The sales tax in San Tan Valley, Arizona comes to 7.2 percent on most retail purchases. That total is made up of three separate pieces: a 5.6 percent state transaction privilege tax, a 1.1 percent Pinal County tax, and a 0.5 percent county transportation excise tax. Because San Tan Valley is unincorporated, there is no city or town tax layered on top, which keeps the rate below what shoppers pay in many nearby communities.
How the 7.2 Percent Breaks Down
The State Portion: 5.6 Percent
Arizona’s base retail rate is 5 percent under A.R.S. § 42-5010.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 42-5010 – Rates; Distribution Base On top of that sits a 0.6 percent increment that has applied since July 2021 and runs through June 30, 2041, under A.R.S. § 42-5010.01.2Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 42-5010.01 – Transaction Privilege Tax; Additional Rate Increment Added together, those make the 5.6 percent state share.
Arizona technically calls this a transaction privilege tax rather than a sales tax, because the law imposes it on the seller for the privilege of doing business in the state.3Arizona Department of Revenue. Transaction Privilege Tax Sellers pass the cost on, so what you pay at the register works like a sales tax anywhere else.
The Pinal County Portion: 1.1 Percent
Pinal County adds 1.1 percent to every taxable transaction in its unincorporated areas, including San Tan Valley. That money funds county operations such as courts and public safety.
The Transportation Tax: 0.5 Percent
Pinal County voters approved Proposition 469, a 0.5 percent transportation excise tax collected since April 2023 and continuing through March 2043. About 92 percent of the revenue goes toward building and widening major roads, with smaller shares for transit and local road projects.4Pinal Regional Transportation Authority. Proposition 469 Frequently Asked Questions It applies to the same retail base as the state tax.
One source of confusion: some online rate-lookup tools show 6.7 percent for San Tan Valley because they only pull the state and county TPT. The 0.5 percent transportation tax is a separate levy and still lands on your receipt, so 7.2 percent is what you actually pay.
Why San Tan Valley Has No City Tax
San Tan Valley is an unincorporated census-designated place in northern Pinal County, with an estimated population of more than 100,000.5Pinal County. Frequently Asked Questions There is no town or city government to charge a municipal TPT. Incorporated Arizona cities often add 2 to 3 percent of their own, which can push combined rates past 9 percent elsewhere. The unincorporated status is what spares shoppers that entire layer.
That may not last. The Pinal County Board of Supervisors called a special election for August 5, 2025 on whether San Tan Valley should incorporate as a town. If voters approve, the town would officially form on July 1, 2026, and its council would gain the power to levy a municipal TPT.6Pinal County. Election Called for San Tan Valley Incorporation on August 5, 2025 If that happens, the total you pay on retail purchases would rise by whatever rate the new town adopts.
What Isn’t Taxed
A lot of what households buy is exempt from TPT. The categories you are most likely to encounter in San Tan Valley:
- Food bought for home consumption, including items from grocery stores, vending machines, and purchases made with SNAP benefits. Restaurant meals and food eaten on the premises stay taxable.7Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 42-5102 – Tax Exemption for Sales of Food; Nonexempt Sales
- Prescription drugs and medical oxygen prescribed by a licensed physician, dentist, or veterinarian.
- Prosthetic appliances, hearing aids, insulin and glucose test strips, prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses, and Medicare-reimbursable durable medical equipment.8Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 42-5159 – Exemptions
- Assistive technology for people with a physical or developmental disability.8Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 42-5159 – Exemptions
The grocery exemption is the biggest routine saving. Your weekly grocery run in San Tan Valley carries no TPT at all.
Rent on a Home or Apartment Is No Longer Taxed
If you rent a home or apartment in San Tan Valley, your landlord cannot charge TPT on the rent. Arizona ended TPT on residential rentals of 30 days or more effective January 1, 2025, and the law requires landlords to reduce tenant rent by the exact amount of tax they had been collecting.9Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 42-6004 – Municipal Tax Code; Restrictions
Short-term rentals under 30 consecutive days still carry transient lodging tax, and commercial leases remain fully taxable. If a line item on your lease still shows a rental tax after January 2025, that is worth questioning.
Use Tax on Online and Out-of-State Purchases
When you buy from an out-of-state seller that doesn’t collect Arizona TPT, you owe use tax at the same 5.6 percent state rate.10Arizona Department of Revenue. Understanding Use Tax This mostly comes up with smaller online retailers that fall below Arizona’s collection threshold. Larger sellers and marketplaces generally collect at checkout, so you won’t see a separate bill from the state for those orders.