Colorado Sales Tax Calculator
Figure basis: Official Colorado Department of RevenueColorado sales tax applies to most retail sales of tangible goods and some services. This calculator shows the combined state and local sales tax rate for any location in Colorado and lets you work out the tax on a given purchase price or reverse-calculate the pre-tax amount from a total. Select your county or city to load the exact local rate on top of the Colorado statewide base rate, then enter any purchase amount to see the tax and total immediately. Rates and jurisdictions are sourced from Colorado Department of Revenue and reflect current Colorado law. Sales tax in Colorado applies at the point of sale for most tangible personal property; groceries, prescription drugs, and other categories may be exempt or taxed at a reduced rate depending on state law. Use the calculator to compare totals across different jurisdictions, or to verify a receipt. The combined rate shown is the rate applicable at a specific location and accounts for any special district taxes layered on top of the county or municipal rate.
Colorado's state sales tax base rate is 2.9%. In Denver the combined rate is 8.31%, so $100 of goods has $8.31 in sales tax, for a total of $108.31. Pick your county below for the exact combined rate.
How sales tax works in Colorado
Colorado charges a statewide base sales tax of 2.9%. Colorado levies a 2.9% state sales tax. Counties, cities, and special districts impose additional sales taxes on top. Home-rule municipalities set and collect their own rates separately from the state. Combined rates vary widely, from 2.9% in unincorporated areas of zero-rate counties to over 11% in some resort cities. Special regional districts (RTD, MTS, RTA) add further layers in many areas. Choose your county above to load its sourced combined rate, or switch to Remove tax to work back from a tax-inclusive total. Your result updates the page link, so you can copy a permalink to any calculation.
sales tax = pre-tax price x (state rate + local rate) / 100
total = pre-tax price + sales tax
Worked example
A $250.00 purchase in Denver, at the 8.31% combined rate (2.9% state + 5.41% local):
- Combined rate = 2.9% + 5.41% = 8.31%.
- Sales tax = 250 x 0.0831 = $20.78.
- Total = 250 + 20.78 = $270.78.
What is taxed in Colorado
| Groceries | See state rules |
|---|---|
| Prescription drugs | Exempt |
| Clothing | Taxable |
Food for home consumption is exempt from the Colorado 2.9% state sales tax under C.R.S. 39-26-707. Local sales taxes imposed by counties, cities, and special districts may still apply to groceries depending on each jurisdiction's own ordinance.
Source: Colorado Department of Revenue.
Colorado sales tax rates by county
Combined rates (2.9% state plus local), sourced from the Colorado Department of Revenue and verified Jun 12, 2026. For an exact rate by address use the official Colorado Department of Revenue rate lookup; local rates can vary within a county and change over time.
Full official dataset: Colorado Department of Revenue rate file.
Editor's insight: the lowest state rate, the most complex local system
Colorado has the lowest state sales tax rate of any state that levies one, just 2.9%, and that number is close to meaningless on its own. Layered on top are county taxes, city taxes, and a thicket of special districts: the RTD transit tax of 1% and the 0.1% cultural facilities district across metro Denver, mountain transit districts in Eagle, Pitkin, and Summit counties, and regional authorities such as the Pikes Peak RTA. The result is combined rates from 2.9% in a few unincorporated areas to 11.2% in Winter Park.
The bigger complication is home rule. Under the state constitution, cities such as Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, and Aurora set and collect their own sales taxes independently of the state. For a shopper that is invisible, but for a business it means filing separate returns with each home-rule city on top of the state return, a compliance burden that catches out sellers expanding across the Front Range.
Groceries add one more wrinkle: food for home consumption is exempt from the 2.9% state tax, but local jurisdictions decide their own grocery treatment, so a food purchase in one town can be taxed while the identical basket in the next is not. In Colorado, the address, and often the specific district, is everything.
Colorado sales tax: frequently asked questions
What is the sales tax rate in Colorado?
Colorado's statewide base rate is 2.9%. Combined rates include: state (2.9%), county, city or town, and applicable regional special district taxes. RTD (1%) and CD (0.1%) apply across the Denver metro counties (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Jefferson, Denver, Broomfield, and most of Douglas). Eagle County MTS adds 0.5%, Pitkin County MTS adds 0.5%, Summit County MTS adds 0.75%. Gunnison Valley RTA adds 1% in Gunnison County. Pikes Peak RTA adds 1% across most of El Paso County. Home-rule cities collect their own sales tax but state still collects state-level components. Rates effective July 1, 2026.
How much is sales tax on $100 in Denver?
At Denver's combined rate of 8.31%, sales tax on $100 is $8.31, for a total of $108.31. Enter your own amount above for an exact figure.
Are groceries taxed in Colorado?
Food for home consumption is exempt from the Colorado 2.9% state sales tax under C.R.S. 39-26-707. Local sales taxes imposed by counties, cities, and special districts may still apply to groceries depending on each jurisdiction's own ordinance.
How do I remove sales tax from a total in Colorado?
Switch the calculator to Remove tax and enter the tax-inclusive total. It divides by 1 plus the combined rate to find the pre-tax price, then shows the tax.
What is the sales tax rate in Denver?
Denver has a combined sales tax rate of 8.31%. This includes the Colorado state rate of 2.9%, the Denver city and county home-rule rate of 4.31% (which Denver collects directly), the Regional Transportation District (RTD) rate of 1%, and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (CD) rate of 0.1%. Denver is both a city and a county, so there is no separate county sales tax layer.
What is the difference between state-collected and home-rule city sales taxes in Colorado?
Colorado has two types of local sales tax collection. The Colorado Department of Revenue (CDOR) collects and administers sales tax on behalf of most counties, cities, and special districts; these are called state-collected jurisdictions, and businesses file one return with the state. Home-rule municipalities have the right under the Colorado Constitution to set and collect their own sales taxes independently; major home-rule cities include Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Boulder, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Thornton, Arvada, Westminster, Pueblo, and Greeley, among others. Businesses selling in home-rule cities must register with and remit tax directly to each city in addition to the state. The SUTS (Sales and Use Tax System) portal at https://suts.blt.govos.com helps businesses file across multiple jurisdictions.
Official sources
- State base rate (2.9%): Colorado Department of Revenue, as at Jun 12, 2026.
- Local combined rates: Colorado Department of Revenue, as at Jun 12, 2026.
- Address-level lookup: Colorado Department of Revenue rate lookup.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 11 June 2026. See our methodology. General information, not financial or tax advice.