With temps pushing—or exceeding—100 degrees in many parts of the country, it feels odd to be talking about back-t0-school. But with some schools starting in just a few weeks, parents are already thinking about shopping. According to the National Retail Federation, 34% of U.S. adults say they expect to shop for back-to-school or college this year. And as of early June, one in five (22%) had already started their shopping for the 2024-25 school year. And, a significant percentage of shoppers—68%—plan back-to-school and college shopping around retailer events like Prime Day, 4th of July or Labor Day sales. When every dollar counts, taking advantage of state sales tax holidays can help reduce costs.
A sales tax holiday is a period of time—often falling over a weekend—when a state will waive or reduce their sales tax payable on certain items. Many states focus their annual sales tax holiday on back-to-school supplies, though some—like Florida—offer sales tax holidays on more goods and services. Here’s a look at what to expect for the remainder of 2024:
Sales Tax Holidays
Here’s a look at states offering taxpayers a break on sales tax for back-to-school items this year:
Alabama (July 19-21) Exemptions apply to purchases of clothing ($100 or less per item), computers (single purchase up to $750), school supplies, school supplies ($50 or less per item), and books ($30 or less per item). Not all counties and municipalities are participating—click here for a list of those who have notified the state of their decision.
Arkansas (August 3-4) Exemptions apply to purchases of clothing and footwear ($100 or less per item), clothing accessories ($50 or less per item), electronic devices, art supplies, and school supplies. All retailers are required to participate and may not charge tax on items that are legally tax-exempt during the sales tax holiday.
Connecticut (August 18-24): Exemptions apply to purchases of clothing and footwear ($100 or less per item), excluding clothing accessories, protective or athletic clothing, and certain shoes.
Florida (July 1-31) Exemptions apply to qualifying recreation and outdoor items, including those for fishing and camping, as well as admissions to entertainment and cultural events like fairs, festivals and live music.
Florida (July 29-August 11) Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles selling for $30 or less, most school supplies selling for $50 or less, clothing, footwear and accessories selling for $100 or less, and computers and related accessories selling for $1,500 or less (when purchased for non-commercial and personal use)
Florida (August 24-September 4) Exemptions apply to qualifying disaster preparedness supplies, including portable self-powered radios, two-way radios, or weather-band radios, gas or diesel fuel tanks, and certain batteries, including rechargeable batteries.
Florida (September 1-7) Exemptions apply to qualifying tools and equipment, including work gloves, flashlights & bags, tool boxes, and tool belts.
Iowa* (August 2-3) Exemptions apply to purchases of clothing or footwear (up to $100 per item); for any item that costs $100 or more, sales tax applies to the entire price of that item. *Note that official website currently shows an error message.
Maryland (August 11-17) Exemptions apply to clothing and footwear purchases ($100 or less per item), including sweaters, shirts, slacks, jeans, dresses, robes, underwear, belts, shoes, and boots priced at $100 or less.
Mississippi (July 12-14). Exemptions apply to clothing and footwear purchases ($100 or less per item regardless of how many items are sold simultaneously); accessory items are not included. Footwear does not include cleats and items worn with athletic or recreational activity. (Holiday was moved this year.)
Mississippi (August 30-September 1). Exemptions apply to hunting supplies, including archery equipment, firearm and archery cases, firearm and archery accessories, hearing protection, holsters, belts, and slings. The sale of general hunting supplies is not exempt.
Missouri (August 2-4) Exemptions apply to purchases of clothing ($100 or less per item), school supplies ($50 or less per purchase), computer software ($350 or less), personal computers or computer peripheral devices ($1,500 or less) and graphing calculators ($150 or less).
Nevada (October 25-27) Members of the Nevada National Guard or relatives of a member of the Nevada National Guard may claim the Nevada Day sales tax exemption. A retailer must collect sales tax on the purchase of tangible personal property that qualifies for the exemption, but the taxpayer can claim the exemption by submitting the documentation to the Nevada Department of Revenue.
New Mexico (August 2-4) Exemptions apply to purchases of footwear and clothing, excluding accessories ($100 or less per item); school supplies ($30 or less per item); computers ($1,000 or less per item); computer peripherals ($500 or less per item); and book bags and backpacks ($100 or less per item).
Ohio (July 30-August 8) Exemptions apply to all tangible personal property that is $500 or less except watercraft or outboard motor required to be titled by law, a motor vehicle, an alcoholic beverage, tobacco, a vapor product, or an item that contains marijuana.
Oklahoma (August 2-4) Exemptions apply to purchases of clothing and footwear ($100 or less per item), including those made online. An item that is $100 or more is taxable.
South Carolina (August 2-4) Exemptions apply to various back-to-school essentials, from clothing, accessories, and shoes to school supplies, backpacks, and computers. Online sales are included.
Tennessee (July 26-28) Exemptions apply to purchases of clothing ($100 or less per item), computers ($1,500 or less), and school and art supplies ($100 or less per item), including online sales. Apparel that costs more than $100, as well as accessories, remain taxable.
Texas (August 9-11) The law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks priced under $100 from sales and use taxes. The exemption applies to brick-and-mortar sales and those made online or via catalog.
Virginia (August 2-4) Exemptions apply to qualifying school supplies ($20 or less per item), clothing ($100 or less per item), footwear, hurricane and emergency preparedness items, and Energy Star™ and WaterSense™ products (noncommercial home or personal use, $2,500 or less per item)
West Virginia (August 2-5) Exemptions apply to certain clothing (purchase price of $125 or less), laptop and tablet computers (purchase price of $500 or less), school supplies ($50 or less), and certain sports equipment (purchase price of $150 or less).
Unconfirmed
Louisiana (September 6-8) Exemptions for the Second Amendment weekend holiday include firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies. Provided by law, but there is no official announcement on the state’s website.
Expirations
Remember that while some sales tax holidays are permanent, others may have expiration dates. As of June 26, 2024, New Jersey has repealed their sales tax holiday.
The Fine Print
This list is meant to provide general guidelines for state sales tax holidays based on the information available at the time of publication. Some states may be very specific about what you can exempt, so click on the links to your individual state’s revenue announcement or ask your retailer for more details.
Keep in mind that some states offer counties and towns the option not to participate, so again, check with your state if you have questions.
Also noteworthy? Some states have no statewide sales tax (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon), while others (like Pennsylvania and Vermont) already exempt necessities like clothing. Still, others offer special exemptions for hurricane supplies, Energy Star appliances, and other items.
I’ll continue to update the list as information becomes available (feel free to contact me with changes or updates). Happy shopping!
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