Illinois Sales Tax Calculator 2026 — 6.25% Rate

Calculate Illinois sales tax on any purchase instantly. The state sales tax rate is 6.25%, and the statewide average combined rate (state + local) is 8.98% (Tax Foundation, rates as of July 1, 2026). Enter your purchase amount to see state tax, local tax, and the total amount due — all calculated privately in your browser.

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The Illinois Sales Tax Calculator is a free, browser-based tool that estimates 2026 sales tax on any purchase using the 6.25% Illinois state rate plus city, county and transit add-ons — Chicago 10.50%, Naperville 8.00%, Springfield 10.25%, Rockford 8.75% (Illinois Department of Revenue rates in force since August 1, 2026), statewide average combined 8.98% (Tax Foundation, rates as of July 1, 2026). The 1% state grocery tax ended on 1 January 2026, so groceries now carry only local grocery taxes; drugs and medical appliances are still taxed at the 1% state rate. Enter purchase amount for instant itemized tax. Updated 2026-10-07.

Illinois Sales Tax Rate: State vs Combined

The Illinois state sales tax rate is 6.25%. However, most shoppers pay more than the state rate because counties and cities add their own local taxes on top. The statewide average combined rate in Illinois is 8.98% (Tax Foundation, rates as of July 1, 2026) — a figure that predates the 0.25-point transit tax increase that took effect in the six-county Chicago region on August 1, 2026. This means a $100 purchase could cost between $106.25 (state only) and more in high-tax localities.

What Is and Isn't Taxed in Illinois

Illinois no longer taxes groceries at state level: the 1% state grocery tax ended on January 1, 2026, and only local grocery taxes remain (a 1% municipal or county grocery tax where one has been adopted, plus the transit tax in the Chicago and Metro-East regions). Clothing is fully taxable at the general merchandise rate. Qualifying drugs and medical appliances, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, are taxed at a reduced 1% state rate rather than 6.25% (IDOR PIO-115).

Illinois Sales Tax Holidays

Illinois held a back-to-school State sales tax holiday from August 7 through August 16, 2026 (Public Act 104-0468). For those ten days the State share of the tax on qualifying items was reduced by 5 percentage points, from 6.25% to 1.25%; local taxes still applied, so a location with a 9.75% rate charged 4.75%. Qualifying items were clothing and footwear with a retail selling price of less than $125 per item and school supplies used by students in the course of study, which had no price limit. Source: Illinois Department of Revenue bulletin FY 2026-30.

How to Calculate Illinois Sales Tax

To calculate Illinois sales tax: multiply the purchase price by the applicable rate. For the state rate only: price × 6.25% = tax. For the combined rate: pick your city in the dropdown, use 8.98% for a statewide average estimate, or enter the exact combined rate from your receipt or the Illinois Department of Revenue Tax Rate Finder in the optional rate field. Example: a $200 purchase at the 8.98% average combined rate = $17.96 in tax = $217.96 total.

Tips for Accurate Sales Tax Calculations

Always confirm the exact local rate for your specific city or county — the combined average (8.98%, Tax Foundation, July 2026) 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.

Chicago Sales Tax: 10.50% Combined Since August 1, 2026

This Illinois sales tax calculator defaults to the 8.98% statewide average, but the general merchandise rate in Chicago is 10.50%. It was 10.25% until July 31, 2026; on August 1, 2026 the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA, formerly the Regional Transportation Authority) tax rose by 0.25 percentage points in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties (IDOR bulletin FY 2026-34). The 10.50% is 6.25% state + 1.25% NITA + 3.00% Cook County and City of Chicago home-rule taxes; unincorporated Cook County is 9.25%, so the city share is 1.25% and the county share 1.75%. The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) tax is not part of the general rate: it is a separate 1% tax on food prepared for immediate consumption, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks sold inside the MPEA boundaries. A $1,000 electronics purchase in Chicago = $105.00 sales tax vs $70.00 at the 7% Indiana state rate (Indiana has no local sales tax). For groceries, the 1% Illinois state rate was abolished on 1 January 2026. The IDOR grocery rate file lists Chicago at 1.50%, which is the NITA tax alone (1.25% until July 31, 2026), and locations outside the transit districts with no local grocery tax charge nothing. Use the Illinois Department of Revenue Tax Rate Database to verify the exact rate for any Illinois address. Updated 2026-10-07.

Illinois Sales Tax Rate by Major City (2026)

Every rate below is selectable directly in the Rate to Use dropdown of the calculator above, so you no longer have to apply the statewide 8.98% average to a Chicago or Naperville purchase and then correct it by hand. These are the general merchandise rates in the Illinois Department of Revenue rate files effective August 1, 2026, outside business districts:

Business districts inside Naperville, Aurora, Joliet, Springfield, Peoria, Moline and Rock Island add a further 0.5 to 1 percentage point at the addresses they cover, so check the address before a large purchase. If you live in Chicago (10.50%) and shop in Naperville (8.00%) or across the Indiana border (7% state rate, no local sales tax), the tax on a single $2,000 appliance is $50.00 or $70.00 lower. Illinois use tax is still due on goods bought out of state for use in Illinois, and vehicles are taxed when they are titled in Illinois. Updated 2026-10-07.

Illinois Grocery Tax Elimination 2026: What Changed on January 1

Effective January 1, 2026, Illinois eliminated the 1% state sales and use tax on groceries (Public Act 103-0781; see Illinois Department of Revenue bulletin FY 2026-03). The same law lets a municipality or county impose a local grocery tax of exactly 1% by ordinance, and the transit-district taxes on groceries in the Chicago region and Metro-East were not eliminated. So what you pay now depends on the address. In the IDOR grocery rate file effective August 1, 2026: Chicago 1.50% (the NITA transit tax only; it was 1.25% from January 1 to July 31, 2026 and 2.25% with the state tax before that); Evanston, Cicero and Berwyn 2.50%; Naperville, Aurora (Kane County) and Joliet 2.00%; Peoria, Rockford, Urbana, Moline and Rock Island 1.00%, because each adopted the 1% local tax; Springfield and Champaign 0%. Restaurant meals, candy, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and food prepared for immediate consumption are not groceries and are still taxed at the full general merchandise rate (10.50% in Chicago). Updated 2026-10-07.

Illinois Sales Tax Calculator in Reverse: Back Out Tax From a Total

Switch Calculation Mode to Remove tax from a total (reverse) when you already know what you paid and need the pre-tax price — the number bookkeepers, expense reports, and IL business filings actually ask for. The formula is pre-tax price = total ÷ (1 + rate), not total minus the rate, which is the mistake that leaves receipts a few cents off. Example at the 8.98% statewide average combined rate: a $107.00 receipt divides to $98.18 pre-tax plus $8.82 in sales tax. Confirm your exact local rate with the Illinois Department of Revenue before filing. Updated 2026-10-07.

Buying a Car? Illinois Taxes Vehicles Under a Separate Return

Do not use the rate above for a vehicle. Illinois taxes titled and registered items — cars, motorcycles, trailers, boats, aircraft — through a dedicated return rather than ordinary retail sales tax, and the paperwork depends on who sold it to you. Buy from an Illinois dealer and the dealer files Form ST-556, which the Illinois Department of Revenue requires to be filed no later than 20 days after delivery. Buy from an out-of-state dealer and you file Form RUT-25 yourself when you apply for the Illinois title and registration — no later than 30 days after the vehicle enters Illinois. Buy from a private individual and you file Form RUT-50 within 30 days of the purchase. The practical consequence is that driving to Indiana for a cheaper headline rate rarely helps: you settle up at Illinois registration anyway, with credit for tax properly due and paid to the other state. Private-party purchases under $15,000 are also taxed from a table based on the model year rather than as a percentage of the price (Form RUT-5), which is why a $1,200 used car and a $2,400 used car of the same model year owe the same tax. Updated 2026-10-07.

Out-of-State Sellers Moved to Destination Sourcing on 1 January 2025

If you sell into Illinois, the rule that decides which rate you charge changed at the start of 2025. Under the Retailers’ Occupation Tax changes made by Public Act 103-0983, an out-of-state retailer with a physical presence in Illinois now charges the destination rate — the combined state and local rate at the customer’s shipping address — on sales fulfilled from outside Illinois, instead of collecting Illinois Use Tax. Sales filled from inventory in Illinois, and sales by Illinois retailers, are still taxed at the origin rate. In practice that means one Illinois order can be taxed at 10.50% into Chicago and 8.00% into Naperville on the same day, so a single hard-coded rate in a checkout is now wrong by up to 2.5 percentage points. Two consequences worth acting on: register for the local jurisdictions you ship into, and reconcile against the rate in force at the ship-to address rather than at the warehouse. The Illinois Department of Revenue publishes current combined rates by address and municipality in its tax rate finder and rate tables — use that for the exact figure and the 8.98% average above only for planning. Updated 2026-10-07.

Last updated: October 2026. Sources: Illinois Department of Revenue — Tax Rate Database and rate files effective August 1, 2026; IDOR bulletin FY 2026-34 (NITA rate change, August 1, 2026); IDOR bulletin FY 2026-26-A (rate changes, July 1, 2026); IDOR bulletin FY 2026-03 (grocery tax, January 1, 2026); IDOR bulletin FY 2026-30 (back-to-school holiday); IDOR PIO-115 (food and medicine); IDOR — vehicle tax requirements; IDOR — Sales & Use Taxes; IDOR — MPEA Food and Beverage Tax; Tax Foundation, State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 (July 2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the sales tax rate in Illinois?

The Illinois state sales tax rate is 6.25%. When combined with local county, city and transit taxes, the statewide average rate is 8.98% (Tax Foundation, rates as of July 1, 2026).

Does Illinois tax groceries?

Not at state level any more. Illinois eliminated its 1% state grocery tax on 1 January 2026. Local grocery taxes remain: a municipality or county may impose a grocery tax of exactly 1%, and the transit tax on groceries still applies in the Chicago region. In the Illinois Department of Revenue rate file effective August 1, 2026, groceries are taxed at 1.50% in Chicago, 1.00% in Peoria and Rockford, and 0% in Springfield and Champaign. Prepared food, candy and soft drinks are still taxed at the full combined rate.

Is clothing taxed in Illinois?

Yes. Clothing is taxed at the full general merchandise rate in Illinois — 6.25% state plus local taxes. During the back-to-school State sales tax holiday of August 7–16, 2026, the State share on clothing and footwear priced under $125 per item dropped from 6.25% to 1.25%.

What is the combined sales tax rate in Illinois?

The statewide average combined (state + local) sales tax rate in Illinois is 8.98% (Tax Foundation, rates as of July 1, 2026, before the August 1, 2026 transit tax increase in the Chicago region). The state portion is 6.25%; the remainder comes from county, municipal and transit taxes that vary by location.

How do I calculate sales tax in Illinois?

Multiply the purchase price by the rate. For state tax only: price × 0.0625. For the statewide average combined rate: price × 0.0898. Example: $50 × 0.0898 = $4.49 tax, total $54.49.

What is the Chicago sales tax rate in 2026?

10.50% combined on general merchandise since August 1, 2026, when the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA, formerly the RTA) tax rose by 0.25 percentage points; it was 10.25% until July 31, 2026. Breakdown: 6.25% state + 1.25% NITA + 3.00% Cook County and City of Chicago home-rule taxes. The MPEA tax is not part of the general rate — it is a separate 1% tax on restaurant food and beverages inside the MPEA boundaries. Groceries in Chicago are taxed at 1.50% (the NITA tax only, since the 1% state grocery tax ended 1 January 2026). Source: Illinois Department of Revenue.

Does Illinois charge sales tax on cars purchased out of state?

Yes. When you title a vehicle bought from an out-of-state dealer in Illinois you file Form RUT-25, due no later than 30 days after the vehicle is brought into Illinois, and pay Illinois tax at the rate for your Illinois address. That vehicle rate is not the general merchandise rate shown on this page — look it up in the Illinois Department of Revenue Tax Rate Finder. Credit is given for tax properly due and paid to the other state. Buying a car in Indiana does not avoid Illinois tax — you owe any difference when you register it.

Which Chicago suburbs have lower sales tax than Chicago?

Chicago is 10.50%. Across the county line, Naperville is 8.00%, Lombard and Geneva 8.25%, Wheaton and Aurora 8.50%, Plainfield (Will County) and Waukegan 8.75%, and Joliet 9.00% — 1.5 to 2.5 percentage points lower. On a $2,000 appliance that is $30.00 to $50.00 less tax, and on a $5,000 purchase $75.00 to $125.00. Not every Cook County suburb is cheaper: Evanston is also 10.50% and Cicero and Berwyn are 11.00%. Rates are the Illinois Department of Revenue general merchandise rates effective August 1, 2026, outside business districts.

Is the Chicago grocery sales tax really 2.25%?

Not any more. Before 2026 groceries in Chicago were taxed at 2.25% (1% state + 1.25% RTA). Illinois eliminated the 1% state grocery tax on January 1, 2026, leaving 1.25%, and the transit tax increase of August 1, 2026 made it 1.50% — the rate in the Illinois Department of Revenue grocery rate file today. Restaurant and prepared meals are still taxed at the full 10.50% in Chicago, plus the 0.5% Chicago Restaurant Tax and, inside the MPEA boundaries, the 1% MPEA Food and Beverage Tax.

When did Illinois eliminate the grocery tax?

The 1% Illinois state grocery tax ended January 1, 2026, under Public Act 103-0781. Local grocery taxes still apply where they exist: a municipality or county may impose a grocery tax of exactly 1%, and the transit tax on groceries remains in the Chicago and Metro-East regions. In the Illinois Department of Revenue rate file effective August 1, 2026, Chicago groceries are taxed at 1.50%; Peoria, Rockford and Urbana adopted the 1% local tax and charge 1.00%; Springfield and Champaign charge 0%. Restaurant meals, candy, soft drinks, and prepared foods are still taxed at the full combined city rate.

Does Illinois have a back-to-school sales tax holiday in 2026?

Yes. Public Act 104-0468 created a State sales tax holiday from August 7 through August 16, 2026. During those ten days the State share of the tax on qualifying items fell by 5 percentage points, from 6.25% to 1.25%; local taxes still applied, so a 9.75% location charged 4.75%. Qualifying items were clothing and footwear with a retail selling price of less than $125 per item and school supplies used by students in the course of study (no price limit on school supplies). Source: Illinois Department of Revenue bulletin FY 2026-30.

How do I reverse calculate Illinois sales tax from a total?

Divide the total by 1 plus the rate — do not subtract the percentage. At the 8.98% statewide average combined rate, a $107.00 total divides to $98.18 pre-tax and $8.82 in sales tax. Set Calculation Mode on this page to 'Remove tax from a total (reverse)' and enter the amount you actually paid; the calculator returns the pre-tax price, the state share, the local share, and the total tax.

Why does subtracting 8.98% from my Illinois total give the wrong pre-tax price?

Because the tax was charged on the smaller pre-tax figure, not on the total. Subtracting 8.98% of $107.00 removes more than was ever added, leaving you short by a few cents on small receipts and by dollars on large ones. The correct reverse formula is total ÷ (1 + rate), and the reverse mode in this calculator applies it automatically.

How do I find the exact sales tax rate for an Illinois address?

Use the Illinois Department of Revenue Tax Rate Finder and rate files at tax.illinois.gov, which return the combined state and local rate by address and municipality. The 8.98% statewide average used on this page (Tax Foundation, July 2026) is a planning figure only — Illinois general merchandise rates range from 6.25% where no local tax applies to 11.00% in Cicero and Berwyn and higher in some business districts, so a single averaged rate can be wrong by more than two percentage points on the same order.

Do I charge the Illinois rate at my location or the customer's?

The customer’s, if you are an out-of-state retailer with a physical presence in Illinois and the sale is fulfilled from outside Illinois. Public Act 103-0983 moved those sales to destination-based Retailers’ Occupation Tax from 1 January 2025, so the rate that applies is the combined state and local rate at the shipping address. One order can be taxed at 10.50% into Chicago and 8.00% into Naperville on the same day, so a hard-coded checkout rate will be wrong. Sales filled from inventory in Illinois, and sales by Illinois retailers, are still taxed at the origin rate.

Which form do I file for Illinois sales tax on a car?

It depends on the seller. An Illinois dealer files Form ST-556 within 20 days of delivery. If you buy from an out-of-state dealer you file Form RUT-25 yourself when you apply for Illinois title and registration, no more than 30 days after the vehicle arrives in Illinois. If you buy from a private individual you file Form RUT-50 within 30 days of the purchase. The retail rate in this calculator does not apply to titled vehicles.

Can I avoid Illinois sales tax by buying a car in Indiana or Wisconsin?

No. Illinois collects tax when you title the car here, with credit for tax properly due and paid to the other state. If the other state charged less, you owe Illinois the difference. Illinois use tax also applies to ordinary goods bought out of state for use in Illinois when the seller did not collect Illinois tax.