The Hazelwood, MO sales tax rate is 9.988% in the city’s base jurisdiction as of January 2026, according to the Missouri Department of Revenue.1Missouri Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Tax Rate Tables – January 2026 That rate applies to most retail purchases of goods and taxable services. Several shopping areas sit inside special taxing districts that push the total to 10.988% or 11.988%, and groceries and prescriptions are taxed at lower rates or not at all. Where you shop and what you buy both matter.
What Makes Up the 9.988 Percent
Three layers of government share every taxable sale. Missouri takes 4.225%.2Missouri Department of Revenue. Sales/Use Tax St. Louis County adds its own taxes for services like transit and metropolitan parks. The city of Hazelwood layers on its own levies, including amounts earmarked for fire protection, local operations, and emergency communications.3City of Hazelwood. Community Profile The retailer collects it all as one 9.988% charge at the register and remits each portion to the right jurisdiction.
Where the Rate Is Higher
Certain commercial areas in Hazelwood sit inside Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) or Transportation Development Districts (TDDs) that add 1% on top of the base rate. These districts were set up to fund infrastructure, parking, and road work around specific retail hubs. A purchase at any of these locations carries a combined rate of 10.988%:1Missouri Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Tax Rate Tables – January 2026
- Elm Grove TDD
- Village Square CID
- 370/Missouri Bottom Road/Taussig Road TDD
- Hazelwood Powerplex CID
- Hazelwood Commerce Center CID
One area stacks two districts. If you shop within both the 370/Missouri Bottom Road/Taussig Road TDD and the Hazelwood Powerplex CID, the rate is 11.988%, a full 2% above the base.1Missouri Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Tax Rate Tables – January 2026 The extra amount shows up as a separate line on your receipt.
Because a block or two can change what you pay, the Missouri Department of Revenue offers a free address-level lookup tool. Type in the store’s exact street address and it returns the precise rate.4Missouri Department of Revenue. Missouri Sales and Use Tax Lookup
Groceries Are Taxed at a Lower Rate
Missouri charges a reduced state rate of 1.225% on qualifying food instead of the standard 4.225%.5Cornell Law Institute. 12 CSR 10-110.990 – Tax-Sales of Food Qualifying food generally means items you could buy with federal SNAP benefits: produce, meat, dairy, bread, canned goods, and similar groceries meant for home preparation.
Local taxes still apply at their full rates. The state drops its share by 3%, but the county and city portions do not change. In Hazelwood’s base jurisdiction, that puts the total tax on groceries at roughly 6.988%, not the dramatic reduction some shoppers expect.
Hot prepared food, alcohol, and tobacco do not qualify regardless of where you buy them.5Cornell Law Institute. 12 CSR 10-110.990 – Tax-Sales of Food Refrigerated or room-temperature items still qualify even if the store has a microwave you can use. The dividing line is whether the establishment prepared the food hot for immediate consumption.
Prescriptions Are Exempt
Prescription medications carry no Missouri sales tax at all. The exemption covers any drug that can legally be dispensed only with a prescription from a licensed practitioner, plus insulin, durable medical equipment, prosthetic devices, and hearing aids.6Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 144.030 – Exemptions Over-the-counter drugs prescribed by a healthcare provider for a person with a disability also qualify. The exemption covers both the state and local portions, so a qualifying prescription at any Hazelwood pharmacy should ring up with zero sales tax.
The August Sales Tax Holiday
Missouri suspends all state and local sales tax on certain school-related purchases for one weekend each August. In 2026, the holiday runs Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9. The exemption applies to these categories, each with a price cap per item:7Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 144.049 – Sales Tax Holiday for Clothing, Personal Computers, and School Supplies
- Clothing: $100 or less per item
- School supplies: $50 or less per purchase
- Graphing calculators: $150 or less
- Computer software: $350 or less
- Personal computers and peripherals: $1,500 or less
Clothing includes footwear and diapers but not watches, jewelry, or handbags. School supplies include textbooks, notebooks, writing instruments, backpacks, and art supplies, but not sporting equipment or headphones.7Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 144.049 – Sales Tax Holiday for Clothing, Personal Computers, and School Supplies Items bought for business use do not qualify. A $1,500 computer bought in a base Hazelwood location saves you about $150 during the holiday.
Online and Out-of-State Purchases
When you buy something online or from an out-of-state seller that does not charge Missouri sales tax, you owe use tax at the same combined rate that would have applied locally.8Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 144.757 – Local Use Tax For a Hazelwood address, that is 9.988%, or higher if the equivalent purchase would have fallen in a special district.
Most large online retailers already collect Missouri tax at checkout. Purchases from smaller vendors, private sellers, or other untaxed transactions still create a use tax obligation on your end. Missouri requires you to file an Individual Consumer’s Use Tax Return if your untaxed purchases exceed $2,000 in a calendar year. That $2,000 is a filing threshold, not an exemption: once you cross it, you owe tax on the full amount, not just the portion above $2,000.9Missouri Department of Revenue. Individual Consumer’s Use Tax