Introduction
This NYC Sales Tax Calculator shows how much sales tax you pay in New York City. The city's combined rate is 8.875%. That is 4% for New York State, 4.5% for New York City, and 0.375% for the MCTD (a transit tax for the New York metro area). This rate is the same in all five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
You can use it two ways. Type in a price before tax to find the tax and the total you will pay. Or type in a receipt total that already has tax in it, and the tool will pull the tax back out. This helps you check a receipt, price a product, or file sales tax for a small business. If you need the general nationwide version, try our Sales Tax Calculator, or work backward from a total with the Reverse Tax Calculator.
Not in the city? Use the address or ZIP code lookup. It finds the right rate for other New York places, like Yonkers, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester, and Rockland. You can also type in any rate yourself. Shopping in another state? See the Missouri Sales Tax Calculator or the broader State Tax Calculator.
The results show a clear breakdown of each tax, a step-by-step solution, and a chart of where your money goes. There is also a table of common NYC exemptions. For example, clothing and shoes under $110 per item are tax free in NYC, and so are groceries, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements.
How to use our NYC Sales Tax Calculator
Enter your price and the sales tax rate, and the calculator shows your pre-tax amount, the sales tax, and your total with tax. It also breaks the tax into state, city, and MCTD parts, shows the math step by step, and lists which items are exempt.
Sales Tax Rate (%): This starts at 8.875%, the combined rate for all five NYC boroughs. Change it only if you buy in another place or the rate changes. To see what any rate works out to as a share of your bill, our Tax Percentage Calculator can help.
Street Address: Type the street number and name of the store or delivery spot in New York. This helps the tool find the right local rate.
City: Type the city or borough, like New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, or Yonkers.
ZIP Code: Type the 5-digit ZIP code. This is optional, but it gives you a more exact rate. Then press "Look Up Tax Rate" to apply it.
Use My Current Location: Click this button to fill in your address from your device. Your browser will ask for permission first.
Calculation Mode: Pick "add tax" if you have a price before tax. Pick "remove tax" if you have a final total and want to find the tax inside it.
Enter Amount ($): Type your dollar amount, like 49.99. Results update as you type, so you do not need to click anything. Use "Clear / Reset" to start over. If your purchase is on sale, run the price through the Discount Calculator first, then add tax here.
What Is NYC Sales Tax?
Sales tax is extra money added to the price of most things you buy. In New York City, the total sales tax rate is 8.875%. That means a $100 item costs $108.88 at the register. Stores collect the tax and send it to the state, which then shares it with the city.
How the 8.875% Rate Is Built
The NYC rate is really three taxes stacked together:
- 4.000% — New York State tax
- 4.500% — New York City tax
- 0.375% — Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD) tax, which helps pay for subways, buses, and trains
The same 8.875% rate applies in all five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Sales tax is only one part of living in the city — city and state income tax come out of your paycheck too, which you can estimate with the NYC Paycheck Calculator or the New York Paycheck Calculator.
What Is Taxed and What Is Not
Most goods and some services are taxed. But New York gives breaks on things people need every day:
- Clothing and shoes under $110 per item — no sales tax in NYC. If one item costs $110 or more, the full 8.875% applies to that item.
- Groceries you cook at home — no tax. Bread, milk, rice, and fresh food are exempt.
- Restaurant meals, takeout, and prepared food — taxed at the full rate. When you eat out, remember the tip is figured on the pre-tax bill; the Tip Calculator handles that split.
- Prescription and over-the-counter medicine — no tax. Vitamins and dietary supplements are also exempt.
Note: the $110 clothing rule is per item, not per receipt. Buying five $50 shirts is still tax free, even though the total is $250.
Adding Tax vs. Removing Tax
There are two common jobs. To add tax, multiply the price by 0.08875 and add it on. To remove tax from a receipt total, divide the total by 1.08875 to find the pre-tax price, then subtract to find the tax. Backing tax out is useful for expense reports, bookkeeping, and business records. Sellers pricing goods for profit may also want the Markup Calculator and the Margin Calculator, since tax is collected on top of your margin, not out of it.
Rates Near NYC Are Different
Cross a city line and the rate changes. Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island charge about 8.625%. Westchester and Rockland counties are often 8.375%, though Yonkers reaches 8.875%. Sales tax is based on where the item is delivered or picked up, not where the store's main office sits. Rates can change, so check the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for the current number before you file.
Related Tax Tools
Sales tax is one of several taxes New Yorkers pay. Homeowners can estimate their annual bill with the Property Tax Calculator, while filers can review brackets with the Tax Bracket Calculator, check the share of income they really pay using the Effective Tax Rate Calculator, and project a refund with the Tax Refund Calculator. Online sellers and freelancers may also find the Self Employment Tax Calculator, eBay Fee Calculator, and Etsy Fee Calculator useful when pricing items sold into New York. Shoppers comparing cities can also look at the Cost of Living Calculator.