Massachusetts Sales Tax Rate
Massachusetts charges one statewide sales tax rate with no general local add-on. What sets it apart is a per-item clothing exemption that most states do not have, a full exemption for grocery food, and an August sales tax holiday that covers almost any personal purchase rather than only school supplies.
State rate
6.25%
Local add-on
None
Combined
6.25%
Massachusetts has no general city or county sales tax, so the state rate is the rate on almost every receipt. The one local layer is on restaurant meals: a city or town may add its own local tax to meals, which is why a dinner bill can carry more than the state rate while a store purchase in the same town does not.
Work out the tax on a purchase
The calculator applies the state rate. Where local tax applies, add your local rate to get the figure that will appear on the receipt — the official lookup below gives the exact rate for an address.
Total Cost
$106.25
| Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $100.00 |
| State Tax Rate | 6.250% |
| Sales Tax | $6.25 |
| Total | $106.25 |
Groceries are exempt from sales tax in Massachusetts.
Sales tax
Tax rate
Total cost
State-level base rates only. Many states allow cities and counties to add local sales taxes which are not included here. Check your local rate for exact calculations.
Edit inputs ↑What Massachusetts taxes, and what it doesn't
Clothing
Clothing costing $175 or less per item is exempt. Above that, tax is due only on the amount over $175, not on the full price.
Groceries and restaurant meals
Food for human consumption is exempt, other than meals sold by a restaurant. Restaurant food, prepared food and on-premises drinks fall under the separate meals tax, which is charged at the state rate plus any local meals tax the city or town has adopted.
Cars and trailers
The buyer, not the dealer, owes the tax on a motor vehicle or trailer, paid directly to Massachusetts at the state rate. It is due by the 20th day of the month after the purchase, and buyers who register or title the vehicle pay it to the RMV with the registration application.
Use tax on out-of-state purchases
Items bought from a seller that did not collect Massachusetts tax and then used in Massachusetts owe use tax at the same rate as sales tax. Massachusetts credits sales tax paid to another state that offers Massachusetts the same credit, so only the difference is due.
Massachusetts sales tax holiday
The 2026 holiday ran August 8-9, 2026. Covered: Most retail items bought for personal use up to $2,500 per item. Excluded: Meals, Motor vehicles, Motorboats, Telecommunications services, Gas, steam & electricity, Tobacco products, Marijuana products, Alcoholic beverages, Purchases by businesses. Massachusetts isn't a back-to-school holiday at all — it exempts almost any personal-use retail item up to $2,500, the broadest scope and highest single-item cap of any state on this page.
Get the exact rate for an address
A statewide figure is a starting point, not a receipt. For the rate that actually applies to a specific address, use the state's own lookup — third-party rate tables disagree with each other and go stale between rate changes.
Compare with other states
Frequently asked questions
Is clothing taxed in Massachusetts?
Only above $175 per item. Clothing priced at $175 or less is fully exempt, and for a more expensive item the tax applies only to the part of the price above $175. The exemption is per item, so a large order of individually cheaper items stays untaxed.
Do Massachusetts towns add their own sales tax?
Not on general purchases. The only local sales tax is an optional one on restaurant meals, so a meal can be taxed above the state rate in towns that have adopted it, while goods bought in a store are taxed at the state rate everywhere.
How is sales tax paid on a car bought in Massachusetts?
The buyer pays it directly to the state rather than through the dealer's sales tax return. If the vehicle is registered or titled in Massachusetts, the tax is paid to the RMV with the registration and title application; otherwise it is reported on Form ST-7R. Either way it is due by the 20th day of the month after the purchase.
Sources
Related Calculators
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