# Florida Sales Tax Calculator

Calculate Florida sales tax with state (6%) and county surtax rates. Enter your purchase amount and county to see the exact tax breakdown.

## What this calculates

Calculate the total Florida sales tax on any purchase. Florida charges a flat 6% state sales tax plus a county discretionary surtax that varies by location. Select your county's surtax rate to get the exact combined tax amount.

## Inputs

- **Purchase Amount** ($) — min 0 — The pre-tax price of the item or service.
- **County Surtax Rate** — options: 0% (No surtax), 0.5% (e.g., Brevard, Volusia), 1.0% (e.g., Hillsborough, Orange, Miami-Dade), 1.5% (e.g., Duval/Jacksonville), 2.0% (e.g., Alachua) — Your county's discretionary sales surtax rate. Most Florida counties charge 0.5% to 1.5%.

## Outputs

- **State Tax (6%)** — formatted as currency — Florida state sales tax at 6%.
- **County Surtax** — formatted as currency — County discretionary sales surtax amount.
- **Total Sales Tax** — formatted as currency — Combined state and county tax.
- **Total Price (with Tax)** — formatted as currency — Purchase amount plus all sales tax.
- **Combined Tax Rate** — formatted as percentage — State rate plus county surtax rate.

## Details

Florida's sales tax has two components: the 6% state rate and a county discretionary sales surtax (DSS) that ranges from 0% to 2% depending on where you make the purchase. The combined rate in most of Florida falls between 6% and 7.5%.

An important detail that many people miss: the county surtax only applies to the first $5,000 of any single taxable item. So if you buy a $10,000 piece of furniture in a county with a 1% surtax, you pay 6% state tax on the full $10,000 ($600) but only 1% surtax on the first $5,000 ($50), for a total of $650 rather than $700.

Here are the combined rates for some of Florida's largest counties:
- **Miami-Dade:** 7% (6% + 1%)
- **Broward (Fort Lauderdale):** 7% (6% + 1%)
- **Hillsborough (Tampa):** 7.5% (6% + 1.5%)
- **Orange (Orlando):** 6.5% (6% + 0.5%)
- **Duval (Jacksonville):** 7.5% (6% + 1.5%)
- **Palm Beach:** 7% (6% + 1%)

Florida does not charge sales tax on most groceries, prescription drugs, or residential rent. Some services are also exempt. However, commercial rent is subject to sales tax at a reduced state rate of 2% (plus applicable surtax).

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What is Florida's sales tax rate?**

A: Florida's state sales tax rate is 6%. On top of that, most counties add a discretionary sales surtax of 0.5% to 2%, making the combined rate typically 6.5% to 8%. The exact rate depends on where the sale takes place, not where the buyer lives. You can find your county's specific surtax rate on the Florida Department of Revenue website.

**Q: What is the $5,000 surtax cap?**

A: The county discretionary surtax only applies to the first $5,000 of any single taxable item. The 6% state tax applies to the full price regardless. For example, on a $20,000 car in a county with 1% surtax: state tax = $1,200 (6% of $20,000), county surtax = $50 (1% of $5,000), total = $1,250. This cap significantly reduces the tax burden on high-value purchases.

**Q: What items are exempt from Florida sales tax?**

A: Florida exempts most grocery food items (not prepared food or restaurant meals), prescription medications, some medical equipment, and residential rent from sales tax. Florida also holds annual tax-free holidays for back-to-school supplies (typically in late July), hurricane preparedness supplies, and recreational items. Commercial/business rent is taxable but at a reduced rate.

**Q: Does Florida have an income tax?**

A: No. Florida has no state income tax, which is one reason the sales tax matters more here. Florida funds state government primarily through sales tax, property tax, corporate income tax (5.5%), and various fees and tourism taxes. The absence of an income tax makes Florida attractive to retirees and high-income earners, though the sales and property tax burden partially offsets the savings.

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Source: https://vastcalc.com/calculators/finance/florida-sales-tax
Category: Finance
Last updated: 2026-04-08