North Carolina: Sales Tax Handbook
2026 List of North Carolina Local Sales Tax Rates
Lowest sales tax (6.75%) Highest sales tax (16%)
North Carolina has state sales tax of 4.75%, and allows local governments to collect a local option sales tax of up to 2.75%. There are a total of 463 local tax jurisdictions across the state, collecting an average local tax of 2.286%. Click here for a larger sales tax map, or here for a sales tax table.
Combined with the state sales tax, the highest sales tax rate in North Carolina is 16% in the cities of Murphy, Bryson City, Cherokee, Robbinsville and Whittier (and two other cities).
Last updated June 2026North Carolina County-Level Sales Taxes
In the map of North Carolina above, the 101 counties in North Carolina are colorized based on the maximum sales tax rate that occurs within that county. Counties marked with a in the list below have a county-level sales tax. You can also download a North Carolina sales tax rate database.
North Carolina City and Locality Sales Taxes
Cities or towns marked with an have a local city-level sales tax, potentially in addition to additional local government sales taxes. Click on any city name for the applicable local sales tax rates.
North Carolina Sales Tax Rates by Zip Code:
Need an updated list of North Carolina sales tax rates for your business? Download our North Carolina sales tax database!
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