Pennsylvania Sales Tax Rate
Pennsylvania charges one statewide sales tax, with a 1 percent local addition in Allegheny County and a 2 percent local addition in Philadelphia. Its exemption list is unusually broad: food that is not ready to eat, candy and gum, and most clothing are all exempt, so the tax falls mostly on general merchandise and prepared food.
State rate
6%
Local add-on
0%–2%
Combined
6%–8%
The Department of Revenue names two local additions to the state rate. By law, a 1 percent local tax is added to purchases made in Allegheny County, and a 2 percent local tax is added to purchases made in Philadelphia. Purchases elsewhere carry the state rate.
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
$106.00
| Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $100.00 |
| State Tax Rate | 6.000% |
| Sales Tax | $6.00 |
| Total | $106.00 |
Groceries are exempt from sales tax in Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania taxes, and what it doesn't
Groceries, candy and prepared food
Food that is not ready-to-eat is exempt, and so are candy and gum. Because the exemption is for food that is not ready-to-eat, ready-to-eat food such as restaurant meals falls outside it.
Clothing and other exempt items
Most clothing is exempt, along with textbooks, pharmaceutical drugs, sales for resale, and residential heating fuels such as oil, electricity, gas, coal and firewood.
Cars
Sales tax on a vehicle is figured on the taxable amount, which is the purchase price minus any trade-in, and it is collected when the vehicle is titled. It is the state rate for most buyers, 7% for residents of Allegheny County and 8% for residents of the City of Philadelphia. If a tax credit applies, the tax due is reduced by the credit and evidence of the tax paid must be attached.
Use tax on out-of-state purchases
A use tax at the same rate as the sales tax is due on taxable purchases of goods or specified services used or consumed in Pennsylvania where no sales tax was paid to a vendor, for example because the purchase was made out of state.
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.
Pennsylvania Department of Revenue — Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax
Compare with other states
Frequently asked questions
Does Pennsylvania tax groceries?
No. Food that is not ready-to-eat is exempt, and candy and gum are exempt as well. Ready-to-eat food, such as a restaurant meal, is not covered by that exemption.
Is clothing taxed in Pennsylvania?
Most clothing is exempt from sales tax in Pennsylvania. The exemption is for most clothing rather than all of it, so check the Department of Revenue taxability lists for a specific item.
How much is sales tax on a car in Pennsylvania?
The state rate on the taxable amount, which is the purchase price minus any trade-in. Residents of Allegheny County pay 7%, and residents of the City of Philadelphia pay 8%, because the local addition applies to the vehicle tax as well.
Do Pennsylvania cities add their own sales tax?
The Department of Revenue names two. A 1 percent local tax is added to purchases made in Allegheny County, and a 2 percent local tax is added to purchases made in Philadelphia. Purchases elsewhere carry the state rate.
Sources
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