Washington State sales tax calculator
Washington has no state income tax — but its 6.5% state sales tax plus heavy local add-ons push Seattle to 10.25%, matching Chicago for the highest big-city rate.
Calculate Sales tax for Washington, USA
Pick a rate, choose direction (add or remove tax), type the amount. The math updates as you type.
How Washington State sales tax works
Washington State has a 6.5% state sales tax, plus county and city rates that add another 0.5%–4.0%. The state has no income tax — sales tax is the primary state revenue. Combined rates in major Washington cities are among the highest in the US.
Sample 2026 combined rates:
- Seattle: 10.25% (6.5% state + 3.75% King County/RTA/city)
- Bellevue / King County suburbs: 10.10% (6.5% + 3.60%)
- Tacoma / Pierce County: 10.30% (6.5% + 3.80%)
- Spokane: 9.00% (6.5% + 2.50%)
- Vancouver (WA): 8.60% (6.5% + 2.10%)
- Olympia: 9.40% (6.5% + 2.90%)
The math: add Washington sales tax
- Add 10.25% (Seattle): total = sticker × 1.1025
- A $1,000 laptop in Seattle: $1,000 × 1.1025 = $1,102.50.
- Compared to the same purchase in Portland, OR (across the river): $1,000 with no sales tax. The $102.50 sales tax differential drives substantial retail traffic across the Columbia.
The Oregon escape hatch
Washington borders Oregon, which has no state sales tax. Washington residents living in Vancouver, WA (across the river from Portland) face a 26-mile-long retail-price discontinuity at the state line. Until 2019, Oregon residents shopping in Washington could claim a sales tax exemption at the till; that exemption was largely repealed, and Washington residents shopping in Oregon technically owe Washington use tax on their purchases, though enforcement is limited.
What's exempt in Washington State
- Most groceries. Food for home consumption is exempt at all levels.
- Prescription medicines: Exempt.
- Newspapers: Exempt.
- Manufacturing equipment: Generally exempt with a use-tax exemption certificate.
- Tribal lands and members: Various exemptions apply on Tribal-controlled lands.
B&O tax: the business-side surprise
Washington uniquely supplements sales tax with the Business & Occupation (B&O) tax — a gross-receipts tax on businesses regardless of profit. Rates range from 0.13% (manufacturing) to 1.5% (service businesses). Buyers don't see B&O directly; sellers absorb it into prices or factor it into quotes. Combined with the 10.25% sales tax, Washington effectively double-taxes some transactions (the seller pays B&O on gross receipts, the buyer pays sales tax on the same transaction). For consumers this is a transparent retail rate; for B2B contracting, the math is messier.
How to use the calculator
Enter your Washington city's combined rate (10.25% Seattle, 10.30% Tacoma, 9% Spokane, etc.), then the pre-tax amount. The calculator returns tax and total.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Washington State sales tax rate in 2026?
The Washington state sales tax rate is 6.5%. Local rates add 0.5%–4.0%, with Seattle at 10.25% and most major Washington cities in the 8.5%–10.5% range. Spokane is at 9%, Vancouver (WA) at 8.6%.
Why does Washington have no state income tax?
The Washington State constitution effectively prohibits a graduated income tax (interpreted by the state supreme court). State revenue is funded primarily through sales tax, property tax, the Business & Occupation gross-receipts tax, and tobacco/alcohol-specific taxes. Repeated ballot measures to introduce an income tax have failed.
Can I avoid Washington sales tax by shopping in Oregon?
Oregon has no sales tax, so purchases there carry no sales tax at the till. Washington residents technically owe Washington use tax at the same rate on items purchased in Oregon and brought back; enforcement is limited but not nonexistent, particularly on large purchases like vehicles.
What is the Washington Business & Occupation tax?
A gross-receipts tax on businesses, ranging from 0.13% (manufacturing) to 1.5% (service businesses). It is paid by the business regardless of profit, distinct from the sales tax that buyers pay. B&O is largely invisible to consumers but factored into retail pricing.
Are groceries taxed in Washington State?
No. Food for home consumption is exempt from Washington state and local sales tax. Restaurant meals, prepared hot food, and snack foods (candy, soft drinks) are taxable at the full combined rate.