Sales Tax Lookup — Find Your State Sales Tax Rate

Understanding Sales Tax in the United States

Sales tax is a consumption tax imposed by state and local governments on the sale of goods and certain services. Unlike income tax, which is based on earnings, sales tax is collected at the point of purchase and passed on to the government by the retailer.

Sales tax rates in the United States vary significantly by location. The total rate you pay combines your state rate with any applicable local taxes imposed by cities, counties, or special taxing districts. This means two shoppers in the same state could pay different rates depending on their city or county.

States with No Sales Tax

Five states impose no state-level sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. However, Alaska is unique in that it allows local jurisdictions to impose their own sales taxes, resulting in an average local rate of about 1.82%. The other four states have no state or local sales tax of any kind.

Highest Sales Tax States

When combining state and average local rates, the states with the highest total sales tax burden include Tennessee and Louisiana (both averaging around 9.55%), Arkansas (~9.47%), Washington (~9.29%), and Alabama (~9.24%). High combined rates often result from states that allow significant local add-on taxes.

How Sales Tax Interacts with Income Tax

Taxpayers who itemize deductions on their federal return can choose to deduct either state income taxes or state sales taxes paid (but not both) under the SALT deduction. This is particularly valuable for residents of states with no income tax, such as Texas, Florida, and Washington, who can deduct sales taxes instead. Under the OBBBA, the SALT cap is $40,000 for 2026.