ÷ (1 + tax rate) = Pre-tax price. You use reverse sales tax when you already know what you paid and want to find the base price — useful for accounting, expense reports, or price comparisons.

Can I use this for VAT (Value Added Tax)?

Yes — the math is identical. If you paid £120 with 20% UK VAT, the pre-VAT price is £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100. The VAT amount is £20. Enter your total and VAT rate in the calculator above for any currency.

Reverse Sales Tax Calculator – Find Pre-Tax Price

I know the total I paid. What was the pre-tax price?

Total Amount Paid ($)

Sales Tax Rate (%)

Common State Rates

Reverse Sales Tax FAQ

Common questions about working backwards from a total price.

How do I find the pre-tax price from a total?

Pre-tax price = Total ÷ (1 + tax rate as decimal). Example: paid $107 with 7% tax → $107 ÷ 1.07 = $100 pre-tax. Tax amount = $107 − $100 = $7. This works for any tax rate or currency.

What are common US state sales tax rates?

State base rates (local taxes add more): California 7.25%, Texas 6.25%, New York 4% (NYC total ~8.875%), Florida 6%, Washington 6.5%, Illinois 6.25%, Pennsylvania 6%. Five states have no sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska (though Alaska allows local taxes).

Can I use this for VAT in the UK or Europe?

Yes — the formula is identical. UK standard VAT is 20%, so £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100 ex-VAT, with £20 VAT. EU rates vary: Germany 19%, France 20%, Ireland 23%. Just enter your total and VAT rate — the currency symbol doesn't affect the math.

Why would I need to reverse-calculate sales tax?

Common uses: filing expense reports when only the total is on the receipt, bookkeeping that requires separating tax from revenue, price comparison between tax-inclusive and tax-exclusive listings, or checking if a receipt's tax amount is correct. Businesses use it to determine the net sale amount from a tax-inclusive price.

Which states have no sales tax?

Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska have no state sales tax. If you're shopping in one of these states (and there's no local tax), the price tag IS the final price. Alaska is the exception — some cities and boroughs levy local sales taxes up to 7.5%.