The sales tax in Greenwich, CT is Connecticut’s statewide 6.35 percent, with no additional local surcharge. Connecticut does not let municipalities add their own sales tax, so a receipt in Greenwich reads the same as one in Hartford or New Haven. A handful of categories carry different rates: restaurant meals at 7.35 percent, certain luxury goods at 7.75 percent, and boats at 2.99 percent. Groceries and prescription drugs are exempt entirely.
The 6.35 Percent Standard Rate
Connecticut imposes a flat 6.35 percent sales tax on the retail sale, rental, or lease of most tangible goods and many services.1Justia. Connecticut Code 12-408 – The Sales Tax There is no county or city layer on top. A purchase in downtown Greenwich costs exactly the same in tax as the same purchase anywhere else in Connecticut.
If you’re buying a physical product at retail, assume it’s taxable. Electronics, furniture, appliances, sporting goods, and building materials all fall under the standard rate. Rentals and leases are taxed the same way, whether it’s a power washer for the weekend or office equipment for a business.2Justia. Connecticut Code 12-407 – Definitions
Connecticut also taxes a long list of services that catch some shoppers off guard, including landscaping, security services, private investigation, and repair work on tangible property.3Connecticut State Department of Revenue Services. Services Subject to Sales and Use Taxes If you hire someone in Greenwich to maintain your lawn or repair your dishwasher, expect the 6.35 percent charge on the bill.
Downloaded music, e-books, streaming video, and pre-written software for personal use are also taxed at 6.35 percent.4Connecticut State Department of Revenue Services. SN 2019(8) Sales and Use Taxes on Computer-Related Services and Digital Goods
What’s Exempt
Several categories are fully exempt, and these are the exemptions that come up most often in day-to-day shopping.
Groceries
Most food bought for home consumption is tax-free. The exemption covers staples such as meat, dairy, eggs, produce, cereals, and baked goods.5Justia. Connecticut Code 12-412 – Exemptions The statute draws a firm line, though: candy, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages are excluded from the “food products” definition and taxed at the standard rate. A bag of sugar is exempt; a bag of candy is not.
Prescription Medications
Prescription drugs, along with syringes and needles obtained by prescription, are exempt.5Justia. Connecticut Code 12-412 – Exemptions Over-the-counter medications sold without a prescription do not qualify.
Medical and Mobility Equipment
Wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, prosthetic limbs, hearing aids, oxygen supply equipment, kidney dialysis machines, and custom-designed orthopedic braces are all exempt, as are repair parts and repair services for these items.6Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 219 – Sales and Use Taxes The exemption is deliberately broad, covering anything worn or used as a correction or substitute for a body function.
Restaurant Meals: 7.35 Percent
Dining out in Greenwich costs a full percentage point more in tax than buying the same ingredients at the supermarket. Connecticut adds a 1 percent surcharge to meals sold by restaurants, cafeterias, food trucks, delis, and caterers, bringing the total to 7.35 percent.5Justia. Connecticut Code 12-412 – Exemptions The definition of “meal” is wide: any food sold in a form ready for immediate consumption counts, including takeout. A wrapped sandwich from a deli counter is a taxable meal even if you eat it at home.
Luxury Goods: 7.75 Percent
Three categories of high-end purchases trigger an elevated 7.75 percent rate instead of 6.35 percent:
- Motor vehicles priced above $50,000. The 7.75 percent rate applies to the entire purchase price, not just the amount over $50,000.7Connecticut General Assembly. Luxury Tax and Electric Vehicles
- Jewelry priced above $5,000 per piece. A $6,000 necklace is taxed at 7.75 percent on the full $6,000.
- Clothing or footwear priced above $1,000 per item. A $1,200 pair of shoes is taxed at 7.75 percent on the full price; items at $1,000 or below are taxed at 6.35 percent.
The threshold is per item, not per transaction. Buying three $800 shirts in one purchase does not trigger the luxury rate because no single item crosses $1,000. These thresholds come up often in Greenwich, where boutiques on Greenwich Avenue routinely sell individual pieces above the lines. On a $75,000 vehicle, the difference between 6.35 and 7.75 percent is over $1,000.
Some vehicles are taxed at the standard rate regardless of price: those purchased by active-duty military members stationed in Connecticut, commercial vehicles issued a commercial registration, and vehicles weighing more than 12,500 pounds.1Justia. Connecticut Code 12-408 – The Sales Tax
Boats: 2.99 Percent
Vessels, vessel motors, and vessel trailers are taxed at a reduced rate of 2.99 percent rather than the standard 6.35 percent.1Justia. Connecticut Code 12-408 – The Sales Tax Repair and maintenance labor on existing vessels is completely exempt.
There is also a docking exemption: if a vessel is kept in Connecticut waters for 60 days or fewer per calendar year, the sale is exempt from Connecticut tax entirely. Boaters who split time between a Greenwich marina and one in another state should track their Connecticut docking days, because crossing the 60-day line brings the 2.99 percent rate into play on the full purchase price.
Buying a Vehicle
Vehicle tax is collected at registration, not at the dealership checkout counter. The Connecticut DMV collects 6.35 percent for vehicles priced at $50,000 or below, and 7.75 percent for those above.8Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Sales Tax and Registrations
Buying from a licensed dealership and trading in your old vehicle gets you a full credit for the trade-in value when calculating the taxable price. Trade in a car worth $20,000 toward a $55,000 purchase and you pay tax on $35,000, which keeps the rate at 6.35 percent because the taxable amount is below the $50,000 luxury threshold. The trade-in credit only applies to dealership purchases; private-party sales don’t qualify.
Online Orders and Use Tax
Most online retailers and marketplace platforms, including Amazon, eBay, and Etsy, already collect Connecticut sales tax at checkout. Remote sellers are required to collect once they exceed $100,000 in gross receipts and 200 transactions within the state during the 12-month period ending September 30 of the prior year, and marketplace platforms carry that responsibility for their third-party sellers. The vast majority of online purchases arrive with tax already paid.
The gap is smaller or international sellers that don’t collect. When a seller doesn’t charge Connecticut tax, the buyer legally owes the same amount as use tax. The rates match the sales tax rates: 6.35 percent for most goods, 7.75 percent for luxury items, and 2.99 percent for vessels.9Connecticut State Department of Revenue Services. Individual Use Tax Information
Use tax is reported on your Connecticut income tax return (Form CT-1040), or on a standalone Form OP-186 if you don’t file a state return. The deadline is April 15 for purchases made during the prior calendar year. Late payments carry a 10 percent penalty plus interest at 1 percent per month.
The August Tax-Free Week
Connecticut holds a one-week sales tax holiday every August. For 2026, the tax-free period runs from Sunday, August 16, through Saturday, August 22. During that week, clothing and footwear priced under $100 per item are exempt from the 6.35 percent sales tax. The exemption does not extend to jewelry, handbags, luggage, watches, or athletic and protective gear designed for specialized use only.
The $100 ceiling is much lower than the $1,000 luxury threshold, so everyday clothing is what benefits. Anything priced at $100 or above is taxed normally during the holiday. For back-to-school shopping, the timing works well for stocking up on basics.