Vermont Reverse Sales Tax Calculator
Vermont has a 6% state sales tax, and most of the state pays exactly that — local additions are minimal and rare. Burlington adds 1% for a combined 7%. The statewide average is 6.18%. Vermont has some rate variations by transaction type: prepared food is taxed at 9% and alcohol at 10%, both higher than the standard retail rate.
The calculator defaults to 6.18% (the Vermont average). Use 7% for Burlington, 6% for most other locations. If you're reverse-calculating a restaurant receipt, switch to 9%. Groceries are exempt from Vermont's sales tax.
Current Vermont Sales Tax Rates
| Component | Rate |
|---|---|
| State rate | 6.00% |
| Average local rate | 0.18% |
| Average combined rate | 6.18% |
| Location | Combined Rate |
|---|---|
| Burlington | 7.00% |
| Essex Junction | 6.00% |
| South Burlington | 6.00% |
| Rutland | 6.00% |
What's Taxable in Vermont
Vermont exempts most groceries from sales tax. Unprepared food is not taxed at the state level. Prepared food (restaurant meals, deli items sold hot) is taxed at 9% — a higher rate than the standard 6% retail rate. Prescription and non-prescription drugs are also exempt.
Worked Example
Purchase in Burlington totaling $46.99 at 7.00%.
$46.99 ÷ 1.0700 = $43.92 (pre-tax price)
$46.99 − $43.92 = $3.07 (tax amount)
That's $3.07 in sales tax on a $43.92 purchase before tax. The main calculator handles this automatically — enter the total and rate and the breakdown appears instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Burlington's combined rate is 7% — Vermont's 6% state rate plus a 1% city sales tax that Burlington levies. Most other Vermont cities and towns don't add local sales taxes, so the rate elsewhere in the state is simply 6%.
Vermont taxes prepared food (meals at restaurants) at 9%, which is higher than the standard 6% retail rate. If you're reverse-calculating a restaurant receipt from Vermont, use 9% rather than 6%. Alcoholic beverages at bars and restaurants are also taxed at 10%.
Divide the total amount paid by (1 + the tax rate as a decimal). For Vermont's 6.18% rate: divide by 1.0618. 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.
Vermont does not have a sales tax holiday.