Washington State charges a 6.5% statewide base sales tax — one of the higher base rates in the US — but it also levies no state income tax, making sales tax the dominant source of state revenue. On top of the 6.5% base, cities, counties, and regional transit authorities stack their own add-ons, so the combined rate in Seattle reaches 10.35% while rural areas may sit closer to 8.6–9.0%. This calculator handles both directions: add sales tax to a pre-tax price to find the total you owe, or strip tax out of an amount you already paid to see what the item cost before tax.
How it works
Add-tax mode (pre-tax price to total)
The calculator multiplies your pre-tax amount by the combined rate (Washington state 6.5% plus your local add-on):
Tax = Pre-tax amount x Combined rate
Total = Pre-tax amount + Tax
For example, on a $200 purchase in Seattle (combined rate 10.35%):
- Tax = $200 x 0.1035 = $20.70
- Total = $200 + $20.70 = $220.70
Remove-tax mode (total to pre-tax)
When you already know the final amount and need to recover the pre-tax price, the calculator reverses the formula:
Pre-tax = Total paid / (1 + Combined rate)
Tax = Total paid - Pre-tax
Using the same example: $220.70 / 1.1035 = $200.00 pre-tax, $20.70 tax.
The Washington state base rate: 6.5%
The 6.5% statewide base has been Washington’s primary general sales-tax rate for decades and is set by the state legislature. It applies to retail sales of tangible personal property and many services. Groceries (food for home consumption) and prescription drugs are exempt from state sales tax, but prepared food — restaurant meals, for instance — is fully taxable.
Unlike some states where the “state rate” is a composite of multiple earmarked components, Washington’s 6.5% flows into the state general fund as a single line item. All additional revenue comes from separately legislated local add-ons.
Local rates across Washington
Washington’s local add-ons span a wide range and include county taxes, city taxes, transit-district levies (particularly Sound Transit’s RTA tax in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties), and occasional special-purpose district taxes.
| City / Area | Local add-on | Combined rate |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 3.85% | 10.35% |
| Tacoma | 3.90% | 10.40% |
| Bellevue | 3.80% | 10.30% |
| Kirkland | 3.80% | 10.30% |
| Everett | 3.40% | 9.90% |
| Olympia | 2.50% | 9.00% |
| Yakima | 2.30% | 8.80% |
| Spokane | 2.40% | 8.90% |
| Bellingham | 2.40% | 8.90% |
| Vancouver | 2.20% | 8.70% |
| Kennewick | 2.10% | 8.60% |
Rates can change when a transit ballot measure passes or a new city levy is approved, so always verify the current rate for your exact address at dor.wa.gov.
Worked example
A Tacoma resident buys a laptop advertised at $899.00 (pre-tax). The store is in Tacoma, where the combined rate is 10.4% (6.5% state + 3.9% local):
- Washington state tax (6.5%): $899.00 x 0.065 = $58.44
- Local / transit tax (3.9%): $899.00 x 0.039 = $35.06
- Total sales tax: $93.50
- Final price: $899.00 + $93.50 = $992.50
To verify in reverse: $992.50 / 1.104 = $899.0 pre-tax. The breakdown matches.
Note: Washington sales tax generally applies to retail sales of tangible personal property and many digital goods and services. Food for home consumption and prescription medicines are exempt. Consult the WA DOR or a tax professional for guidance on your specific transaction type.
Every calculation on this page runs entirely in your browser — no figures are ever sent to any server.