Honolulu County · Hawaii
Honolulu, HI sales tax rate
Hawaii's 4.5% is a general excise tax on the seller, not a sales tax — businesses commonly pass through 4.712% on Oahu to cover tax on the tax.
Quick answer
The combined sales tax rate in Honolulu, HI is 4.5% as of January 1, 2026 — 4% state + 0.5% county. On a $100 purchase that is $4.50 in tax, for a total of $104.50. Hawaii's statewide base is 4%.
- Combined rate
- 4.5%
- State share
- 4%
- Local share
- 0.5%County + city + districts
- Tax on $100
- $4.50
Calculate Honolulu sales tax
Pre-filled with the Honolulu combined rate.
Sales tax calculator
The full combined rate of 4.5% applies to general merchandise.
Enter a pre-tax amount to see the tax due in Honolulu, HI.
- Pre-tax
- $100
- Sales tax at 4.5%
- $4.50
- Total
- $104.50
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.
Jurisdiction breakdown
Every layer that makes up the combined rate, and how much of the total each one contributes.
| Jurisdiction | Level | Rate | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii general excise tax | state | 4% | 89% |
| Oahu county surcharge | county | 0.5% | 11% |
| Combined rate | 4.5% |
Honolulu sales tax reference table
Tax due at 4.5% on common purchase amounts.
| Purchase | Sales tax | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.45 | $10.45 |
| $25 | $1.13 | $26.13 |
| $50 | $2.25 | $52.25 |
| $100 | $4.50 | $104.50 |
| $500 | $22.50 | $522.50 |
| $1,000 | $45.00 | $1045.00 |
| $5,000 | $225.00 | $5225.00 |
| $25,000 | $1125.00 | $26125.00 |
Reverse out sales tax
Enter a receipt total and we split the item price from the 4.5% tax collected.
Backing out 4.5% for Honolulu, HI.
- Item price before tax
- $100
- Sales tax collected
- $4.50
What this rate applies to
Hawaii publishes the taxable base separately from the rate. Groceries, prescription drugs, clothing and services are treated differently state to state, and several categories in Hawaii are taxed at reduced rates or exempt entirely. Hawaii's 4.5% is a general excise tax on the seller, not a sales tax — businesses commonly pass through 4.712% on Oahu to cover tax on the tax. Check the Hawaii Department of Taxation guidance for the category you are pricing before assuming 4.5% applies.
Honolulu at a glance
- Population
- 350,964
- Median household income
- $88,894
- County
- Honolulu County
- ZIP codes covered
- 9
Neighboring districts tax profiles
The closest covered jurisdictions by county and ZIP sectional centre, with the rate difference against this metro.
Compare Honolulu with another metro
Side-by-side rate stacks and the dollar difference on a $1,000 purchase.
Cities near Honolulu
Straight-line distance, estimated drive time and the rate charged there.
Download this metro's data
The Honolulu jurisdiction stack, combined rate (4.5%), effective date and Census figures are published as open files. Free to use with attribution — no key, no signup.