The Scott County, MN sales tax rate is 8.375% as of 2026. That rate applies to most retail purchases anywhere in the county, whether you’re shopping in Shakopee, Savage, Prior Lake, or any other community within county lines.
What Makes Up the 8.375%
The rate you see at the register is actually four separate taxes stacked together:
- Minnesota state sales tax of 6.5%
- A constitutional sales tax of 0.375% required by Article XI, Section 15 of the Minnesota Constitution, scheduled to expire July 1, 20341FindLaw. Minnesota Code 297A.62 – Sales Tax Imposed; Rates
- A Scott County transportation tax of 0.5%, dedicated to transportation and transit projects, safe routes to school programs, and transit operating costs2Scott County, MN. Transportation Sales Tax
- A 1.0% metro area total, made up of a 0.75% transit tax and a 0.25% housing tax, both added in 2023 and applied across all seven Twin Cities metro counties3Minnesota Department of Revenue. Local Sales and Use Tax Rate Guide – 2026 Q2
The first two components combine into what the state calls its 6.875% rate under Minnesota Statute 297A.62. The county’s 0.5% was authorized under Minnesota Statute 297A.993 and adopted by county board resolution after a public hearing.4Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 297A.993 – County Transportation Sales and Use Tax
What’s Taxable in Scott County
Most tangible goods you buy are taxed at the full 8.375%: electronics, furniture, appliances, building materials, and similar items. Certain services and digital products are also taxable, so the rate appears on your cell phone bill and on streaming subscriptions.
Prepared food, candy, and soft drinks are taxable even though they’re technically food. Under Minnesota Rule 8130.4700, the line comes down to whether an item is sold ready to eat or needs preparation at home.5Cornell Law Institute. Minnesota Rules 8130.4700 – Prepared Food, Candy, and Soft Drinks A bag of apples from the produce aisle is exempt. A sandwich from the deli counter is not.
What’s Exempt
Minnesota Statute 297A.67 exempts several categories of everyday necessities from sales tax entirely, no matter which local taxes apply where you shop:6Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 297A.67 – General Exemptions
- General-use clothing, including shirts, pants, shoes, and coats
- Unprepared groceries intended for home consumption, such as produce, dairy, meat, cereal, and eggs
- Prescription medications and medical devices
Vehicles Work Differently
If you’re buying a car in Scott County, the local portions of the rate don’t apply the way they do at other registers. Motor vehicles registered for road use are not subject to the county’s 0.5% or the metro area’s 1.0%. Instead, vehicle buyers pay a flat $20 local excise tax per vehicle. The state’s 6.875% still applies.7Minnesota Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Sales2Scott County, MN. Transportation Sales Tax
Lodging and City-Level Differences
For ordinary retail purchases, the 8.375% rate is uniform across every Scott County city. Shakopee, Savage, Prior Lake, and the other municipalities don’t layer their own general sales tax on top.3Minnesota Department of Revenue. Local Sales and Use Tax Rate Guide – 2026 Q2
Lodging is where you’ll see variation. Shakopee imposes a 3% local lodging tax on hotel and short-term rental stays, charged on top of the standard sales tax. A hotel bill near Valleyfair or Canterbury Park will reflect both the 8.375% and the lodging surcharge. Some cities also impose separate taxes on prepared food or liquor, so restaurant and bar tabs can run a little higher than the base rate suggests.
Online Purchases and Use Tax
When you buy something online or from an out-of-state seller and no sales tax is charged, you still owe Minnesota “use tax” at the same 8.375%. The obligation falls on you as the buyer.8Minnesota Department of Revenue. Taxes and Rates
Most large online retailers already collect Minnesota sales tax. Since the 2018 Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Minnesota has required remote sellers to collect and remit state and local sales tax if they exceed either $100,000 in retail sales or 200 transactions shipped to Minnesota over the prior 12-month period.9Minnesota Department of Revenue. Sales Tax for Remote Sellers Smaller sellers may fall below that threshold, and when they do, the tax doesn’t disappear. It just becomes your responsibility to report and pay.