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Jefferson County · Alabama

Birmingham sales tax rate (AL)

Birmingham's 10% combined rate is among the highest big-city rates in the US, and Alabama still taxes groceries at a reduced state rate.

Ten dollar bills on a dark surface, illustrating state sales tax rates

Quick answer

The combined sales tax rate in Birmingham, AL is 10% as of January 1, 2026 — 4% state + 2% county + 4% city. On a $100 purchase that is $10 in tax, for a total of $110. Alabama's statewide base is 4%.

Verified against state tableEffective January 1, 2026 · rank 6 of 94 covered metros
Combined rate
10%
State share
4%
Local share
6%County + city + districts
Tax on $100
$10

Calculate Birmingham sales tax

Pre-filled with the Birmingham combined rate.

Sales tax calculator

The full combined rate of 10% applies to general merchandise.

Enter a pre-tax amount to see the tax due in Birmingham, AL.

Pre-tax
$100
Sales tax at 10%
$10
Total
$110

Tax is rounded to the nearest cent on the full transaction, which is how most registers compute it. Line-item rounding can differ by a cent or two on long receipts.

Is 10% high?

Where Birmingham sits against the state and the covered-metro median, in points and in dollars.

vs covered median
+2.05 ptsMedian 7.95%
Local share
60%6% of the total
Cost per household
$2,600Per year on $26,000 taxable spend
Jurisdiction layers
3Stacked into the combined rate

10% in Birmingham — high. It ranks 6 of 94 covered metros, +2.05 pts against the 7.95% median. On $26,000 of taxable household spending that is $2,600 a year, $533 above it.

Local government sets 6% of the total, 60% of the bill; the state takes 4%. 3 layers stack: Alabama state 4%, Jefferson County 2%, City of Birmingham 4%. The City of Birmingham increment at 4% is the largest local piece — 67% of everything local, worth $1,040 a year on its own.

Same bracket nationally: Baton Rouge, LA (10%). A household relocating between Birmingham and any of them sees no meaningful change in sales tax.

Scale: 196,644 residents, roughly 78,658 households. At $26,000 of taxable spend each, the 6% local share pulls about $122,706,480 a year from residents alone — before any visitor or business spending, which in a metro this size is where the rest comes from.

Birmingham's 10% combined rate is among the highest big-city rates in the US, and Alabama still taxes groceries at a reduced state rate.

Rates move when a district measure passes or a local option expires. Confirm the current figure with the Alabama Department of Revenue before filing or quoting it to a customer.

Jurisdiction breakdown

Every layer that makes up the combined rate, and how much of the total each one contributes.

Sales tax rate composition for Birmingham, AL: 4% Alabama state, 2% Jefferson County, 4% City of Birmingham, totalling 10%.
Sales tax rate components for Birmingham, AL
JurisdictionLevelRateShare of total
Alabama statestate4%
40%
Jefferson Countycounty2%
20%
City of Birminghamcity4%
40%
Combined rate10%
Source: Alabama Department of Revenue rate tables · rates as published for 2026

Birmingham sales tax reference table

Tax due at 10% on common purchase amounts.

Tax due at 10% for common purchase amounts
PurchaseSales taxTotal
$10$1.00$11.00
$25$2.50$27.50
$50$5.00$55.00
$100$10.00$110.00
$500$50.00$550.00
$1,000$100.00$1100.00
$5,000$500.00$5500.00
$25,000$2500.00$27500.00

Reverse out sales tax

Enter a receipt total and we split the item price from the 10% tax collected.

Backing out 10% for Birmingham, AL.

Item price before tax
$100
Sales tax collected
$10

What this rate applies to

Alabama publishes the taxable base separately from the rate. Groceries, prescription drugs, clothing and services are treated differently state to state, and several categories in Alabama are taxed at reduced rates or exempt entirely. Birmingham's 10% combined rate is among the highest big-city rates in the US, and Alabama still taxes groceries at a reduced state rate. Check the Alabama Department of Revenue guidance for the category you are pricing before assuming 10% applies.

Birmingham at a glance

Population
196,644
Median household income
$44,290
County
Jefferson County
ZIP codes covered
12
Birmingham demographicsZIP codesSeller registration

Neighboring districts tax profiles

The closest covered jurisdictions by county and ZIP sectional centre, with the rate difference against this metro.

Compare Birmingham with another metro

Side-by-side rate stacks and the dollar difference on a $1,000 purchase.

    Cities near Birmingham

    Straight-line distance, estimated drive time and the rate charged there.

    All metros within 250 miles of Birmingham →

    Download this metro's data

    The Birmingham jurisdiction stack, combined rate (10%), effective date and Census figures are published as open files. Free to use with attribution — no key, no signup.

    Download CSV data fileBirmingham JSON endpointFull rate set (JSON)

    Other Birmingham datasets on this site.

    Statewide: Alabama cities · Alabama ZIP codes · Alabama sales tax · Alabama counties