A number of states across the U.S. have sales tax holidays to help families save on back-to-school shopping. A tax holiday is a period of time when sales tax is waived or reduced on a specific category of items.
In most states, the back-to-school sales tax holidays last a few days in the summer and waive taxes on items like office supplies, clothing, computers, or books. For many, this could help them get ahead financially .
Here are the states and territories that offer back-to-school tax breaks and what items are included during these holidays.
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1. Alabama
When: July 19 - 21
What’s not taxed: Clothing up to $100, computers up to $750, school supplies up to $50, and books up to $30.
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When: August 3-4
What’s not taxed: School supplies, electronic devices used for school, clothing and footwear up to $100 per item, and clothing accessories (like handbags and watches) up to $50 per item
3. Connecticut
When: August 18-24
What’s not taxed: Clothing and footwear up to $100 per item, excluding some items like accessories and athletic clothing.
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4. Florida
When: July 29-August 11
What’s not taxed: School supplies up to $50, personal computers and computer accessories up to $1,500, learning aids up to $30, clothing (including footwear and some other accessories) up to $100 per item.
5. Iowa
When: August 2-3
What’s not taxed: Clothing and footwear up to $100 per item.
6. Maryland
When: August 11-17
What’s not taxed: Clothing and footwear up to $100 per item and the first $40 of backpack/bookbag sales.
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When: August 10-11
What’s not taxed: Qualifying retail items bought for personal use costing $2,500 or less (not limited to school supplies).
8. Mississippi
When: July 12-14
What’s not taxed: Clothing, footwear, and school supplies up to $100 per item.
9. Missouri
When: August 2-4
What’s not taxed: Clothing up to $100 per item, personal computers or devices for a computer up to $1,500, basic school supplies up to $50 per item, graphing calculators up to $150, and computer software up to $350.
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When: August 2-4
What’s not taxed: School supplies up to $30 per item, clothing or shoes up to $100, Computers (desktop, laptop, tablets, or notebook) up to $1,000, and related computer hardware up to $500 per item.
11. Ohio
When: July 30-August 8
What’s not taxed: The tax-free period is not limited to school-related supplies and includes anything that is considered tangible personal property up to $500 (except watercraft, anything with an outboard motor that must be titled, a motor vehicle, alcohol, tobacco, a vapor product or a product that contains marijuana). Dine-in meals less than $500 are also tax-free.
12. Oklahoma
When: August 2-4
What’s not taxed: All clothing and footwear up to $100 per item.
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13. South Carolina
When: August 2-4
What’s not taxed: Clothing (including shoes and accessories), school supplies, computers, printers, earbuds and headphones, certain bed and bath items, and diapers.
14. Tennessee
When: July 26-28
What’s not taxed: Clothing and accessories up to $100 per item, school and art supplies up to $100 per item, and personal computers up to $1,500 per item.
15. Texas
When: August 9-11
What’s not taxed: Most clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks up to $100 per item.
16. Virginia
When: August 2-4
What’s not taxed: School supplies up to $20 per item, and clothing and shoes up to $100 per item.
17. West Virginia
When: August 2-5
What’s not taxed: Clothing up to $125 per item, school supplies up to $50 per item, school instruction material up to $20 per item, laptop and tablet computers up to $500 per item, and sports equipment up to $150 per item.
States with no sales tax
Five states across the U.S. — Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon — never charge sales tax, making them great shopping options if you’re looking to save money.
Several other states — including Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island — don’t tax most clothing items, making them solid options as well.
However, there are some other tax rules that apply. For example, New York will tax clothing purchases (at the 4% state tax rate) if an item costs more than $110.
Bottom line
If you live in a state that’s offering a tax holiday, or if you can get to one, saving a few cents on every dollar could really reduce your financial stress during this hectic shopping season.
Before you shop, be sure to check which items are included in your state’s tax holiday. For example, some states have different rules on exactly which items qualify as “clothing” or “accessories” purchases, so it’s helpful to know before you go.
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