Sales tax in Cape May County, New Jersey
The sales tax rate in Cape May County, New Jersey is 6.625%. That is a 6.625% state rate, with no county rate on top: Cape May County levies none, and it is the same at every address in the county.
What is the sales tax rate in Cape May County?
| New Jersey state rate | 6.625% |
|---|---|
| Combined rate | 6.625% |
Why the rate here is not the whole story
New Jersey's state sales tax is 6.625 percent and that is the rate at every address in Cape May County. No New Jersey county levies a sales tax and county governments hold no power to levy one, and no municipality here may add a general sales tax either, which is why the Division of Taxation's own Rates and Boundaries page says New Jersey has a single rate sales tax for the entire State. Wildwood, North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest collect a 2 percent Cape May County tourism sales tax under the Tourism Improvement and Development District Act, which reaches only room rentals, food and drink sold by restaurants, taverns and caterers, admission charges to amusements, and cover charges, for a combined 8.625 percent on those items. It does not reach general retail merchandise, so buying a shirt or a beach toy in the Wildwoods is taxed at 6.625 percent, and the county itself levies nothing. New Jersey does have reduced rates that sit below 6.625 percent, and they turn on the seller rather than the address: a business certified in an urban enterprise zone may charge half the state rate, 3.3125 percent, on qualifying in person sales of tangible personal property, where the buyer orders and takes delivery at the seller's place of business in the zone. The zones in this county cover North Wildwood, West Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, and a buyer pays the full 6.625 percent at every other address and at any seller in the zone that is not certified, so 6.625 percent is the rate to expect and the floor for everything the exemption does not cover. Most food sold as groceries, most clothing and footwear, and prescription and over the counter drugs are exempt from New Jersey sales tax, so many receipts here show no tax at all.
How do I find the exact rate for an address in Cape May County?
The rate is the same across Cape May County, but if you are collecting tax it is worth confirming against the source. Use New Jersey's own lookup. A vendor's calculator is not the state speaking.
Who has to collect sales tax in Cape May County?
A seller with a physical presence in New Jersey collects at the rate for the address where the sale takes place. A remote seller collects once it passes New Jersey's economic nexus threshold, which is a separate question from the rate and is covered on our sales tax nexus checker. Marketplace facilitators generally collect on behalf of their sellers.
How does Cape May County compare?
See New Jersey sales tax for the statewide picture, including the average local rate and what is exempt. Property tax is a separate tax with separate rules: property tax in Cape May County.