Idaho Sales Tax Calculator 2026 — 6% Rate

Idaho Sales Tax Rate: State vs Combined

The Idaho state sales tax rate is 6%. However, most shoppers pay more than the state rate because counties and cities add their own local taxes on top. The average combined rate across all jurisdictions in Idaho is 6.03%, according to Tax Foundation 2026 data. This means a $100 purchase could cost between $106.00 (state only) and more in high-tax localities.

What Is and Isn't Taxed in Idaho

Idaho is one of the minority of states that does tax groceries — unprepared food is charged at the full 6% state rate, not exempted. Idaho offsets this with a refundable grocery (food) tax credit claimed on your income tax return rather than at the till. Clothing is taxed at the standard 6.0% state rate plus any applicable local rate. Prescription drugs are exempt from Idaho sales tax.

How to Calculate Idaho Sales Tax

To calculate Idaho sales tax: multiply the purchase price by the applicable rate. For the state rate only: price × 6% = tax. For the combined rate: use 6.03% for an average estimate, or enter the exact local rate from your receipt or the Idaho Department of Revenue website. Example: a $200 purchase at the 6.03% combined rate = $12.06 in tax = $212.06 total.

Does Idaho Tax Groceries? The 6% Food Tax and the $155 Credit

Yes — and this trips up almost everyone comparing Idaho with its neighbours. Idaho charges the full 6% sales tax on groceries, including unprepared food you cook at home. Most states either exempt food entirely or tax it at a reduced rate; Idaho does neither. So when you price a weekly shop, use the same 6% (or your local combined rate) that you would use for anything else — the calculator above needs no special setting for food.

What Idaho gives back instead is the food tax credit, claimed once a year on your Idaho income tax return. House Bill 231, signed by Governor Brad Little and applying retroactively from the 2025 tax year, raised the credit to $155 per person per year — up $35 for people under 65 and up $15 for those 65 and older. It is refundable, so you receive it even if you owe no Idaho income tax, and it is applied automatically without a separate application. If your household genuinely spends more than that in grocery sales tax, you can instead itemise actual qualifying food purchases and claim up to $250 per person, but that route requires submitting scanned sales tax receipts with your return.

The break-even is worth knowing: $155 of credit corresponds to roughly $2,583 of annual grocery spending at 6%. Spend less than that on groceries and the credit more than covers your food tax; spend meaningfully more and the receipts route may be worth the paperwork. You can claim the credit for qualifying dependants too, which is why a family of four is comparing $620 of credit against its actual grocery tax bill. Source: Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy — grocery tax credit enhancement in House Bill 231. Last updated: August 2026.

Idaho Use Tax: What You Owe on Out-of-State and Online Purchases

If you buy goods without paying Idaho sales tax — from an out-of-state seller that does not collect it, or while shopping in tax-free Oregon or Montana next door — and then use those goods in Idaho, you owe use tax at the same 6% rate. Use tax is not an extra tax; it exists so that an out-of-state purchase is not cheaper than the same item bought from an Idaho retailer.

In practice most large online marketplaces now collect Idaho sales tax at checkout, so the balance owed is usually small. Where it still bites is a deliberate cross-border trip: Oregon has no sales tax at all and shares a long border with Idaho, so a $2,000 appliance bought in Ontario, Oregon and brought home to Boise carries $120 of Idaho use tax. The same 6% figure the calculator above produces is the number to report. Individuals report use tax on the Idaho individual income tax return; businesses report it on their sales and use tax return. Last updated: August 2026.

Tips for Accurate Sales Tax Calculations

Always confirm the exact local rate for your specific city or county — the combined average (6.03%) is a statewide mean and may differ from your actual checkout rate. Large purchases like vehicles, appliances, or electronics are where the difference between state-only and combined rates matters most. Keep receipts that show the tax rate used; this helps verify correct tax was charged and supports any refund claims for exempt purchases. If you are making a business purchase, check whether your state offers a sales tax exemption certificate to avoid paying tax on resale items.