The sales tax rate in Medina County, Ohio is 6.75%. That total is the 5.75% Ohio statewide base plus a 1.00% county permissive tax, and it’s what you’ll see added at checkout on most retail purchases across the county.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 5739.02 – Levy of Sales Tax – Purpose – Rate – Exemptions2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 5739.021 – Additional Sales Tax Levied by County
No city or township inside the county adds anything on top. Ohio only lets counties and transit authorities layer onto the state base, so the 6.75% rate applies uniformly in every community in Medina County. Statewide, total county rates run from 6.50% to 8.00%, which puts Medina near the low end.
What the 6.75% Applies To
The rate covers most tangible goods: electronics, furniture, appliances, clothing, building materials, and similar items. Prepared food is taxable too. If a restaurant, drive-through, or cafeteria made it for immediate consumption, you pay sales tax on it even if you take it to go.3Ohio Department of Taxation. Food Service Industry
Some services are taxed and some aren’t. Repair and installation work on personal property, laundry and dry cleaning, and hotel stays all fall under the sales tax.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5739 – Sales Tax Professional services like legal advice, accounting, and medical care are not.
What’s Exempt
Groceries are the biggest exemption most residents run into. Food bought for off-premises consumption, meaning the things you buy at a grocery store and take home, is not subject to sales tax.5Ohio Department of Taxation. Everyday Purchases The line between taxable prepared food and exempt groceries can get blurry at the same store. A rotisserie chicken from the deli counter is generally taxable because it’s ready to eat; raw chicken from the meat department is exempt.
Prescription drugs are exempt. The statute covers medications that can only be dispensed with a prescription, along with insulin, diabetic testing supplies, and hypodermic syringes used for insulin injections.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 5739.02 – Levy of Sales Tax – Purpose – Rate – Exemptions Over-the-counter medications you can buy without a prescription do not qualify.
Nonprofit organizations and government agencies can buy tax-free, but they generally have to hand the seller an exemption certificate at the time of sale. Under Ohio law, every sale is presumed taxable unless the buyer establishes an exemption.
Buying a Car
Vehicle purchases follow a different rule. You pay the sales tax rate for your county of residence, not the county where the dealership sits. If you live in Medina County, you owe 6.75% whether you buy the car locally, in Cuyahoga County, or anywhere else in the state.6Ohio Department of Taxation. Sales Tax for Motor Vehicles, Watercraft, and Aircraft
The tax isn’t collected at the dealership counter. The Clerk of Courts collects it when you apply for the title, and the title transfer won’t go through without payment. This applies to private-party sales too. Buy a used car from a neighbor and you’ll still owe the full 6.75% at title transfer.6Ohio Department of Taxation. Sales Tax for Motor Vehicles, Watercraft, and Aircraft
Online and Out-of-State Purchases
If you buy something and no Ohio sales tax gets charged, you owe use tax at the same 6.75% rate the purchase would have carried at a Medina County store.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 5741.02 – Levy of Tax – Rate – Exemptions Most large online retailers already collect it under Ohio’s economic nexus laws, so this mainly comes up with smaller sellers, out-of-country purchases, or items bought in states with no sales tax. Individuals can report and pay use tax on their Ohio income tax return.8Ohio Department of Taxation. Internet or Catalog Purchases It’s one of the most commonly overlooked tax obligations in Ohio.
August Sales Tax Holiday
Ohio runs an annual sales tax holiday every August, and it applies in Medina County. For 2026, it runs from 12:00 a.m. Friday, August 7 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 9. During those three days, these items are exempt from both state and county sales tax:9Ohio Department of Taxation. Ohio Sales Tax Holiday 2026
- Clothing priced at $75 or less per item, including shoes, coats, uniforms, baby clothes, and formal wear.
- School supplies priced at $20 or less per item, such as notebooks, pencils, calculators, folders, backpacks, and lunch boxes.
- School instructional materials priced at $20 or less per item, limited to reference books, textbooks, workbooks, reference maps, and globes.
Anything above those price caps is fully taxable during the holiday. Electronics, furniture, and sporting equipment don’t qualify at any price.
Where the County’s Share Goes
The 1.00% county permissive tax goes into the Medina County General Fund. Under the authorizing statute, these revenues can support general county operations, criminal and administrative justice services, or regional transportation improvements.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 5739.021 – Additional Sales Tax Levied by County In practice that means the sales tax you pay at Medina County businesses helps fund the sheriff’s office, county road maintenance, public health programs, and the administrative services that keep the county running.