Hawaii Sales Tax Calculator
Figure the tax, the total, or the pre-tax price for any U.S. state or city rate
Hawaii does not have a traditional sales tax — instead it levies a General Excise Tax (GET), a unique tax on businesses for the privilege of conducting business in the state. The statewide GET rate is 4% on most retail transactions. However, because the GET is technically a business tax (not a consumer tax), businesses are legally permitted to pass on a slightly higher rate to customers — up to 4.712% — to account for the compounding effect of a tax being charged on a tax.
On top of the base 4%, Honolulu County (Oahu) adds a 0.5% county surcharge, bringing the effective rate there to 4.5% (or up to 4.7664% when passed on). Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai counties do not currently impose a surcharge, so those areas stay at 4%. The Tax Foundation calculates Hawaii's average combined rate at 4.50% for 2025, reflecting the significant population weight of Oahu.
One important Hawaii-specific note: groceries are NOT exempt from the GET. Unlike most mainland states that zero-rate food for home consumption, Hawaii applies GET to virtually all retail sales including food, clothing, and household goods. Low-income residents can claim a food/excise tax credit on their state return to offset some of this burden.
Worked example: On a $100 grocery purchase in Honolulu (Oahu), you would pay approximately $4.50 in GET for a total of $104.50. The same $100 purchase on Maui or the Big Island would be approximately $104.00.
Enter your purchase amount and the applicable rate (4% outside Oahu, 4.5% on Oahu) to estimate your Hawaii GET.
Practical example — Hawaii
A $100 purchase in Honolulu (Oahu) incurs approximately $4.50 in GET for a $104.50 total; the same purchase on the Big Island or Maui comes to approximately $104.00 under the 4% base rate.
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❓ Frequently asked questions
What is the sales tax rate in Hawaii?
Hawaii does not have a traditional sales tax. Instead it uses a General Excise Tax (GET) at a base rate of 4% statewide. Oahu (Honolulu County) adds a 0.5% surcharge, making the rate there 4.5%. Businesses may also pass on a slightly higher rate (up to 4.712% statewide, 4.7664% on Oahu) to account for compounding, so the amount you see on a receipt may differ slightly.
Does Hawaii have local sales tax?
Hawaii's county surcharge functions similarly to a local add-on. Honolulu County (Oahu) levies an additional 0.5% on top of the 4% statewide GET rate. The other counties — Maui, Hawaii (Big Island), and Kauai — do not currently impose a surcharge, so purchases there are subject only to the 4% base GET.
Are groceries taxed in Hawaii?
Yes. Unlike most U.S. states, Hawaii applies the GET to food and grocery purchases — there is no general exemption for staples. A $200 weekly grocery run on Oahu incurs approximately $9.00 in GET. Low-income residents may qualify for Hawaii's refundable food/excise tax credit (up to $110 per exemption for incomes under $30,000) to soften this impact.
How is Hawaii's GET different from a regular sales tax?
A traditional sales tax is legally imposed on the consumer and collected by the business at the point of sale. Hawaii's GET is technically imposed on the business itself for the privilege of doing business in Hawaii. In practice, businesses almost always pass the cost to customers. Because a business pays GET on its gross receipts (including the GET amount itself), the effective pass-on rate is slightly above 4% — legally capped at 4.712% on Oahu.
Do online purchases shipped to Hawaii get taxed?
Yes. Hawaii has economic nexus rules that require out-of-state sellers with more than $100,000 in Hawaii sales (or 200 transactions) to register for and collect the GET. If you order online and ship to a Hawaii address, you will generally see the GET applied just as you would for an in-store purchase.