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 average combined rate (state + local) is 8.86%. Enter your purchase amount to see state tax, local tax, and the total amount due — all calculated privately in your browser.
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 destination city and county add-ons — Chicago 10.25% (highest of any major US city), Naperville 7.75%, Springfield 9.75%, Rockford 8.75%, statewide combined average 8.86%. The 1% state grocery tax ended on 1 January 2026, so unprepared food now carries only local grocery add-ons; prescription drugs stay exempt. Enter purchase amount for instant itemized tax. Updated 2026-08-20.
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 average combined rate across all jurisdictions in Illinois is 8.86%, according to Tax Foundation 2026 data. 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 taxes groceries at a reduced 1% state rate rather than the standard 6.25%, one of the lowest grocery tax rates among taxing states. Illinois exempts most clothing items from state sales tax, making it a tax-friendly state for apparel purchases. Prescription drugs are also exempt from sales tax in Illinois.
Illinois Sales Tax Holidays
Illinois taxes groceries at a reduced 1% rate. Clothing is exempt from state tax but may be subject to local taxes. During a sales tax holiday, qualifying items are sold without collecting state sales tax — and sometimes local sales tax too. Check the Illinois Department of Revenue website for exact dates, eligible items, and price limits each year.
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: use 8.86% for an average estimate, or enter the exact local rate from your receipt or the Illinois Department of Revenue website. Example: a $200 purchase at the 8.86% combined rate = $17.72 in tax = $217.72 total.
Tips for Accurate Sales Tax Calculations
Always confirm the exact local rate for your specific city or county — the combined average (8.86%) 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: 10.25% Combined — Highest Major U.S. City
This Illinois sales tax calculator uses the 8.86% statewide average, but Chicago has the highest combined sales tax of any major U.S. city at 10.25%: 6.25% state + 1.25% Cook County + 1.25% City of Chicago + 1.0% Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) + 0.5% Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. A $1,000 electronics purchase in Chicago = $102.50 sales tax vs $62.50 in Indiana (just across the border, 7% combined). For groceries, the 1% Illinois state rate was abolished on 1 January 2026, so only local grocery add-ons remain — grocery tax in Chicago is now 1.25%, and downstate cities with no local add-on charge nothing. Per Illinois Department of Revenue tax rate lookup, you can verify the exact rate for any Illinois ZIP code.
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 8.86% average to a Chicago or Naperville purchase and then correct it by hand. Rates sourced from the Illinois Department of Revenue Tax Rate Database:
- Chicago (Cook County): 10.25% combined
- Cicero / Berwyn (Cook County): 10.25%
- Evanston (Cook County): 10.25%
- Naperville (DuPage County): 7.75% (6.25% + 0.75% DuPage + 0.75% city)
- Aurora (Kane County): 8.25%
- Joliet (Will County): 8.75%
- Rockford (Winnebago County): 8.25%
- Springfield (Sangamon County): 9.75%
- Peoria (Peoria County): 9.0%
- Champaign / Urbana (Champaign County): 9.0%
- Quad Cities — Moline / Rock Island (Rock Island County): 8.5%
If you live in a high-rate Cook County suburb and shop a few miles into DuPage (Naperville/Wheaton, 7.75%) or across the IN border (East Chicago, 7.0%), the savings on a single $2,000 appliance is roughly $50–$65. Illinois enforces use tax on out-of-state vehicle purchases though, so border-shopping mostly works for small/medium items. Updated 2026-06-26.
Illinois Grocery Tax Elimination 2026: What Changed on January 1
Effective January 1, 2026, Illinois eliminated the 1% state grocery tax entirely — the first major change to grocery taxation since 2008. This was passed as part of the FY2026 state budget and applies to all unprepared food items sold for home consumption (see Illinois Department of Revenue publications). However, LOCAL grocery taxes (typically 1.25% in Chicago and Cook County) remain — so a grocery bill in Chicago is now 1.25% instead of the previous 2.25%. Downstate cities without local grocery add-ons (Peoria, Rockford, Champaign) now have TRUE $0 grocery tax. Restaurant meals, candy, soft drinks, and prepared foods still tax at the full combined city rate (10.25% in Chicago, 7.75%–9.75% elsewhere). This is one of the largest state-level consumer tax cuts of 2026 and saves an average Illinois household roughly $80–$120/year on groceries. Updated 2026-07-12.
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 8.86% average combined rate: a $107.00 receipt divides to $98.29 pre-tax plus $8.71 in sales tax. Confirm your exact local rate with the Illinois Department of Revenue before filing. Updated 2026-07-29.
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 and paid within 20 days of 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 already paid to the other state where a reciprocity agreement exists. Private-party purchases are also assessed from a statutory table rather than straight percentage of price, which is why a $1,200 used car and a $2,400 used car can owe the same tax. Updated 2026-08-20.
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 and city taxes, the average rate across Illinois is 8.86% (Tax Foundation 2026).
Does Illinois tax groceries?
Not at state level any more. Illinois eliminated its 1% state grocery tax on 1 January 2026, so unprepared food sold for home consumption is no longer taxed by the state. Local grocery add-ons remain — about 1.25% in Chicago and Cook County — while downstate cities without a local add-on now charge nothing at all on groceries. Prepared food, candy and soft drinks are still taxed at the full combined rate.
Is clothing taxed in Illinois?
Illinois exempts most clothing items from state sales tax, making it a tax-friendly state for apparel purchases.
What is the combined sales tax rate in Illinois?
The average combined (state + local) sales tax rate in Illinois is 8.86%. The state portion is 6.25%; the remainder comes from county and municipal 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 average combined rate: price × 0.0886. Example: $50 × 0.0886 = $4.43 tax, total $54.43.
What is the Chicago sales tax rate in 2026?
10.25% combined — the highest of any major U.S. city. Breakdown: 6.25% state + 1.25% Cook County + 1.25% City of Chicago + 1.0% RTA + 0.5% MPEA. Groceries in Chicago = 1.25% (local add-on only, since the 1% state grocery tax ended 1 January 2026). Vehicles, large appliances, and electronics see the biggest tax difference vs nearby Indiana/Wisconsin (7-7.5%). Source: Illinois Department of Revenue.
Does Illinois charge sales tax on cars purchased out of state?
Yes — Illinois charges use tax at the same combined rate when you register an out-of-state vehicle in Illinois (typically due within 30 days of moving or purchasing). The use tax is calculated on the purchase price and credit is given for sales tax already paid to the other state if Illinois has a reciprocity agreement. Buying a car in Indiana to dodge Chicago’s 10.25% won’t work — you’ll owe the difference at registration time.
Which Chicago suburbs have lower sales tax than Chicago?
Almost all of them. Chicago and most Cook County suburbs sit at 10.25%, but crossing the county line to DuPage (Naperville/Wheaton/Lombard, 7.75%), Kane (Aurora/Geneva, 8.25%), Will (Joliet/Plainfield, 8.75%), or Lake (Waukegan, 8.5%) drops the rate by 1.5–2.5 percentage points. On a $2,000 appliance or $5,000 electronics purchase, that's a $30–$125 difference — worth a 20-minute drive for big-ticket items.
Is the Chicago grocery sales tax really 2.25%?
As of January 1, 2026, no — Illinois eliminated the 1% state grocery tax entirely. Chicago's grocery tax is now 1.25% (Cook County + Chicago local grocery add-on only). Restaurant/prepared meals still tax at the full 10.25% in Chicago (plus 0.25%–1% restaurant/meals tax in downtown zones). Prior to 2026 the combined rate on unprepared groceries in Chicago was 2.25%; the state-portion cut saves the average Chicago household roughly $80–$120/year on food bills.
When did Illinois eliminate the grocery tax?
The 1% Illinois state grocery tax ended January 1, 2026, as part of the FY2026 state budget. Local grocery taxes (typically 1.25% in Cook County) still apply, so Chicago groceries are now taxed at 1.25% not 2.25%. Downstate cities without local grocery add-ons — Peoria, Rockford, Champaign — now have true $0 grocery tax at checkout for unprepared food. 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?
No — Illinois has no back-to-school sales-tax holiday in 2026. The state briefly ran one in August 2022 (a 5% state rate reduction on clothing and school supplies for 10 days) but has not renewed it since. Neighboring states DO offer them: Missouri first weekend of August (clothing under $100, computers under $1,500), Iowa first weekend of August (clothing under $100). Illinois residents near the border can shop tax-free in those states during the holiday windows but technically owe IL use tax on the difference.
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 8.86% average combined IL rate, a $107.00 total divides to $98.29 pre-tax and $8.71 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 8.86% 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 8.86% 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). This is the most common error on expense reports and IL sales-tax returns, and the reverse mode in this calculator applies the correct formula automatically.
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 vehicle use tax when you register the car here, and you get credit only for tax already paid to the other state under a reciprocity agreement. If the other state charged less, you owe Illinois the difference at registration. Border shopping still works for ordinary goods such as appliances and electronics, which are not titled.