Sales tax by state · North Carolina
North Carolina Sales Tax Rate
The statewide sales tax in North Carolina is 4.75%, the 15th-highest statewide rate. With local taxes added, shoppers in Charlotte pay 7.25%. Here’s how that compares nationally and what you pay in the state’s major cities.
- North Carolina state rate 4.75% statewide base rate
- National rank 15th of 51, highest first
- Charlotte combined 7.25% state + local, ZIP 28202
- Tax on $100 $7.25 in Charlotte
Sales tax in North Carolina
North Carolina charges a statewide sales tax of 4.75%, 0.27 percentage points below the 5.02% average across all states. Counties, cities and special districts can add their own taxes on top, so the total at the register is usually higher than the state rate.
Combined rates in North Carolina’s major cities
The combined rate for one downtown ZIP code in each city, broken down by who charges it:
| City | State | County | City | Special | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte 28202 | 4.75% | 2% | 0% | 0.5% | 7.25% |
| Raleigh 27601 | 4.75% | 2% | 0% | 0.5% | 7.25% |
What sales tax adds in Charlotte
At the 7.25% combined rate in Charlotte, sales tax adds:
For any other address in North Carolina, enter its ZIP code in the sales tax calculator to get the exact combined rate.
How North Carolina compares
Among all 51 states and DC, North Carolina’s 4.75% is the 15th-highest statewide rate. The average statewide rate is 5.02%, and the highest is California’s 7.25%. See every state ranked on sales tax by state.
North Carolina sales tax — FAQ
What is the sales tax rate in North Carolina?
The statewide sales tax rate in North Carolina is 4.75%. That is the 15th-highest statewide rate and 0.27 percentage points below the 5.02% average across all states. Local taxes can add more depending on where you shop.
What is the sales tax in Charlotte, North Carolina?
The combined sales tax rate in downtown Charlotte (ZIP 28202) is 7.25%: 4.75% state, 2% county, 0.5% special district. Rates in other parts of the city can differ.
How do I calculate sales tax in North Carolina?
Multiply the price by the combined rate where you buy. In Charlotte, a $100 purchase carries $7.25 in tax (7.25%), for $107.25 total. For any other location, enter the ZIP code in the sales tax calculator.
Is North Carolina's sales tax high compared with other states?
Among all 51 states and DC, North Carolina’s 4.75% is the 15th-highest statewide rate, 0.27 percentage points below the 5.02% average across all states. The highest is California’s 7.25%.
Rates as of September 2026. City rates are for one downtown ZIP code and can differ elsewhere in the city.
Data: State departments of revenue, via APIVerve. Our tables, charts and text are licensed CC BY 4.0: reuse them freely, including commercially, as long as you credit us. Cite as: Digest Your Finances, “Sales Tax by State”, https://digestyourfinances.com/studies/sales-tax-by-state/north-carolina/ — based on State departments of revenue. CC BY 4.0.
