Annual sales tax holiday set for last weekend in July

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Volunteer State’s annual sales tax holiday is set for the last weekend of the month. It will take place Friday, July 26, through Sunday, July 28, the Tennessee Department of Revenue said.

During the three-day period, Tennesseans can save nearly 10% on qualifying clothing, school supplies and computer purchases, as the state sales tax rate will not be assessed. Clothing and school supplies priced at $100 or less will be tax-free, as will computers priced at $1,500 or less.

Qualifying items may be purchased in-store and online for consumer ease, the department said.

“Tennessee’s commitment to strong fiscal stewardship has allowed our state to cut taxes and put dollars back in the pockets of hardworking Tennesseans,” Gov. Bill Lee said. “I encourage every Tennessee family to take advantage of back-to-school savings and thank the General Assembly for partnering to provide direct financial relief for taxpayers.”

Items that qualify as sales tax-free during the holiday include:

• General apparel that costs $100 or less per item, such as shirts, pants, socks, shoes, dresses, etc.
• School and art supplies with a purchase price of $100 or less per item, such as binders, backpacks, crayons, paper, pens, pencils, and rulers, and art supplies such as glazes, clay, paints, drawing pads, and artist paintbrushes
• Computers for personal use with a purchase price of $1,500 or less
  • Laptop computers, if priced at $1,500 or less, also qualify, as well as tablet computers

Items that do not qualify include:

• Apparel items priced at more than $100
• Items such as jewelry, handbags, or sports and recreational equipment
• School and art supplies individually priced at more than $100
• Storage media, like flash drives and compact discs
• Individually purchased software
• Printer supplies
• Household appliances
  • Items sold together, such as shoes, cannot be split up to stay beneath the $100 maximum

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“With the start of the school year around the corner, we encourage Tennessee families to take advantage of these savings,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said. “This is the only sales tax holiday this year.”

Last year, Tennesseans also saved money on groceries from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31, but this year there will be no such relief. During that time, qualifying food and food ingredients had sales tax suspended.

According to the Revenue Department, Tennesseans saved an estimated $287 million during the grocery tax holiday.

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