What is Cincinnati's combined sales tax rate?

Purchases in Cincinnati (Hamilton County) carry a combined 7.8% sales tax: 5.75% Ohio state tax, 1.25% Hamilton County tax, and a 0.8% regional transit authority levy. This is higher than Ohio's 5.75% state minimum and varies from neighboring counties with different local rates.

Are groceries taxed in Cincinnati?

No. Ohio exempts most unprepared food and groceries from sales tax statewide, so a cart of raw ingredients is tax-free in Cincinnati. However, prepared food, restaurant meals, dietary supplements, soft drinks, and alcohol are generally taxable at the full 7.8% combined rate.

Are prescription drugs taxed?

No. Prescription drugs are exempt from Ohio sales tax, and most medical devices and prosthetics are as well. Over-the-counter medicines are generally taxable unless purchased with a prescription. Use the exemption toggle for any item that qualifies as exempt under Ohio law.

Why is the rate 7.8% and not 5.75%?

5.75% is only Ohio's statewide base rate. Each county adds its own local sales tax, and many add a transit levy too. Hamilton County's local and transit additions bring Cincinnati to 7.8%, which is why a state-rate-only estimate undercounts your actual tax.

Does this work for online orders shipped to Cincinnati?

Yes. Ohio uses destination-based sourcing for sales tax, so an online order shipped to a Cincinnati address is taxed at the 7.8% Cincinnati combined rate, not the seller's location. Enter your order subtotal to estimate the tax a compliant retailer should charge.

Cincinnati Combined Sales Tax Calculator

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Cincinnati shoppers pay more than Ohio’s headline 5.75% state rate: county and transit levies push the combined sales tax to 7.8%. This calculator applies that exact rate to any purchase and respects Ohio’s exemptions for groceries and prescription drugs, so your estimate matches the register.

How it works

The combined rate is the sum of three levies applied to the taxable amount; exempt items are taxed at zero:

state rate    = 5.75%   (Ohio)
county rate   = 1.25%   (Hamilton County)
transit rate  = 0.80%   (regional transit authority)
combined rate = 7.80%

tax   = exempt ? 0 : amount × 7.80%
total = amount + tax

Ohio sources sales tax to the delivery destination, so the 7.8% Cincinnati rate applies to in-store and shipped-to-Cincinnati purchases alike — except for the statutory exemptions, which carry no sales tax at all.

Example and tips

A 250 dollar taxable purchase incurs 7.8% tax — 19.50 dollars — for a 269.50 dollar total, split as 14.38 state, 3.13 county, and 2.00 transit. Mark a 250 dollar grocery run as exempt and the tax drops to zero. Watch the line between exempt and taxable food: raw ingredients are exempt, but the same item sold hot or prepared, plus soft drinks and supplements, is taxed at the full 7.8%.