Hawaii sales tax rate in 2026
| State rate | 4% |
|---|
- Hawaii charges a general excise tax (GET) on businesses rather than a retail sales tax. Businesses usually pass it on, often at a slightly higher visible rate.
- Counties can add a surcharge of up to 0.5%.
How to calculate Hawaii sales tax
To add tax, multiply the price before tax by 4% and add it on. To find the price before tax inside a total, divide the total by 1.04. Taking 4% off the total gives the wrong answer, because the tax was charged on the smaller pre-tax price.
Tax = Price × 4 ÷ 100 Price before tax = Total ÷ 1.04
| Price before tax | $250.00 |
|---|---|
| Sales tax at 4% | $10.00 |
| Total | $260.00 |
| A total of $520.00 includes tax of | $20.00 |
| …so the price before tax was | $500.00 |
Hawaii sales tax on common amounts
At 4%, this is the tax and the total on everyday prices, before any local tax.
| Price before tax | Tax | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.40 | $10.40 |
| $20.00 | $0.80 | $20.80 |
| $50.00 | $2.00 | $52.00 |
| $100.00 | $4.00 | $104.00 |
| $250.00 | $10.00 | $260.00 |
| $500.00 | $20.00 | $520.00 |
| $1,000.00 | $40.00 | $1,040.00 |
| $5,000.00 | $200.00 | $5,200.00 |
Local sales tax in Hawaii
On top of the 4% state rate, cities, counties and special districts in Hawaii can charge their own sales tax. The rate you collect is usually the combined rate where the buyer receives the goods. Enter that local rate in the calculator to get the full amount.
Selling to Hawaii from another state
Since the 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair decision, states can require out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax once their sales into the state pass an economic nexus threshold, even without a physical presence. Marketplaces such as Amazon and Etsy usually collect and pay the tax for sales made through them. Check the Hawaii revenue department for the current threshold and registration steps.