Abstract Objective: To investigate the level of public acceptability of a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax and its associated factors. Design: Participants completed an online self-administered questionnaire. Acceptability of an SSB tax was measured on a seven-point Likert scale ( strongly disagree to strongly agree ). Associations between acceptability and sociodemographic factors, weight status, SSB consumption and beliefs about effectiveness (e.g., ‘An SSB tax would reduce people’s SSB consumption’), appropriateness, socioeconomic and economic benefit, implementation and trust were assessed using multivariable linear regression analyses. Setting: The Netherlands. Participants: Dutch adults aged ≥18 years representative of the Dutch population for age, sex, education level and location ( n 500). Results: Of the participants, 40 % supported and 43 % opposed an SSB tax in general. Moreover, 42 % supported (43 % opposed) an SSB tax as a strategy to reduce overweight, and 55 % supported (32 % opposed) an SSB tax if revenue is used for health initiatives. Participants with a low education level ( B = –0·82, 95 % CI –1·31, –0·32), overweight ( B = –0·49, 95 % CI –0·89, –0·09), moderate or high SSB consumption ( B = –0·86, 95 % CI –1·30, –0·43 and B = –1·01, 95 % CI –1·47, –0·56, respectively) and households with adolescents ( B = –0·57, 95 % CI –1·09, –0·05) reported a lower acceptability of an SSB tax than their counterparts. Beliefs about effectiveness, appropriateness, socioeconomic and economic benefit, implementation and trust were associated with acceptability ( P < 0·001). Conclusions: Public acceptability of an SSB tax tends to be higher if revenue is used for health initiatives. The factors associated with acceptability should be taken into consideration.