The sales tax rate in Augusta, GA is 8 percent. That total combines Georgia’s 4 percent state sales tax with 4 percent in local taxes approved by Richmond County voters.1Justia. Georgia Code 48-8-30 – Imposition, Rate, and Collection of Tax It applies to most physical goods and to prepared food. Groceries and prescription drugs get partial or full breaks, and vehicles are taxed under a separate system entirely.
How the 8 Percent Breaks Down
Augusta and Richmond County merged into a single consolidated government in 1996, so one uniform rate covers the whole city-county.2Augusta Economic Development Authority. Government The 4 percent state portion is set by Georgia law.1Justia. Georgia Code 48-8-30 – Imposition, Rate, and Collection of Tax Richmond County adds four separate 1 percent local taxes on top:
- LOST, the Local Option Sales Tax, which funds general government operations and can offset property tax pressure.
- SPLOST, the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, which pays for capital projects like roads and public buildings. Augusta’s SPLOST 8 is expected to finish collections in fall 2026, and voters will consider SPLOST 9 in May 2026.3Augusta, Georgia. Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST)
- ESPLOST, the education version, which funds school construction and technology.
- TSPLOST, which funds transportation infrastructure.
Each local penny requires its own voter referendum and has its own expiration date, so the 8 percent total can shift if any component lapses without renewal. The Georgia Department of Revenue publishes quarterly rate charts if you need to confirm the current combined rate for Richmond County.
What Gets Taxed at the Full Rate
The full 8 percent applies to most physical goods you buy in a store: electronics, furniture, clothing, appliances, and household supplies. Prepared food carries the full rate too. Georgia defines prepared food broadly, covering anything sold heated, food where the seller has combined two or more ingredients, and food sold with eating utensils.4Legal Information Institute. Georgia Comp R and Regs R 560-12-2-.115 – Restaurants A bag of chips eaten inside a restaurant counts as prepared food and is taxed; the same bag bought at a grocery store for takeaway is not.
Groceries: Half-Exempt
This is the exemption that trips people up. Unprepared groceries bought for home consumption are exempt from Georgia’s 4 percent state sales tax, but state law specifically preserves the local portion.5Justia. Georgia Code 48-8-3 – Exemptions In Augusta, that means groceries are taxed at 4 percent rather than the full 8 percent. On a $150 grocery run, expect about $6 in tax instead of the $12 you would pay on a fully taxable purchase.
Prescription Drugs and Medical Items
Prescription medications are fully exempt, from both the state and local portions.5Justia. Georgia Code 48-8-3 – Exemptions The exemption also covers insulin, prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses, prescribed durable medical equipment, and prosthetic devices. Insulin syringes, blood glucose testing strips, hearing aids, and prescribed oxygen qualify as well, even when dispensed without a written prescription. Over-the-counter drugs do not qualify. Only medications that legally require a prescription get the break.
Cars Are Not Covered by the 8 Percent Rate
If you buy a car in Augusta, the 8 percent sales tax does not apply at the dealership. Georgia replaced the traditional sales tax on vehicles with the Title Ad Valorem Tax, a one-time charge paid when the title transfers. The current TAVT rate is 7 percent of the vehicle’s fair market value.6Georgia Department of Revenue. Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) That single payment replaces both sales tax and the old annual motor vehicle ad valorem tax, so there is no recurring yearly vehicle tax. TAVT applies each time a vehicle changes hands and when a new resident registers an out-of-state vehicle in Georgia.
Online and Out-of-State Purchases
Buying from an out-of-state website doesn’t dodge Augusta’s rate. Georgia requires any remote seller with at least $100,000 in sales or 200 or more transactions delivered into the state during the previous or current calendar year to collect and remit sales tax. Marketplace platforms such as Amazon, Walmart.com, and Etsy handle collection themselves once they cross that $100,000 threshold across all their sellers combined.7Justia. Georgia Code 48-8-2 – Definitions For Richmond County shipments, the rate they charge is 8 percent.
When a seller doesn’t collect Georgia tax, whether because they fall below the nexus threshold or because it’s a private-party purchase, the buyer owes use tax at the same 8 percent rate. Use tax exists to prevent tax-free shopping across state lines. The rate and the base match sales tax exactly; the only difference is who sends the money to the state. Enforcement against individual consumers is rare compared with business audits, but the legal obligation is the same.
Confirming the Current Rate
Because Augusta’s four local pennies each expire on their own schedule and have to be renewed by referendum, the 8 percent total is a snapshot rather than a permanent figure. The next moving piece is SPLOST 9 on the May 2026 ballot, following SPLOST 8’s scheduled end in fall 2026.3Augusta, Georgia. Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) Before a large purchase or a business decision that turns on the exact rate, check the Georgia Department of Revenue’s current rate chart for Richmond County.