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Trying to understand your sales tax burden in the Keystone State but feeling unsure where to begin? Let our easy-to-use Pennsylvania Sales Tax Calculator do the work for you. Simply input the purchase amount and applicable rate, and we’ll handle the rest.
Pennsylvania imposes a base sales tax rate of 6%1 on most retail sales, leases, and services. However, certain local jurisdictions—like Philadelphia and Allegheny County—add their own sales tax, resulting in combined rates between 6% and 8% across the state.
Your sales tax rate depends on where you purchase or sell goods in Pennsylvania. Use our calculator to determine exactly how much sales tax you owe.
To calculate the sales tax amount in Pennsylvania, start by determining the sales tax rate for the location where you’re buying or selling goods. Add any county or city sales tax to Pennsylvania’s state base rate of 6% to get your total combined sales tax rate.
For example, if your business operates in Philadelphia, you would add the city’s sales tax rate (2%) to the state’s base rate (6%) to get a total combined sales tax rate of 8%. In Allegheny County, you would add the county’s sales tax rate (1%) to the state’s base rate (6%) to get a total combined sales tax rate of 7%.
Multiply the Purchase Amount by the applicable Sales Tax Rate (6.25%) to get the Sales Tax amount
Add the Sales Tax to the original Purchase Amount to find the Total Cost
You can use these formulas or use our calculator for a faster answer.
Sales Tax = Purchase Amount × Sales Tax Rate
Total Cost = Purchase Amount + Sales Tax
1 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Sales, Use, and Hotel Occupancy Tax
Pennsylvania, like many states, exempts some items from sales tax to lessen the financial burden on consumers and support essential needs. Common exemptions include:2
Most unprepared grocery items are exempt. Prepared foods, soft drinks, and candy are taxable.
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Most general clothing is exempt, but formalwear, accessories, and certain luxury items are taxed.
Medications prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional are tax-exempt.
Items such as prosthetics and wheelchairs are exempt.
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Residential use of electricity, gas, and heating fuels is generally tax-exempt.
2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Sales, Use, and Hotel Occupancy Tax
3Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Tax Rates
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1 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Sales, Use, and Hotel Occupancy Tax
2 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Sales, Use, and Hotel Occupancy Tax
3 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Tax Sales
