Utah Reverse Sales Tax Calculator
Utah's state sales tax is 6.1%, and local additions bring the average to 6.78%. Salt Lake City hits 7.75% when you include county and city levies for transit and other services. Groceries are taxed at a reduced 3% state rate (plus local additions), so grocery receipts will show a lower effective rate than retail purchases.
The calculator defaults to Utah's 6.78% average. For Salt Lake City use 7.75%, Provo 7.25%, St. George 6.75%. For grocery receipts in Salt Lake City, the effective rate is around 4.65% (3% state food rate plus local additions) — adjust the calculator accordingly.
Current Utah Sales Tax Rates
| Component | Rate |
|---|---|
| State rate | 6.10% |
| Average local rate | 0.68% |
| Average combined rate | 6.78% |
| Location | Combined Rate |
|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | 7.75% |
| West Valley City | 7.75% |
| Provo | 7.25% |
| St. George | 6.75% |
What's Taxable in Utah
Utah taxes groceries at a reduced rate of 3% (the state food tax rate) rather than the full 6.1% rate. Local taxes still apply on top of the reduced rate. Prescription drugs are exempt.
Worked Example
Purchase in Salt Lake City totaling $188.50 at 7.75%.
$188.50 ÷ 1.0775 = $174.94 (pre-tax price)
$188.50 − $174.94 = $13.56 (tax amount)
That's $13.56 in sales tax on a $174.94 purchase before tax. The main calculator handles this automatically — enter the total and rate and the breakdown appears instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Salt Lake City has a combined rate of 7.75% — Utah's 6.1% state rate plus Salt Lake County and city additions totaling 1.65%. This is one of the higher rates in the state, reflecting significant local additions for transit and other services.
Utah taxes groceries at a reduced state food tax rate of 3% rather than the full 6.1% general rate. Local taxes apply on top of the reduced rate. So in Salt Lake City, a grocery purchase might be taxed at around 4.65% rather than the full 7.75% retail rate. Prescription drugs are exempt.
Divide the total amount paid by (1 + the tax rate as a decimal). For Utah's 6.78% rate: divide by 1.0678. The result is the pre-tax price. Subtract that from the total to get the tax amount. The calculator on this page does this automatically.
Utah does not have a general sales tax holiday.