New Jersey Sales Tax Rate 2026
New Jersey charges one statewide rate with no general local add-on, so the figure below is what most purchases actually carry. What makes the state distinctive is the other direction: two reduced-rate regimes cut the rate in half for qualifying sales, and the exemption list is broader than most states — clothing and footwear are largely untaxed.
State rate
6.625%
Local add-on
None
Combined
6.625%
New Jersey is unusual: there is no general county or municipal sales tax layered on top. The state rate is what you pay almost everywhere, which is why a New Jersey receipt is easier to predict than a California or Texas one.
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
$106.63
| Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $100.00 |
| State Tax Rate | 6.625% |
| Sales Tax | $6.63 |
| Total | $106.63 |
Groceries are exempt from sales tax in New Jersey.
Sales Tax
$6.63Tax Rate
6.625%Total Cost
$106.63State-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 New Jersey taxes, and what it doesn't
Clothing and footwear
Most clothing and footwear is exempt, one of the few states to do this. The exemption is not total: fur, certain sport and protective gear, and accessories are carved out and taxed normally.
Groceries
Most food sold as grocery items is exempt. Candy, soft drinks, and prepared food are specifically excluded from that exemption and taxed at the full rate, so a convenience-store run and a supermarket run can be taxed very differently.
Use tax on out-of-state purchases
The use tax rate equals the sales tax rate. If you buy somewhere that charged less than New Jersey would have, the difference is owed to New Jersey on a purchase that would have been taxable here.
Where New Jersey charges less
Urban Enterprise Zone sellers
3.3125%Qualified businesses holding a UZ-2 certificate inside a designated Urban Enterprise Zone may charge half the regular rate on eligible tangible personal property. The order must be placed in person at the seller's in-zone location, and delivery must be taken there or made from that location.
Salem County
3.3125%Certain retail sales of tangible personal property by businesses located in Salem County are taxed at half the regular rate. Motor vehicles and prepared food, meals, and beverages are among the categories excluded from the reduction.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Do New Jersey towns add their own sales tax?
No. There is no general municipal or county sales tax stacked on the state rate, which is why New Jersey receipts are consistent statewide. The exceptions run the other way — Urban Enterprise Zone sellers and qualifying Salem County businesses charge half the regular rate rather than more.
Is clothing really untaxed in New Jersey?
Most of it, yes. The Division of Taxation lists clothing and footwear among the main exempt categories, with carve-outs that are taxed normally — fur, certain athletic and protective equipment, and accessories. It is a genuine exemption rather than a temporary holiday, so it applies year-round.
How does the Urban Enterprise Zone rate work?
A qualified UEZ seller with a UZ-2 certificate may charge half the regular rate on eligible tangible personal property, but the transaction has to happen in the zone: the order placed in person at the in-zone location, and delivery either taken there or made from there. Ordering online from outside the zone does not qualify.
Sources
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