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Sales tax in Washington County, Wisconsin

By Brent Chudoba, editor Updated

There is no single sales tax rate in Washington County. It runs from 5.5% to 7.5% depending on the exact address, because cities and special districts inside the county levy their own on top of the 5% state rate. The 5% state rate applies everywhere in the county; everything above that depends on where you are standing. These rates were read from Wisconsin's own published schedule and checked on September 9, 2026.

What is the sales tax rate in Washington County?

Sales tax rate components in Washington County, Wisconsin
Wisconsin state rate5%
Washington County rate0.5%
Lowest combined rate in the county5.5%
Highest combined rate in the county7.5%

The combined figures are the lowest and highest totals anywhere in Washington County, so the rows above do not add up to them.

How much sales tax is that on a purchase in Washington County?

At 5.5%, a $100 purchase carries $5.50 in sales tax and a $1,000 purchase $55.00, at the lowest rate in the county. At the highest, 7.5%, the same purchases carry $7.50 and $75.00. That is general merchandise; Wisconsin taxes some categories, often groceries, differently, as the note below explains.

Among Wisconsin's 72 counties, Washington County's lowest rate ranks 2nd highest, level with 68 other counties. See every Wisconsin county.

Sales tax in counties next to Washington County

Washington County borders 6 counties. The lowest rate next door is 5% in Waukesha County, WI, which is $5.00 less on a $1,000 purchase than the lowest rate in Washington County.

Washington County and its neighbors, highest rate first
CountyCombined sales tax
Milwaukee County, WI5.9% to 7.9%
Dodge County, WI5.5%
Fond du Lac County, WI5.5%
Ozaukee County, WI5.5%
Sheboygan County, WI5.5%
Washington County, WI (this county)5.5% to 7.5%
Waukesha County, WI5% to 7%

Why the rate here is not the whole story

Wisconsin's state sales and use tax is 5 percent and Washington County adopted the 0.5 percent county sales and use tax effective January 1999, so nearly every address in the county is taxed at 5.5 percent. The ceiling of 7.5 percent comes from one place only: the city of Milwaukee reaches into Washington County, and the 2 percent city of Milwaukee sales and use tax effective January 1, 2024 applies in that small part, which is why the Department's rate chart prints a city of Milwaukee row under this county. Treat 7.5 percent as that sliver rather than as a countywide possibility. Groceries are mostly untaxed here: Wisconsin exempts all food and food ingredients except candy, dietary supplements, prepared food and soft drinks, so a normal grocery receipt carries no sales tax at any of these rates. No stadium district tax is in effect anywhere in Wisconsin. The Brown County football stadium tax ended September 30, 2015 and the professional baseball park district tax ended March 31, 2020, and the Department's current rate chart and rate and boundary files list no district tax other than the Milwaukee County local exposition taxes on lodging, prepared food and beverages and short term car rentals, which are separate taxes on certain sellers.

How do I find the exact rate for an address in Washington County?

Use Wisconsin's own address lookup. In Washington County the rate depends on the address, anywhere from 5.5% to 7.5%.

Who has to collect sales tax in Washington County?

Any seller with a physical presence in Wisconsin collects at the rate for the address of the sale; a remote seller does once it passes Wisconsin's economic nexus threshold. Wisconsin sales tax covers the statewide rules and what is exempt.

Work out your own numbers

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