Law by State Hawaii Sales Tax Rate
Hawaii Sales Tax Rate
Hawaii does not have a sales tax, but it does have an excise tax which applies to nearly every conceivable type of transaction (including services), and is technically charged to the business rather than the consumer. Unlike other states, rent, medical services and perishable foods are subject to the excise tax. Also, unlike other states, businesses may or may not show the tax separately on the receipt, as it is technically part of the selling price. 4.0% is charged at retail with an additional 0.5% surcharge in the City and County of Honolulu (for a total of 4.5% on Oahu sales), and 0.5% is charged on wholesale. However, the state also allows "tax on tax" to be charged, which effectively means a customer is billed 4.166% (4.712% on Oahu). The exact dollar or percentage amount to be added must be quoted to customers within or along with the price. The 0.5% surcharge on Oahu was implemented to fund the new rail transport system.The use of an excise tax means that tax-exempt non-profit organizations must pay the tax, unlike states where they are exempt from sales taxes.
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