π Reverse Sales Tax Calculator
Enter a receipt total β get the original price before tax and the sales tax paid. All 50 US states + DC.
Calculator Inputs
Choose which value you enter; the calculator derives the rest.
Rate auto-fills with the state + average local combined rate.
Extracts pre-tax & tax from receipt total
= State 7.25% + Avg local 1.60%
Sales Tax
$8.85
Total $108.85
Breakdown
β’ The US has no federal VAT β sales tax is state + local only.
β’ 5 states have no statewide sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, Alaska.
β’ City and county rates add to the state rate; combined rates above use state averages.
* This calculator is for estimation only β verify with the state Department of Revenue for filing.
Quick reference β current state rate Γ common amounts
| Pre-tax | Tax (8.85%) | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.89 | $10.89 |
| $25.00 | $2.21 | $27.21 |
| $50.00 | $4.43 | $54.43 |
| $100.00 | $8.85 | $108.85 |
| $250.00 | $22.13 | $272.13 |
| $500.00 | $44.25 | $544.25 |
| $1,000.00 | $88.50 | $1,088.50 |
| $5,000.00 | $442.50 | $5,442.50 |
How reverse sales tax works
A reverse sales tax calculation takes a tax-included total and works backward to recover the original pre-tax price and the sales tax extracted. The math is a single division: Pre-tax = Total Γ· (1 + rate). The remaining cents are the tax. This is the inverse of forward sales tax, where you start with a list price and add tax on top.
Quick worked example β $108.85 receipt in California
| Receipt total (tax-included) | $108.85 |
| Combined rate (CA avg) | 8.85% |
| Pre-tax = 108.85 Γ· 1.0885 | $100.00 |
| Tax extracted = 108.85 β 100.00 | $8.85 |
When to use reverse sales tax
Many reimbursement systems require the tax line broken out separately even when only the total is on the receipt.
Confirm a merchant charged the correct combined rate for your city or county.
Amazon, Etsy, and Shopify payouts mix tax-inclusive totals β reverse-calc to split product revenue from collected sales tax.
βIf my budget is $1,000 out the door, what is the most I can spend on the listed price?β Reverse-calc tells you instantly.
Reverse vs forward sales tax β at a glance
| Forward | Reverse | |
|---|---|---|
| You know | Pre-tax price + rate | Receipt total + rate |
| You want | Tax + total | Pre-tax price + tax |
| Formula | Tax = Price Γ rate | Pre-tax = Total Γ· (1 + rate) |
Frequently asked questions
Divide the total by (1 + tax rate). For a $108.85 total at an 8.85% combined rate: $108.85 Γ· 1.0885 = $100.00 pre-tax. The tax paid is $108.85 β $100.00 = $8.85. The calculator above does this automatically once you pick a state and enter your receipt total.
Three common cases: (1) expense reports where you must split out the tax line for reimbursement or bookkeeping, (2) verifying a receipt charged the correct rate, and (3) reconciling marketplace payouts (Amazon, Etsy, Shopify) where the customer paid a tax-inclusive total. It is also useful for budgeting big purchases β "if my budget is $1,000 total, what is the most I can spend on the item itself?"
Pick "Total (reverse)" mode, choose your state (the combined state + average local rate auto-fills), and enter the receipt total. The result card shows the pre-tax price, the extracted tax, and the rate applied. If your receipt shows a city-specific rate that differs from the state average, use "Custom rate" and enter the exact percent from your receipt.
Two equivalent forms: Pre-tax = Total Γ· (1 + rate), and Tax = Total Γ rate Γ· (1 + rate). Example with 7% Pennsylvania rate on a $214 total: Pre-tax = $214 / 1.07 = $200.00; Tax = $214 Γ 0.07 / 1.07 = $14.00. Always use the decimal form of the rate (0.07, not 7).
Yes. Effective rate = (Total β Pre-tax) Γ· Pre-tax. Example: a $215 receipt for a $200 listed item β ($215 β $200) Γ· $200 = 0.075 = 7.5%. This is useful when your receipt does not separately print the tax rate, only the tax amount and subtotal.
It should not β both directions use the same combined rate and the math is exactly inverse. A discrepancy of one cent can appear from rounding (the calculator rounds two values and derives the third by subtraction so subtotal + tax = total holds exactly). If you see a larger difference, your receipt likely used a city/county rate that differs from the state average; switch to Custom rate.
Related tools
Combined rate data: Tax Foundation, January 2025.