Reverse Sales Tax Calculator
Got a tax-inclusive price? Work backwards to find the pre-tax amount and the sales tax — at any state-and-local rate.
Remove Sales Tax
Removing 7% sales tax from $107.00 leaves $100.00 net — the sales tax portion is $7.00.
Results update as you type.
Formula
Reversing sales tax from a tax-inclusive total is a single division:
net = gross / (1 + rate / 100).
The sales-tax portion is whatever's left:
vat = gross − net. Switching to the Add tab
works the opposite direction:
gross = net × (1 + rate / 100).
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Frequently asked questions
How do I find the pre-tax price from a tax-inclusive total?▾
Divide the gross by (1 + rate/100). At a 7% rate, divide by 1.07; at 8.875% (NYC), divide by 1.08875. The sales tax is the difference between gross and pre-tax. For example, a $107 tax-inclusive total at 7% has a $100 pre-tax price and $7 of sales tax.
Why isn't the sales tax just 7% of the gross?▾
Because sales tax is calculated on the pre-tax price, not the post-tax total. 7% of $107 is $7.49, but $99.51 + $7.49 ≠ $107 at a 7% rate (you'd actually need a 7.5% rate for that). The correct pre-tax price for a $107 gross at 7% is $100.00, with $7.00 of tax.
When is a US receipt tax-inclusive vs tax-exclusive?▾
Almost never tax-inclusive. US retailers virtually always show the pre-tax shelf price and add tax at checkout — meaning the receipt typically lists the pre-tax subtotal, the tax, and the total separately. The reverse-tax calculation is more useful for working from a verbally quoted total (e.g. 'that'll be $107 out the door') back to the pre-tax breakdown for accounting.
Does this work for use tax or excise tax?▾
If those taxes are a flat percentage applied on top of the pre-tax amount, yes — enter the rate in the rate field. Use tax (owed by the buyer when sales tax wasn't collected at purchase) typically uses the same rate as sales tax. Excise tax on specific goods (alcohol, fuel, tobacco) often uses per-unit rates rather than percentages, in which case this calculator doesn't apply directly.
What if I don't know the exact rate?▾
Look up the combined state-and-local rate for the city or county where the sale happened. State revenue departments publish lookup tables; the Tax Foundation maintains a national reference. If you're working from a receipt, the rate is usually inferable: divide the tax by the pre-tax subtotal and you have the effective rate for that purchase.