Reverse Sales Tax CalculatorSplit any total into price + tax
To remove sales tax from a total, divide the total by (1 + tax rate). Example: $108.25 at 8.25% tax was $108.25 ÷ 1.0825 = $100.00 before tax, with $8.25 of tax. Subtracting 8.25% instead gives the wrong answer.
- US state rates 2026
- GST, HST & VAT presets
- State + county + city
- Find-the-rate mode
By Manzoor Ahmad · 13+ years of web development & SEO · Updated October 25, 2026Take the tax out
What Is Reverse Sales Tax?
Reverse sales tax is working backward from a total that already includes tax to find the price before tax and the tax amount. Divide the total by one plus the tax rate: Pre-tax price = Total ÷ (1 + Rate). A $108.25 total at 8.25% was $108.25 ÷ 1.0825 = $100.00, so the tax was $8.25.
Reverse Sales Tax Formulas
Price before tax
Pre-tax = Total ÷ (1 + r)$108.25 ÷ 1.0825 = $100.00.
Tax amount
Tax = Total − Pre-tax = Total × r ÷ (1 + r)$108.25 × 0.0825 ÷ 1.0825 = $8.25.
Combined local rate
r = State + County + City6.25% + 1% + 1% = 8.25%. Local rates add; they don’t multiply.
Find the rate
r = (Total − Pre-tax) ÷ Pre-tax × 100($108.25 − $100) ÷ $100 = 8.25%.
Why You Can’t Just Subtract the Tax Percentage
Taking 8.25% off $108.25 gives $99.32, not $100. The tax was calculated on the smaller pre-tax price, so the tax is a smaller share of the total than the rate suggests: at 8.25%, tax is only 7.62% of what you paid.
| Tax rate | Divide total by | Pre-tax price of a $100 total | Tax inside $100 | Tax share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | ÷ 1.05 | $95.24 | $4.76 | 4.76% |
| 6% | ÷ 1.06 | $94.34 | $5.66 | 5.66% |
| 6.25% | ÷ 1.0625 | $94.12 | $5.88 | 5.88% |
| 7% | ÷ 1.07 | $93.46 | $6.54 | 6.54% |
| 7.25% | ÷ 1.0725 | $93.24 | $6.76 | 6.76% |
| 8% | ÷ 1.08 | $92.59 | $7.41 | 7.41% |
| 8.25% | ÷ 1.0825 | $92.38 | $7.62 | 7.62% |
| 9% | ÷ 1.09 | $91.74 | $8.26 | 8.26% |
| 9.5% | ÷ 1.095 | $91.32 | $8.68 | 8.68% |
| 10% | ÷ 1.1 | $90.91 | $9.09 | 9.09% |
| 13% | ÷ 1.13 | $88.50 | $11.50 | 11.50% |
| 20% | ÷ 1.2 | $83.33 | $16.67 | 16.67% |
Worked Example: Splitting a $108.25 Receipt
- Find your rate. Texas state rate 6.25% + 1% county + 1% city = 8.25%.
- Add 1 and convert. 1 + 0.0825 = 1.0825.
- Divide the total. $108.25 ÷ 1.0825 = $100.00 before tax.
- Subtract to get the tax. $108.25 − $100.00 = $8.25.
Who Uses a Reverse Sales Tax Calculator?
Expense reports
Employers and accountants often want the tax shown separately from the item cost.
Small businesses
Sellers who quote tax-inclusive prices need to know how much sales tax to remit.
Sales tax deduction
US taxpayers who itemize can deduct state and local sales tax instead of income tax; the IRS has a separate tool for that estimate.
Canada, UK & Australia
Prices that include GST, HST or VAT can be split the same way using the international presets.
Returns & refunds
Check that a refund includes the tax you paid on the item.
Discounted receipts
To go further back to the price before a discount, use the Original Price Calculator.
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Reverse Sales Tax Calculator FAQs
Divide the total by one plus the tax rate as a decimal. At 8.25%, a $108.25 total was $108.25 ÷ 1.0825 = $100.00 before tax, and the tax was $8.25.
Pre-tax price = Total ÷ (1 + Rate). Tax = Total − Pre-tax price, or Total × Rate ÷ (1 + Rate).
Because the tax was charged on the smaller pre-tax amount. Subtracting 8.25% from $108.25 gives $99.32, which is 68 cents too low.
$100 ÷ 1.07 = $93.46 before tax, so $6.54 of the $100 is tax.
Subtract the pre-tax subtotal from the total, divide by the pre-tax subtotal and multiply by 100. Use the Find the rate mode.
Add them. A 6.25% state rate, 1% county rate and 1% city rate make 8.25%. Then use the combined rate in the formula.
Yes. Tax-inclusive prices in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand are split the same way. For example, a £120 price including 20% VAT is £100 plus £20 VAT.
Ontario’s harmonized sales tax is 13%, so a C$113 tax-inclusive total is C$100 plus C$13 HST.
According to the Tax Foundation’s midyear 2026 data, Louisiana (about 10.13%), Tennessee (9.61%), Washington (9.57%), Arkansas (9.48%) and Alabama (9.46%) have the highest average combined rates.
Yes, as long as every item was taxed at the same rate. If some items were tax-exempt (common for groceries), split those out first.
First remove the tax with this calculator, then reverse the discount with the Original Price Calculator, which also has a receipt-with-tax mode.
Yes. It is free, needs no sign-up and runs entirely in your browser.
Manzoor Ahmad
Founder of DexoCalc · 13+ years of web development & SEO experience
Manzoor built this reverse sales tax calculator for receipts, expense reports and small sellers. US rates come from the Tax Foundation’s midyear 2026 report; Canadian, UK and Australian presets use the standard national and provincial rates.
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Last reviewed and updated: October 25, 2026
Sources & References
- Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 (rates as of July 1, 2026)
- Canada Revenue Agency — GST/HST rates by province
- GOV.UK — VAT rates
- Australian Taxation Office — Goods and services tax (GST)
- Internal Revenue Service — Sales Tax Deduction Calculator
Disclaimer: results are estimates for planning and comparison. Store policies, coupon terms and local tax rules vary, so your receipt may differ. This calculator is not financial, legal or tax advice.