Sales Tax Calculator
Add tax to a price, remove tax from a total, or find the tax rate between two prices. Works for GST, VAT, US state tax and any custom rate. Free and no sign up needed.
Quick Tax Rates
Price before tax + Tax rate = Final price
US State Sales Tax Rates 2025
Click any row to use that state's rate in the calculator above.
How to Use This Calculator
This calculator has three tabs. Each one solves a different tax problem. Pick the tab that matches the information you already have.
Add Tax to Price
You know the price before tax and want to find the final amount to pay. Type the price and the tax rate. You will instantly see the tax amount and the total. This is useful when a shop displays prices without tax included, which is common in Pakistan and the United States.
Remove Tax from Price
You have a total that already has tax included and want to find the original price. Type the total and the tax rate. The calculator works backward to show you the before-tax price and the exact tax amount that was charged. Useful when reading receipts or preparing accounts.
Find Tax Rate
You have both the original price and the final price but do not know what tax rate was applied. Type both prices and the calculator tells you the exact rate and the amount of tax that was charged. Useful for checking receipts or understanding what rate a supplier used on an invoice.
Tips to get results faster
Tap any of the quick rate buttons at the top of the calculator to fill the tax rate field in one click. Pakistan GST is the 17% PK button. European VAT rates and common US state rates are also included. You can type any custom percentage directly into the rate field too.
The US state rates table below the calculator shows all 50 states. Click any row to apply that state's rate directly to the calculator. Use the search box to find your state without scrolling.
What Is Sales Tax
Sales tax is a charge that governments add to the sale of goods and services. The seller collects it from the buyer at the point of sale and then passes it to the government. It is one of the main ways governments raise money alongside income tax. In Pakistan it is called GST. In Europe it is called VAT. In the United States it is simply called sales tax and varies by state.
How sales tax is collected
When you buy something the seller adds tax on top of the item price. They collect this from you and send it to the government at regular intervals usually monthly or quarterly. The buyer pays the tax but the seller is responsible for collecting and remitting it correctly. If a business fails to collect the right amount it is the business that faces penalties not the customer.
Who has to charge sales tax
Any registered business that sells taxable goods or services must charge sales tax. In Pakistan businesses with annual turnover above the threshold must register with the Federal Board of Revenue and charge GST. In the US a business must charge sales tax in any state where it has a physical presence like a store or warehouse or where it exceeds a certain sales volume. This is called nexus.
What goods and services attract tax
Most physical products are taxable. This includes electronics, clothing, furniture, appliances, vehicles and household items. Services are taxable in some countries and not in others. In Pakistan most services attract 16 percent provincial sales tax separately from federal GST. In the US states like Texas tax many services including some digital ones while others like California have more limited service taxes.
Items that are commonly exempt include basic food groceries, prescription medicines, educational books and some agricultural goods. The exact list varies by country and region. If you are unsure whether a specific item in Pakistan carries GST you can check the FBR website at fbr.gov.pk.
How to Calculate Sales Tax by Hand
There are three calculations you might need to do depending on what information you have. This calculator handles all three instantly. Here is how each one works manually.
Adding tax to a price
Tax = Price × Rate ÷ 100
Total = Price + Tax
A phone costs 50000 rupees. GST is 17 percent. Tax = 50000 × 17 ÷ 100 = 8500 rupees. Total to pay = 58500 rupees.
Removing tax from a total
Pre-Tax = Total ÷ (1 + Rate ÷ 100)
Tax Paid = Total − Pre-Tax
You paid 58500 rupees including 17 percent GST. Pre-Tax = 58500 ÷ 1.17 = 50000 rupees. Tax paid = 8500 rupees.
Finding the tax rate
Tax Amount = Total − Pre-Tax
Rate = (Tax ÷ Pre-Tax) × 100
Item before tax was 50000. After tax it is 58500. Tax = 8500. Rate = (8500 ÷ 50000) × 100 = 17 percent.
Important: Tax is applied on the discounted price
In most countries including Pakistan, tax is always applied after the discount. So if a product is 10000 rupees with 20 percent off, the discounted price is 8000 rupees and then 17 percent GST is applied on 8000. The final amount is 9360 rupees — not tax on the original 10000. Our Discount Calculator includes a built-in GST option that handles both discount and tax together in one step.
Sales Tax, GST and VAT Rates Around the World
Every country has its own name and rate for consumption tax. The formula to calculate it is the same everywhere. Here is a quick reference for the most common countries and regions.
🇵🇰 Pakistan — GST
Pakistan's standard General Sales Tax rate is 17 percent on most goods. There are also rates of 25 percent on luxury items, 13 percent on some services and zero rate on basic food and medicines. The Federal Board of Revenue manages collection. Many prices in shops are shown without GST so you need to add 17 percent to know what you will actually pay.
🇮🇳 India — GST 5% to 18%
India uses a slab-based GST system. Essential goods attract 5 percent while most consumer goods and electronics fall under 18 percent. Some items like luxury cars and tobacco carry 28 percent. Essential food items, fresh vegetables and medicines are mostly zero-rated. The rate for a specific product depends on its HSN code classification.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia and UAE — VAT 15% and 5%
Saudi Arabia charges VAT at 15 percent since 2020 when it tripled from 5 percent. The UAE keeps VAT at 5 percent which is among the lowest in the world. Bahrain charges 10 percent and Oman 5 percent. Qatar and Kuwait have no VAT. For cross-border Pakistani workers sending remittances these rates affect what goods and services cost in those countries.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom — VAT 20%
The UK charges 20 percent standard VAT on most goods and services. A reduced rate of 5 percent applies to home energy and children's car seats. Food, books, children's clothing and medicines carry zero VAT. In the UK prices are usually displayed with VAT already included so the shelf price is what you pay. The Remove Tax tab in this calculator is useful for finding the pre-VAT price from a UK total.
🇺🇸 United States — 0% to 7.25% by State
The US has no federal sales tax. Each state sets its own rate. California has the highest state rate at 7.25 percent while Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware and Alaska have no state tax at all. Cities and counties can add their own local tax on top of the state rate. For example in Los Angeles the combined rate is about 10.25 percent. Prices in US stores are always shown before tax.
🌍 Other Countries at a Glance
Australia GST is 10 percent. Canada GST is 5 percent with additional provincial taxes. Germany VAT is 19 percent. France VAT is 20 percent. Turkey is 20 percent. Hungary has the highest VAT in the world at 27 percent. Singapore GST is 9 percent. Japan consumption tax is 10 percent. This calculator works for all of these. Just type the rate for your country.
Real Life Examples
Here are everyday situations where knowing how to calculate tax quickly saves time and prevents mistakes.
Buying electronics in Pakistan
A shop shows a laptop at 80000 rupees plus GST. Select Add Tax, type 80000 and 17. Total = 93600 rupees. Tax = 13600 rupees. You now know exactly what to take to the shop before you go.
Checking a restaurant bill
Your bill is 3510 rupees and you want to see the food cost separate from tax. Select Remove Tax, type 3510 and 17. Food cost = 3000. Tax = 510. You can now verify the restaurant charged the right rate.
Writing a business invoice
Your service fee is 25000 rupees and you must add 17 percent GST. Add Tax mode gives you Tax = 4250 and Total = 29250. These exact numbers go on your invoice. No manual math needed.
Buying from a US website
A product is 150 dollars in California. Select the California row from the state table to load 7.25 percent. Type 150. Tax = 10.88 dollars. Total = 160.88 dollars. Switch currency to USD and the result shows in dollars.
Spotting an overcharge
You expected 17 percent GST but the total feels too high. Use Find Tax Rate. Type the pre-tax price and the amount you were charged. If the rate shows 20 percent instead of 17 the business charged the wrong rate and you can ask for a correction.
Wholesale pricing for retailers
A wholesaler charges 50000 rupees plus GST. A retailer needs the VAT-inclusive price for the price tag. Add Tax gives 58500 rupees. The retailer can now price the item correctly for end customers without doing any math.
Questions People Ask
Straightforward answers to common questions about sales tax and this calculator.