Sales tax in Jefferson County, Washington
The sales tax rate in Jefferson County, Washington is 9.5%. That is a 6.5% state rate, and it is the same at every address in the county. That rate was read from Washington's own published schedule and checked on September 9, 2026.
What is the sales tax rate in Jefferson County?
| Washington state rate | 6.5% |
|---|---|
| Combined rate | 9.5% |
What is the sales tax rate in each city in Jefferson County?
Washington publishes the rate for every city it taxes. These are the combined rates, state and local together, as listed in Washington's own rate file.
| City | October 1 to December 31, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Port Townsend | 9.5% |
| Unincorporated Jefferson County | 9.5% |
Source: Washington rate file for October 1 to December 31, 2026, from Washington's official rate page.
How much sales tax is that on a purchase in Jefferson County?
At 9.5%, a $100 purchase carries $9.50 in sales tax and a $1,000 purchase $95.00. That is general merchandise; Washington taxes some categories, often groceries, differently, as the note below explains.
Jefferson County's rate is the highest in Washington. See every Washington county.
Sales tax in counties next to Jefferson County
Jefferson County borders 6 counties. The lowest rate next door is 8.35% in San Juan County, WA, which is $11.50 less on a $1,000 purchase than Jefferson County's rate.
| County | Combined sales tax |
|---|---|
| Jefferson County, WA (this county) | 9.5% |
| Kitsap County, WA | 9.2% to 9.3% |
| Island County, WA | 9.1% to 9.3% |
| Grays Harbor County, WA | 8.9% to 9.1% |
| Clallam County, WA | 8.6% to 8.9% |
| Mason County, WA | 8.6% to 8.9% |
| San Juan County, WA | 8.35% to 8.65% |
Why the rate here is not the whole story
Washington charges 6.5 percent statewide and then cities, counties, transit authorities and other special purpose districts add local rates whose boundaries do not follow county lines, so a single rate for the whole county does not exist. The Department of Revenue publishes one combined local rate for each location code and does not split out the county's own share of it, so the county rate is recorded as unknown here rather than estimated. Washington counties do levy taxes of their own that apply countywide. All four of the location codes the Department publishes inside this county carry the same 9.5 percent total today, but that is the current result rather than a legal ceiling, because a city or a district here could add its own rate in a future quarter.
How do I find the exact rate for an address in Jefferson County?
Use Washington's own address lookup.
Who has to collect sales tax in Jefferson County?
Any seller with a physical presence in Washington collects at the rate for the address of the sale; a remote seller does once it passes Washington's economic nexus threshold. Washington sales tax covers the statewide rules and what is exempt.
Work out your own numbers
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Sales tax calculator
Tax on a specific purchase at this county's rate, and the total you will actually pay.
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Do you have to collect?
Whether your sales into Washington cross its economic nexus threshold. A different question from the rate.
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Property tax in Jefferson County
The other local tax: effective rate and median bill for this county.
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Sales tax by county
Every US county, and how Washington compares with the rest of the country.
Sources
- Jefferson County rates: Washington Department of Revenue, Local Sales and Use Tax Rates by City/County, Q326_Excel_LSU-rates-alpha.xlsx, edition effective July 1 2026 through September 30 2026, https://dor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-05/Q326_Excel_LSU-rates-alpha.xlsx
- Collected and verified September 9, 2026. Confidence: P on the rate components, P on the range (P read on a primary agency page, S strong but indirect, U unverified).