The Alabama (AL) state sales tax rate is currently 4%, ranking 21st-highest in the U.S. Depending on local municipalities, the total tax rate can be as high as 11.5%. The average local rate is 3.97%. The average combined tax rate is 7.97%, ranking 9th in the US.

In some of the cities and counties, local taxes apply to both intra-state and inter-state transactions.

The Alabama's state tax rate varies depending of the type of purchase: auto - 2%, farm machinary - 1.5%, general goods - 4%, food from vending machine - 3%. Some of the Alabama tax type includes: consumers use, lodging tax, rental tax, sales tax, sellers use, and lodgings tax.

In Alabama, prescription drugs, gasoline and motor oil items, fertilizer/insecticides/fungicides for agricultural purposes, seeds for planting purposes, feed for livestock and poultry, and livestock are considered tax exempt. Alabama is one of the few states that does not exempt groceries and food from the state sales tax.

Alabama has two annual sales tax holiday weekends this year: Back to school holiday (7/20/2018 - 7/22/2018) and Severe Weather Holiday (2/23/2018 - 2/25/2018).

Alabama starts collecting online sales taxes Oct 1, 2018. SSUT, already utilized by Amazon, allows merchants to pay a flat 8 percent sales taxes and avoid navigating the more than 200 different city and county sales taxes across the state.