Enter the price before sales tax
Some products are exempt from sales tax
| Amount | Tax | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.70 | $10.70 |
| $25.00 | $1.75 | $26.75 |
| $50.00 | $3.50 | $53.50 |
| $100.00 | $6.99 | $106.99 |
| $250.00 | $17.48 | $267.48 |
| $500.00 | $34.95 | $534.95 |
| $1,000.00 | $69.90 | $1,069.90 |
State rate, average local rate, and combined rate · Source: Tax Foundation, January 2026
| State | State Rate | Avg Local | Combined | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana🔴 Highest in US | 4.45% | 5.10% | 9.55% | HIGHEST combined rate in US tied with TN at 9.55%. |
| Tennessee🔴 Highest in US | 7.00% | 2.55% | 9.55% | HIGHEST combined rate in US tied with LA at 9.55%. Groceries taxed at 4%. |
| Arkansas🔴 3rd Highest | 6.50% | 2.97% | 9.47% | 3rd highest combined rate in US. |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 3.14% | 9.39% | Chicago reaches 10.25% combined. Eliminated 1% grocery tax Jan 1, 2026. |
| Alabama | 4.00% | 5.27% | 9.27% | Highest avg local rate in US. Groceries taxed at 3% (reduced rate). |
| Washington | 6.50% | 2.67% | 9.17% | 5th highest combined rate. Tacoma reaches 10.2%. |
| Oklahoma | 4.50% | 4.56% | 9.06% | 4th highest avg local rate. |
| California | 7.25% | 1.69% | 8.94% | Highest STATE rate in US at 7.25%. Includes mandatory 1.25% local add-on. |
| Kansas | 6.50% | 2.18% | 8.68% | |
| New York | 4.00% | 4.54% | 8.54% | NYC adds 4.5% local, total NYC rate 8.875%. Empire State has high local rates. |
| Arizona | 5.60% | 2.78% | 8.38% | |
| Nevada | 6.85% | 1.46% | 8.31% | |
| Texas | 6.25% | 1.94% | 8.19% | |
| Missouri | 4.23% | 3.93% | 8.16% | |
| Colorado | 2.90% | 4.99% | 7.89% | Lowest state rate at 2.9% but very high local rates averaging 4.99%. |
| New Mexico | 5.13% | 2.69% | 7.82% | |
| Minnesota | 6.88% | 0.53% | 7.41% | |
| Georgia | 4.00% | 3.40% | 7.40% | Many counties increased by ~1% in 2026 due to Floating Local Option Sales Tax. |
| South Carolina | 6.00% | 1.25% | 7.25% | |
| Ohio | 5.75% | 1.47% | 7.22% | |
| Utah | 6.10% | 1.04% | 7.14% | Includes mandatory 1.25% local add-on in state rate. |
| Mississippi | 7.00% | 0.07% | 7.07% | |
| Florida | 6.00% | 1.06% | 7.06% | |
| Indiana | 7.00% | 0.00% | 7.00% | No local sales taxes. Flat 7% statewide. |
| Rhode Island | 7.00% | 0.00% | 7.00% | No local sales taxes. Flat 7% statewide. |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | 2.24% | 6.99% | |
| Nebraska | 5.50% | 1.39% | 6.89% | |
| New Jersey | 6.63% | 0.00% | 6.60% | Salem County exempt from statewide rate — collects 3.3125% local only. |
| Connecticut | 6.35% | 0.00% | 6.35% | No local sales taxes. Flat 6.35% statewide. |
| Pennsylvania | 6.00% | 0.34% | 6.34% | |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | 0.00% | 6.25% | No local sales taxes. Flat 6.25% statewide. Groceries exempt. |
| Vermont | 6.00% | 0.18% | 6.18% | |
| South Dakota | 4.20% | 1.90% | 6.10% | Temporarily reduced from 4.5% to 4.2% (reverts after 4 years). |
| West Virginia | 6.00% | 0.04% | 6.04% | |
| Idaho | 6.00% | 0.03% | 6.03% | |
| Iowa | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% | |
| Kentucky | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% | No local sales taxes. Flat 6% statewide. |
| Maryland | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% | No local sales taxes. Flat 6% statewide. |
| Michigan | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% | No local sales taxes. Flat 6% statewide. |
| Washington DC | 6.00% | 0.00% | 6.00% | |
| North Dakota | 5.00% | 0.93% | 5.93% | |
| Virginia | 5.30% | 0.33% | 5.63% | Includes mandatory 1% local add-on. Grocery rate reduced to 1% in 2023. |
| Maine | 5.50% | 0.00% | 5.50% | No local sales taxes. Flat 5.5% statewide. |
| Wisconsin | 5.00% | 0.44% | 5.44% | |
| Wyoming | 4.00% | 1.36% | 5.36% | |
| Hawaii | 4.00% | 0.50% | 4.50% | Technically a General Excise Tax (GET), not sales tax. Broadest base in US. |
| Alaska | 0.00% | 1.82% | 1.82% | No state tax. Local govts can levy up to ~7.5%. Avg local 1.82%. |
| Delaware | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% ✓ | NOMAD — No Sales Tax |
| Montana | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% ✓ | NOMAD — No Sales Tax |
| New Hampshire | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% ✓ | NOMAD — No Sales Tax |
| Oregon | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% ✓ | NOMAD — No Sales Tax |
Average local rates are population-weighted averages. Actual local rates vary by city and county. Updated January 2026. Source: Tax Foundation.
Combined rate including state + all local taxes · Click to use in calculator
At 6.99% combined rate · Updated January 2026
| Purchase Amount | Sales Tax | Total Price | Per $100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.70 | $10.70 | $6.99 |
| $25 | $1.75 | $26.75 | $6.99 |
| $50 | $3.50 | $53.49 | $6.99 |
| $100 | $6.99 | $106.99 | $6.99 |
| $250 | $17.48 | $267.48 | $6.99 |
| $500 | $34.95 | $534.95 | $6.99 |
| $1,000 | $69.90 | $1069.90 | $6.99 |
Combined rate including state + all local taxes
Rates include state + county + city taxes. Exact rates can vary within a city by district. Updated January 2026.
Prescription medications are exempt from sales tax in every US state including North Carolina.
Unprepared food and groceries are not taxed in North Carolina. Restaurant meals and prepared food are still taxable.
Clothing is taxed at the standard 6.99% rate in North Carolina.
Restaurant meals and prepared food are taxable in all states with a sales tax, including North Carolina.
North Carolina's sales tax consists of a 4.75% state rate plus average local taxes of 2.24%, bringing the combined average rate to 6.99%. Groceries exempt from state tax. Prepared food taxed. On a $100 purchase, you pay $6.99 in sales tax. On a $1,000 purchase, the tax is $69.90. Rates can vary within North Carolina depending on the county and city of purchase.
North Carolina sales tax is calculated by multiplying your purchase price by the applicable combined tax rate. The combined rate includes both the 4.75% North Carolina state rate and any applicable local taxes in your specific location. The rate is applied to the pre-tax price and added to your total at checkout. For example, a $250 purchase in North Carolina at the average 6.99% combined rate includes $17.48 in sales tax, for a total of $267.48.
Sales tax rates vary within North Carolina depending on county and city. Durham has one of the highest combined rates at 7.50%, while Greensboro has a lower rate of 7.00%. The variation comes from different local add-on taxes approved by voters or county boards. When shopping online in North Carolina, the rate is typically based on your delivery address — known as destination-based sourcing.
North Carolina residents pay sales tax on online purchases. Since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, states can require online retailers to collect sales tax even without a physical presence in the state. Major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Target collect North Carolina sales tax at checkout on orders delivered to North Carolina addresses. The rate applied is based on your delivery address — your specific city and county rate, not just the state base rate.
North Carolina exempts certain product categories from sales tax. Prescription drugs are exempt in North Carolina (as they are in all 50 states). Unprepared groceries are also exempt from North Carolina sales tax, though restaurant meals and prepared food are taxable. Clothing is subject to the standard North Carolina sales tax rate. When in doubt about whether a specific item is taxable, check the North Carolina Department of Revenue website.
If you paid a total amount that included North Carolina sales tax and need to find the original pre-tax price, use the reverse sales tax formula: divide the total amount by (1 + combined rate). For example, if you paid $108.19 in North Carolina where the combined rate is 6.99%, the pre-tax price was $108.19 ÷ 1.0699 = $101.12. Our calculator above has a built-in reverse mode — just enter the total paid and it calculates the original price and tax amount automatically.
Calculate your North Carolina take-home pay after all federal and state deductions.
See your combined federal + North Carolina income tax. Estimate refund or amount owed.
All North Carolina taxes in one place — income, sales, property explained.