Connecticut Sales Tax Rate
Connecticut has one statewide sales tax with no general local add-on, but the state rate is not the only rate on a receipt. Meals are taxed at 7.35%, and a short list of expensive items (cars, jewelry, clothing and footwear above a price threshold) are taxed at 7.75% on the entire price. Food bought to eat at home and prescription drugs are exempt.
State rate
6.35%
Local add-on
None
Combined
6.35%
The sales tax is imposed by the state itself at one statewide rate, and the statute sets no general town or city add-on, so the state rate is the rate on an ordinary receipt anywhere in the state. The rates that differ from it are set by the state for particular goods, not by location.
Work out the tax on a purchase
The calculator applies the state rate. Where local tax applies, add your local rate to get the figure that will appear on the receipt — the official lookup below gives the exact rate for an address.
Total Cost
$106.35
| Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $100.00 |
| State Tax Rate | 6.350% |
| Sales Tax | $6.35 |
| Total | $106.35 |
Groceries are exempt from sales tax in Connecticut.
Sales tax
Tax rate
Total cost
State-level base rates only. Many states allow cities and counties to add local sales taxes which are not included here. Check your local rate for exact calculations.
Edit inputs ↑What Connecticut taxes, and what it doesn't
Groceries and restaurant meals
Food products for human consumption are exempt, but not meals sold by an eating establishment or caterer, which includes food sold on a take-out or to-go basis. Meals and certain drinks are taxed at 7.35%. Liquor, soft drinks, sodas and candy are not covered by the grocery exemption.
Clothing and other luxury items
Clothing is taxed like most other goods, and Connecticut repealed its former exemption for items costing under fifty dollars. Clothing and footwear costing more than $1,000 (and handbags, luggage, umbrellas, wallets and watches) are taxed at 7.75% on the entire sales price, not just the part above $1,000. Jewelry costing more than $5,000 is taxed the same way.
Cars
A motor vehicle costing more than $50,000 is taxed at 7.75% on the entire sales price, with exceptions that include commercial vehicles and vehicles over 12,500 pounds gross weight rating. A car at or below that price is taxed at the state rate. A dealer collects the tax as the retailer; a vehicle bought in another state is taxed through use tax, which is generally paid when the car is registered in Connecticut.
Use tax on out-of-state purchases
If a retailer does not collect Connecticut tax, the buyer owes the equivalent use tax directly to the Department of Revenue Services. Tax correctly paid to another state counts toward it, so only the difference is due, and nothing is owed if the other state charged at least as much as Connecticut.
Get the exact rate for an address
A statewide figure is a starting point, not a receipt. For the rate that actually applies to a specific address, use the state's own lookup — third-party rate tables disagree with each other and go stale between rate changes.
Compare with other states
Frequently asked questions
Does Connecticut tax groceries?
No, food products for human consumption are exempt. Meals are the exception: food sold by a restaurant, caterer or other eating establishment, including take-out, is taxed at 7.35%. Soft drinks, sodas, liquor and candy are also outside the grocery exemption.
How much is sales tax on a car in Connecticut?
The state rate on a car costing $50,000 or less. For a private passenger vehicle costing more than $50,000 the rate is 7.75% on the entire sales price, not only the amount above $50,000. Some commercial and heavy vehicles are excluded from the higher rate.
Is clothing taxed in Connecticut?
Yes. Connecticut repealed its exemption for clothing and footwear costing under fifty dollars in 2011, so clothing is taxed like other goods. Above $1,000 per item, the rate rises to 7.75% on the entire price.
Do Connecticut towns add their own sales tax?
Not on general purchases. The state imposes the sales tax on retailers at one statewide rate and the statute sets no general town or city add-on, so the same state rate applies in every town. The rates that differ from it apply to particular goods, such as meals and the luxury items above, everywhere in the state.
Sources
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