Washington Sales Tax Calculator 2026
6.5% state rate plus local taxes averaging 2.88%
Calculate Sales Tax
Enter your amount to see the complete sales tax breakdown for Washington
- State rate
- 6.5%
- Avg local add-on
- 2.88%
- Combined average
- 9.38%
- Rank of 50
- 4
Washington sales tax rates at a glance
How sales tax works in Washington
Washington has the fourth-highest combined rate at 9.38%. Seattle: 10.35%, Tacoma: 10.3%.
Because local rates vary, the 9.38% figure is an average rather than a rate you will always be charged. Enter the exact rate for your city or county in the calculator when you need a precise figure — the difference between the 6.5% state floor and the local maximum is what makes Washington sales tax awkward to estimate by hand.
States with a similar combined rate
Worked examples at 9.38%
Adding sales tax
A $100.00 item in Washington costs $109.38 once 9.38% sales tax of $9.38 is added.
Removing sales tax
A receipt totalling $109.38 at 9.38% breaks down to $100.00 before tax plus $9.38 tax.
To remove sales tax, divide the total by 1.0938 rather than subtracting 9.38% — subtracting the percentage from the gross figure gives the wrong answer.
Washington sales tax questions
What is the sales tax rate in Washington?
The Washington state rate is 6.5%. Local jurisdictions add their own on top, averaging 2.88% more, for a typical combined rate of 9.38%.
Does Washington have local sales tax on top of the state rate?
Yes. Counties, cities and special districts levy their own rates in addition to the 6.5% state rate, which is why the combined rate averages 9.38%. Washington has the fourth-highest combined rate at 9.38%. Seattle: 10.35%, Tacoma: 10.3%.
Is sales tax high in Washington?
Washington ranks 4 of 50 states by combined rate at 9.38%, which is 2.77 points above the national average of 6.61%. The highest is Louisiana at 10.11%; the lowest that charges anything is Alaska at 1.76%.
Who collects sales tax in Washington?
Retailers collect sales tax from the customer at the point of sale and remit it to the Washington tax authority. The consumer bears the cost; the business acts as collector.
How do I work out the pre-tax price from a Washington receipt?
Divide the total by 1 + the rate. At 9.38%, a $109.38 total works back to $100.00 before tax. The calculator above does this for you in "Remove Sales Tax" mode.