Published January 7, 2026
What Is the Sales Tax in Florida?
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Updated - Originally published April 23, 2025
Thinking about moving to Florida—or starting a business in the state? Understanding how sales tax works is essential for making informed financial decisions. Florida imposes a combination of statewide and county-level sales taxes that affect residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
Before diving into the details, here is a quick overview of the key facts for 2025.
Statewide Rate: 6%
Local Surtax: 0.5%–2.5% (varies by county)
Average Combined Rate: ~7.05%
Car Sales Tax: 6% + applicable county surtax
Counties With Some of the Highest Rates: Miami-Dade (7%), Orange (7.5%), Hillsborough (7.5%)
Common Exemptions: Groceries, prescription drugs, medical supplies
Florida imposes a 6% statewide sales tax on most retail sales of tangible goods and certain taxable services.
In addition, every county has the option to levy a discretionary sales surtax of 0.5% to 2.5%, which is added on top of the base rate.
This means that depending on the county, total sales tax in Florida ranges from:
Florida’s average combined rate—7.05%—is slightly above the national average.
Several factors affect how much sales tax consumers and businesses ultimately pay. These include:
Each of these variables can meaningfully change the total tax owed on a transaction.
Florida taxes most retail goods but exempts many essentials. Some key rules include:
Since Florida taxes few services compared to other states, understanding which categories are taxable is especially important for service-based businesses.
Because each county may impose a discretionary surtax, two identical purchases can be taxed at different rates depending on where they occur.
Examples:
Businesses with multi-county operations must track county-specific rates to ensure accurate collection and remittance.
Generally, residents and visitors pay the same sales tax on in-state purchases.
However, Florida offers specific exemptions that may apply to non-residents if:
Important distinction:
Visitors making purchases while physically in Florida are required to pay the same tax as residents.
Florida provides a wide variety of exemptions that reduce the tax burden on certain industries and consumers.
Some counties offer early-payment discounts on surtaxes.
Businesses that qualify for exemptions must maintain proper documentation, as required by the Department of Revenue.
Florida requires remote sellers (out-of-state businesses) to collect the state’s 6% tax plus any applicable county surtax if they exceed economic nexus thresholds.
What this means for consumers:
Florida also enforces use tax, requiring individuals to self-report tax on untaxed out-of-state purchases—though most major online retailers now collect tax automatically.
Florida taxes vehicle purchases at:
6% state tax + the county surtax where the vehicle is registered.
Example:
A car bought in Miami-Dade County is taxed at 7%, while a vehicle bought and registered in Orange County may be taxed at 7.5%.
Florida residents who buy a car in another state must still pay Florida use tax when registering the vehicle—minus any sales tax already paid to the other state, up to Florida rates.
With tens of millions of visitors annually, tourism significantly drives Florida’s sales tax revenue.
Visitors pay the same tax as residents on:
However, many tourists benefit from:
Tourism-heavy counties frequently adopt higher surtax rates.
Sales tax impacts Florida businesses in multiple ways:
Businesses must track:
This can be challenging for multi-location or multi-state sellers.
Businesses must decide whether to:
Both options affect customer perception.
Collected tax must be held until remittance, which can strain businesses with:
Businesses must keep detailed records of:
Failure to do so may trigger penalties.
Sales tax can influence:
Sales tax also influences day-to-day life for Florida residents.
Higher county surtaxes directly raise the price of taxable goods.
Sales tax reduces discretionary income, especially for price-sensitive households.
Sales tax is often viewed as regressive because low-income households spend a greater proportion of income on taxable goods.
High surtax counties may see reduced consumer spending on:
Florida runs several tax-free holidays each year, encouraging strategic consumer purchases.
Residents near Georgia or Alabama sometimes shop across state lines if lower tax rates apply.
Florida’s sales tax system affects virtually every person and business in the state—from pricing strategies and cash flow to tourism spending and household budgets. With county surtaxes varying widely, staying informed is essential for accurate budgeting, compliance, and financial planning.
Whether you’re a resident, business owner, or visitor, understanding how sales tax works in Florida helps you make smarter purchasing and operational decisions.
Need help with taxes? Click Here!
Florida’s base sales tax rate is 6%, but counties may add a discretionary surtax ranging from 0.5% to 2.5%. This means the total sales tax rate varies by location. For example, Miami-Dade County has a 7% combined rate, while Orange and Hillsborough counties reach 7.5%.
Businesses operating in multiple counties often rely on automation to ensure accurate rate calculations across jurisdictions.
👉 Learn how businesses manage this with sales tax automation
Most groceries for home consumption are exempt from Florida sales tax. However, prepared food, restaurant meals, and ready-to-eat items are taxable. This distinction is especially important for grocery stores, restaurants, and food delivery businesses.
If your business sells both taxable and exempt food items, proper setup and exemption handling are critical.
👉 See how exemption rules are managed correctly
Yes. Florida requires online sellers to collect sales tax if they meet economic nexus thresholds. The applicable tax rate is based on the delivery address, not the seller’s location.
Most major online retailers already collect Florida sales tax automatically, but smaller sellers may still face compliance challenges.
👉 Check nexus obligations using our calculator
No. Vehicle purchases are taxed at 6% plus the county surtax where the vehicle is registered. This means the same car can be taxed differently depending on the buyer’s county.
Out-of-state vehicle purchases by Florida residents may also trigger use tax at registration.
👉 Need help registering vehicles or managing multi-state compliance?
Yes. Tourists and residents pay the same sales tax rates on in-state purchases, including lodging, dining, and retail goods.
Tourism-heavy counties often impose higher surtaxes, making accurate tax collection especially important for hospitality businesses.
👉 Learn how businesses streamline tourist-driven sales tax compliance
Florida taxes fewer services than many other states, but certain services—such as commercial cleaning, repairs, and short-term rentals—are taxable.
Because service taxability rules can be nuanced, businesses should review their offerings carefully to avoid under- or over-collecting tax.
👉 Get expert guidance on Florida service tax rules
Businesses must monitor:
• County surtax changes
• Tax holidays
• New exemption rules
• Economic nexus thresholds
Many companies use automated sales tax systems to reduce errors, manage filings, and stay compliant as rules evolve.
👉 See how automation simplifies Florida sales tax compliance
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