Sales tax in Bensalem, PA is a flat 6 percent. That’s Pennsylvania’s statewide rate, and because Bucks County adds no local surcharge, the township’s total matches the state base with nothing stacked on top.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 72 PS 7202 – Imposition of Tax
Why Bensalem Pays Less Than Philadelphia
Only two Pennsylvania jurisdictions add a local sales tax to the 6 percent base. Philadelphia tacks on 2 percent for an 8 percent total, and Allegheny County adds 1 percent for 7 percent.2Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. What Is the Sales Tax Rate and When Do Licensees Collect Local Sales Tax Bucks County isn’t on that list, so Bensalem stays at 6.
The gap barely registers on small purchases. It shows up on big ones. A $1,000 laptop bought in Bensalem carries $60 in tax; the same laptop bought in Philadelphia carries $80. On furniture, appliances, and electronics, those differences add up.
What You Pay Tax On
Most tangible goods sold at retail in Bensalem are taxable at 6 percent, including electronics, furniture, and household appliances.3Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax Prepared food and drinks from restaurants, takeout spots, caterers, and fast-food operations are taxable whether you eat on-site or carry the order out.4Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 72 PS 7204 – Exclusions From Tax
Pennsylvania also taxes a specific set of services. Repair work on tangible personal property (other than clothing and shoes), building cleaning and maintenance, pest control, lobbying, collection and credit reporting, employment agency and staffing services, lawn care, self-storage, and car-sharing all carry the 6 percent charge.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 72 PS 7201 – Definitions Telecommunications services, including mobile phone plans, are taxable too.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 72 PS 7202 – Imposition of Tax
The service list catches people off guard. Hire someone to fix your dishwasher, clean your office, or mow your lawn through a commercial service, and expect sales tax on the invoice. Legal advice, accounting, and medical care, by contrast, aren’t on the taxable list.
What’s Exempt
Clothing and Footwear
Most clothing is tax-free in Pennsylvania. Shirts, pants, coats, underwear, and ordinary shoes carry no sales tax.4Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 72 PS 7204 – Exclusions From Tax The exceptions are formal evening wear, fur garments, and sport-specific clothing and footwear such as golf shoes, ski boots, and baseball cleats.6Cornell Law Institute. Pennsylvania Code 61-53.2 – Footwear, Footwear Accessories and Footwear Repairs Everyday sneakers are exempt. Bowling shoes aren’t.
Groceries
Unprepared food and beverages for home consumption are exempt.4Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 72 PS 7204 – Exclusions From Tax The line runs between grocery items and ready-to-eat food. A bag of rice from a supermarket is tax-free; a sandwich from that same supermarket’s deli counter is taxable. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages stay taxable even at the grocery store.7Cornell Law Institute. Pennsylvania Code 61-60.7 – Sale and Preparation of Food and Beverages
Medicine and Medical Supplies
Prescription and non-prescription medications are both exempt. So are medical supplies, prosthetic devices, wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids, and eyeglasses prescribed by a doctor or optometrist.4Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 72 PS 7204 – Exclusions From Tax Hospital beds and kidney machines fall under the same exemption.8Cornell Law Institute. Pennsylvania Code 61-52.1 – Purchases of Medicines, Medical Supplies
Textbooks
Textbooks are exempt, but narrowly. The buyer has to be a student or faculty member at an educational institution recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the purchase has to come through the institution itself or a bookstore it has officially designated.9Cornell Law Institute. Pennsylvania Code 61-58.9 – School Textbook Exemption The same book from Amazon doesn’t qualify.
Residential Heating Fuel and Electricity
Natural gas, fuel oil, kerosene, and bottled gas are exempt when bought for personal home use through a metered device or direct delivery.10Cornell Law Institute. Pennsylvania Code 61-32.25 – Steam, Gas, Electricity, Fuel Oil and Kerosene Residential electricity is exempt too. Commercial properties don’t get this break.
Buying a Car and the Trade-In Credit
Vehicles bought in Pennsylvania are taxed at the same 6 percent, usually collected when you title and register the car rather than at the dealership counter.3Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax If you trade in your old vehicle, the trade-in value comes off the purchase price before tax is calculated.11PennDOT. Buying or Selling Your Vehicle in Pennsylvania
On a $35,000 car with a $12,000 trade-in, you pay 6 percent on $23,000, which is $1,380 instead of $2,100. Worth factoring into the negotiation.
Online Orders and Out-of-State Purchases
Pennsylvania charges a use tax at the same 6 percent rate on taxable items bought from out-of-state sellers when no Pennsylvania sales tax was collected at the time of purchase.3Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax It covers online orders, purchases made while traveling, and anything shipped in from another state.
In practice, the big platforms already collect it. Pennsylvania’s marketplace facilitator rules require platforms like Amazon and eBay to collect and remit sales tax on behalf of their third-party sellers.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 72 PS 7201 – Definitions If you buy from a smaller out-of-state seller that doesn’t collect Pennsylvania tax, you technically owe the use tax yourself and should report it on your state return. Few individuals realize this. It is still enforceable.
If You Were Charged Tax by Mistake
Paid tax on something that should have been exempt? The easiest fix is at the register: ask the store to correct it before you leave. After the fact, Pennsylvania lets you petition for a refund through the Department of Revenue’s Board of Appeals, filed electronically through the state’s Online Petition Center.12Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Tax Appeals You have to file within the window set by the statute for that tax type, so don’t let an overpayment sit for years.
The common retail cases are tax charged on exempt clothing, groceries, or medicine. Catch it at checkout when you can.