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Sales Tax Calculator Texas — Free 2026

Calculate Texas sales tax with the 6.25% state base rate. Click a city for local combined rates or enter your own.

Enter a valid amount.
Houston 8.25% Dallas 8.25% San Antonio 8.25% Austin 8.25% Fort Worth 8.25% El Paso 8.25% State Base 6.25%

Sales Tax Breakdown

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Tax Amount
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Total With Tax
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Effective Rate
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Pre-Tax Amount

How It Works

  1. Enter purchase amount
  2. Select your city rate
  3. View results
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Understanding Sales Tax in Texas

Texas levies a 6.25% state sales tax, with local jurisdictions adding up to 2% for a maximum combined rate of 8.25%. With no state income tax, Texas relies heavily on sales tax revenue. Most major cities — including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and Fort Worth — sit at the full 8.25% combined rate. Only smaller towns and unincorporated areas may have lower rates.

How Texas Sales Tax Works

The 6.25% state rate applies to most retail purchases. Cities, counties, transit authorities, and special purpose districts can each add their portions, but the total local addition is capped at 2%. This makes Texas predictable for shoppers — most urban areas charge 8.25%. The Texas Comptroller maintains a rate lookup tool for exact rates by address. For help figuring out tips on restaurant meals, try the tip calculator.

Exemptions and Tax Holidays

Groceries (unprepared food) are exempt from Texas sales tax, as are prescription medications. Clothing and footwear are normally taxed, but Texas holds a popular back-to-school sales tax holiday each August exempting qualifying items under $100. There are also Energy Star appliance and disaster preparedness tax holidays. For all-states comparison, see the US Sales Tax Calculator.

State base rates shown. Local rates vary — use your receipt or city's website for exact combined rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Texas's sales tax rate?
Texas has a state base sales tax rate of 6.25%. Local jurisdictions (cities, counties, transit authorities, and special purpose districts) can add up to 2%, bringing the maximum combined rate to 8.25%. Most major Texas cities like Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin have a combined rate of 8.25%.
What is the maximum combined sales tax in Texas?
The maximum combined sales tax rate in Texas is 8.25%, which includes the 6.25% state rate plus the maximum 2% in local taxes. Most large cities in Texas are at this 8.25% cap. No jurisdiction can exceed this combined maximum.
Are groceries taxed in Texas?
No. Most grocery food items are exempt from Texas sales tax. This includes unprepared food bought at grocery stores such as bread, milk, produce, and meat. However, prepared food, candy, soft drinks, and food sold by restaurants are taxable at the full rate.
Does Texas have sales tax holidays?
Yes. Texas offers several sales tax holidays each year. The back-to-school sales tax holiday (usually in August) exempts qualifying clothing, footwear (under $100), school supplies (under $100), and backpacks (under $100). Texas also has an Energy Star sales tax holiday for qualifying energy-efficient appliances and a disaster preparedness holiday for emergency supplies.

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