🧾 Finance

Sales Tax Calculator Georgia — Free 2026

Calculate Georgia sales tax with the 4% state base rate. Click a city for local combined rates or enter your own.

Enter a valid amount.
Atlanta 8.9% Savannah 7% Augusta 8% Columbus 8% Macon 8% State Base 4%

Sales Tax Breakdown

-
Tax Amount
-
Total With Tax
-
Effective Rate
-
Pre-Tax Amount

How It Works

  1. Enter purchase amount
  2. Select your city rate
  3. View results
Advertisement
728x90

Understanding Sales Tax in Georgia

Georgia has one of the lower state base sales tax rates at 4%, but significant local additions push combined rates to 7-9% in most areas. Atlanta shoppers pay among the highest combined rates in the state at 8.9%, driven by multiple overlapping county and city taxes. Georgia's system of voter-approved local option sales taxes means rates vary widely across the state's 159 counties.

How Georgia Sales Tax Works

The 4% state rate applies to most retail purchases. Counties and cities add local taxes through several mechanisms: LOST (Local Option Sales Tax), SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for infrastructure), ELOST (Education Local Option Sales Tax for schools), and HOST (Homestead Option Sales Tax). Each is voter-approved and typically adds 1% each, combining for 3-4% in total local additions. For help calculating tips at Georgia restaurants, try the tip calculator.

Exemptions and Sales Tax Holiday

Groceries are partially exempt in Georgia — the 4% state tax does not apply to most unprepared food, but local taxes (3-4%) still do. Clothing is fully taxable. Georgia offers an annual back-to-school sales tax holiday (usually late July/early August) exempting qualifying clothing under $100, computers under $1,000, and school supplies under $20 from the state portion of the tax. For all-states comparison, see the US Sales Tax Calculator.

State base rates shown. Local rates vary by county — use your receipt or the Georgia Department of Revenue for exact combined rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Georgia's sales tax rate?
Georgia has a state base sales tax rate of 4%. Local jurisdictions (counties and cities) add 3-4% more through LOST (Local Option Sales Tax), SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax), and other local levies. Atlanta (Fulton County) has a combined rate of about 8.9%, while most other major cities like Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, and Macon have combined rates around 7-8%.
How do Georgia's local sales taxes work?
Georgia counties can levy several types of local sales taxes: LOST (Local Option Sales Tax, 1%), SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, 1%), ELOST (Education Local Option Sales Tax, 1%), and HOST (Homestead Option Sales Tax, 1%). These are voter-approved and can combine to add 3-4% on top of the 4% state rate. Each county's total varies based on which local taxes are in effect.
Are groceries taxed in Georgia?
Groceries are partially exempt in Georgia. The 4% state sales tax does not apply to most grocery food items. However, local sales taxes (LOST, SPLOST, ELOST, HOST) still apply to groceries. This means you will typically pay 3-4% local tax on grocery purchases, but not the state's 4% portion. Prepared food and restaurant meals are fully taxable.
Does Georgia have a sales tax holiday?
Yes. Georgia holds an annual back-to-school sales tax holiday, typically in late July or early August. During this period, qualifying items are exempt from the 4% state sales tax: clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less per item, computers and related accessories priced at $1,000 or less, and school supplies priced at $20 or less per item. Local taxes may still apply.

Comments

Advertisement
728x90