Delaware sales tax at a glance
Delaware ranks among the 4 jurisdictions with no general sales tax. Delaware has no sales tax at all — long marketed as the 'Home of Tax-Free Shopping.' The trade-off shows up elsewhere in the tax system — states without a sales tax typically lean more on income or property taxes.
Delaware vs. the national average and its neighbors
The average combined state-and-local sales tax across the 50 states is about 6.66%. Delaware's 0% puts it 6.7 points below that average — on a $30,000 car, that's $1,998 a typical buyer elsewhere pays that a Delaware buyer doesn't. Combined with a graduated income tax topping out at 6.6%, that shapes how Delaware funds itself — see the Delaware paycheck calculator for the payroll side.
Border shopping is real: here's what the same purchases cost across state lines, at each state's average combined rate.
| State | Combined rate | Tax on $250 | Tax on $30,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 0% | $0.00 | $0 |
| Maryland | 6% | $15.00 | $1,800 |
| Pennsylvania | 6.34% | $15.85 | $1,902 |
| New Jersey | 6.6% | $16.50 | $1,980 |
Vehicle purchases are usually taxed by the state where the car is registered, not where it's bought — so the car column shows the rate you'd owe as a resident, not a border-shopping opportunity.
Reading a Delaware receipt
In Delaware the subtotal and the total match. If a Delaware receipt shows a tax line, it's usually a specific excise (lodging, prepared food, rental cars) rather than general sales tax — those are separate taxes with their own rates.
Frequently asked questions
+Does Delaware really have no sales tax?
Delaware levies no sales tax. What you see on the shelf is what you pay at the register. Delaware has no sales tax at all — long marketed as the 'Home of Tax-Free Shopping.' The other no-sales-tax states are Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Alaska has no state rate but allows local taxes.
+How do I calculate Delaware sales tax backwards from a total?
In Delaware there's usually nothing to reverse — the receipt total is the price. For purchases shipped from Delaware to another state, tax follows the delivery address.
+Do online orders charge Delaware sales tax?
Orders delivered to a Delaware address carry no sales tax. If you ship to another state, that state's rules apply.
+How much is sales tax on a $30,000 car in Delaware?
Nothing in general sales tax — Delaware charges no sales tax on vehicles, though title and registration fees still apply.
+How does Delaware's sales tax compare nationally?
Delaware is one of only a handful of states with no general sales tax, against a 50-state average combined rate of about 6.66%.
+Is the rate the same everywhere in Delaware?
Yes — no jurisdiction in Delaware charges general sales tax.
Rates as of July 1, 2026, from state revenue departments compiled by the Tax Foundation; local averages are population-weighted. Product exemptions (groceries, clothing, medicine) vary by state. Estimates only — see our terms.