Alaska Sales Tax Calculator

Alaska has no statewide sales tax, but local boroughs and municipalities can levy their own. The average local rate across Alaska is 1.76% (Tax Foundation 2024). On a $100 purchase that works out to about $1.76 in local tax. Many areas of Alaska have no sales tax at all — the exact rate depends on the specific borough or city.

The calculator uses the standard sales-tax formula: sales tax = purchase price × tax rate, and total = purchase price + sales tax. For example, a $500 purchase in Alaska at the average combined 1.76% rate is $8.80 in tax and $508.80 total. If you know your exact local rate (state + county + city + special districts), enter it in the Tax Rate field to override the statewide average.

Most states, including Alaska, exempt or reduce-rate certain categories from sales tax. The most common are unprepared groceries, prescription medications, and certain medical devices; some states also exempt clothing or hold annual sales-tax holidays for back-to-school items, hurricane supplies, or energy-efficient appliances. Restaurant meals, prepared food, alcohol, and tobacco are generally taxable and may carry additional excise taxes. This calculator applies a flat rate to the full purchase price, so it overstates tax on grocery-heavy carts in states that exempt food.

Yes — since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair decision, Alaska can require out-of-state online retailers to collect Alaska sales tax once their sales into the state cross an economic-nexus threshold. Large marketplaces (Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Etsy) collect Alaska tax automatically at checkout based on the shipping address. If a small seller does not collect it, you technically owe “use tax” at the same combined rate when you file your state return — most filers underreport this.

This calculator uses the Alaska statewide average combined rate of 1.76% (state 0% + average local 1.76%). Your actual rate at the register can differ because: local rates vary by city, county, and special district (transit, stadium, tourism); some categories are exempt or taxed at a reduced rate; and some purchases (cars, boats, alcohol, tobacco, prepared food) carry additional excise taxes. For an exact figure, check the published combined rate for the specific zip code where the sale takes place — your state revenue department publishes a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction rate table.