North Carolina Sales Tax Calculator
Figure basis: Official North Carolina Department of RevenueNorth Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina statewide base rate, then enter any purchase amount to see the tax and total immediately. Rates and jurisdictions are sourced from North Carolina Department of Revenue and reflect current North Carolina law. Sales tax in North Carolina 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.
North Carolina's state sales tax base rate is 4.75%. In Mecklenburg (Charlotte) the combined rate is 7.25%, so $100 of goods has $7.25 in sales tax, for a total of $107.25. Pick your county below for the exact combined rate.
How sales tax works in North Carolina
North Carolina charges a statewide base sales tax of 4.75%. 4.75% state plus a 2% to 2.25% county rate, plus a 0.5% transit tax in a few counties, giving combined rates of 6.75% to 7.5%. 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 Mecklenburg (Charlotte), at the 7.25% combined rate (4.75% state + 2.5% local):
- Combined rate = 4.75% + 2.5% = 7.25%.
- Sales tax = 250 x 0.0725 = $18.13.
- Total = 250 + 18.13 = $268.13.
What is taxed in North Carolina
| Groceries | Reduced / partial |
|---|---|
| Prescription drugs | Exempt |
| Clothing | Taxable |
Qualifying food (groceries) is exempt from the 4.75% state rate but a 2% local rate of sales and use tax applies; non-qualifying food such as prepared food, soft drinks and dietary supplements is taxed at the full combined rate.
Source: North Carolina Department of Revenue.
Sales tax by county in North Carolina
Counties and cities add their own local sales tax on top of the state rate, so the combined rate you actually pay varies across North Carolina. These are the combined rates for all 100 counties we hold data for, split into the state base rate and the local portion. Click a column heading to sort. Rates can differ again within a county where a city or special district adds its own levy, so check the exact address for a large purchase.
| Alamance County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Alexander County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Alleghany County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Anson County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Ashe County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Avery County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Beaufort County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Bertie County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Bladen County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Brunswick County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Buncombe County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Burke County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Cabarrus County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Caldwell County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Camden County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Carteret County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Caswell County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Catawba County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Chatham County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Cherokee County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Chowan County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Clay County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Cleveland County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Columbus County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Craven County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Cumberland County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Currituck County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Dare County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Davidson County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Davie County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Duplin County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Durham County | 4.75% | 2.75% | 7.5% |
| Edgecombe County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Forsyth County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Franklin County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Gaston County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Gates County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Graham County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Granville County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Greene County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Guilford County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Halifax County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Harnett County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Haywood County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Henderson County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Hertford County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Hoke County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Hyde County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Iredell County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Jackson County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Johnston County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Jones County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Lee County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Lenoir County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Lincoln County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Macon County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Madison County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Martin County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| McDowell County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Mecklenburg County | 4.75% | 2.5% | 7.25% |
| Mitchell County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Montgomery County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Moore County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Nash County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| New Hanover County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Northampton County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Onslow County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Orange County | 4.75% | 2.75% | 7.5% |
| Pamlico County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Pasquotank County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Pender County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Perquimans County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Person County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Pitt County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Polk County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Randolph County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Richmond County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Robeson County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Rockingham County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Rowan County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Rutherford County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Sampson County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Scotland County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Stanly County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Stokes County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Surry County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Swain County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Transylvania County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Tyrrell County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Union County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Vance County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Wake County | 4.75% | 2.5% | 7.25% |
| Warren County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Washington County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Watauga County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Wayne County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Wilkes County | 4.75% | 2.25% | 7% |
| Wilson County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Yadkin County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
| Yancey County | 4.75% | 2% | 6.75% |
Source: North Carolina Department of Revenue, as at 2026-06-11. The local rate is the combined rate less the state base rate.
North Carolina sales tax rates by county
Combined rates (4.75% state plus local), sourced from the North Carolina Department of Revenue and verified Jun 11, 2026. For an exact rate by address use the official North Carolina Department of Revenue rate lookup; local rates can vary within a county and change over time.
Full official dataset: North Carolina Department of Revenue rate file.
Where North Carolina's sales tax catches people out
The number that trips shoppers up in North Carolina is the grocery rate. The state likes to say food is exempt, but only from the 4.75% state portion: qualifying groceries still carry a flat 2.00% local rate, so a $200.00 grocery run costs about $4.00 in tax rather than nothing. The break is also narrow. Candy, soft drinks, dietary supplements and prepared food fall outside "qualifying food" and are taxed at the full combined county rate.
The bigger recent change is in Mecklenburg County (Charlotte). Effective July 1, 2026 the county added 1% on top of its existing 2% local rate and 0.50% transit levy, lifting the combined rate to 8.25%. That is now the highest in the state, a full 1.50 points above the 6.75% floor. If you are comparing a Charlotte receipt from before July 2026 with one after, the rate genuinely changed, so do not assume the register made an error.
Everywhere else the spread stays tight: 50 of the 100 counties sit at 6.75% and another 46 at 7%. Only Durham and Orange (7.5%) and Wake (7.25%) rise above that, because they, like Mecklenburg, levy the 0.50% public transportation tax marked with an asterisk on the state's rate table. Two habits save money and mistakes here: look up the destination county rather than the headline state rate, and remember the local share still applies even on goods where the state share does not.
North Carolina sales tax: frequently asked questions
What is the sales tax rate in North Carolina?
North Carolina's statewide base rate is 4.75%. Combined state, local and transit sales and use tax rates range from 6.75% to 7.5% across all 100 North Carolina counties.
How much is sales tax on $100 in Mecklenburg (Charlotte)?
At Mecklenburg (Charlotte)'s combined rate of 7.25%, sales tax on $100 is $7.25, for a total of $107.25. Enter your own amount above for an exact figure.
Are groceries taxed in North Carolina?
Qualifying food (groceries) is exempt from the 4.75% state rate but a 2% local rate of sales and use tax applies; non-qualifying food such as prepared food, soft drinks and dietary supplements is taxed at the full combined rate.
How do I remove sales tax from a total in North Carolina?
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.
Why do some North Carolina counties charge 7.5%?
The state rate is 4.75% and every county adds a 2% to 2.25% local rate. Durham and Orange counties also levy a 0.5% transit tax, which brings their combined rate to 7.5%. Mecklenburg and Wake levy a 0.5% transit tax too, putting them at 7.25%.
How are groceries taxed in North Carolina?
Qualifying food (most unprepared grocery items) is exempt from the 4.75% state rate and any transit tax, but a 2% local rate applies, so groceries are effectively taxed at 2%. Prepared food, soft drinks, candy and dietary supplements do not qualify and are taxed at the full combined county rate.
Official sources
- State base rate (4.75%): North Carolina Department of Revenue, as at Jun 11, 2026.
- Local combined rates: North Carolina Department of Revenue, as at Jun 11, 2026.
- Address-level lookup: North Carolina 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.