Back to School Sales Tax Holidays 2024

It’s back to school season!

Our kids start school on the 28th of August here in Howard County, Maryland (yep, the week before Labor Day!) and so these upcoming weeks are when all the back to school sales start popping up.

One nice benefit of back to school is that during August is when we have a sales tax holiday, where sales tax isn’t collected on a few items.

A few other states do the same thing and in this post, we will share with you when the sales are for this year. There are more states that offer sales tax holidays (you can review this table) but these are the only states that have these sales left this year.

(we will update this next year with more states)

Connecticut

Dates: August 18th through August 24th

The sales tax holiday in Connecticut covers certain items of clothing and footwear costing less than $100 per item. This applies to purchases made from retailers in CT as well as online retailers. You can get multiple items as long as they cost less than $100 each.

Special clothing or footwear primarily designed for athletic activity or protection is not included. Jewelry, handbags, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches, and similar items are also not included.

👉 Go to CT Department of Revenue website for more details

Florida

Dates: July 29th through August 11th

The sales tax holiday in Florida had these items exempt:

• 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
• Computers and related accessories selling for $1,500 or less (when purchased for non-commercial and personal use)

👉 Go to FL Department of Revenue website for more details

Massachusetts

Dates: August 10th through August 11th

Massachusetts has the shortest tax free holiday period, just the weekend, but it exempts pretty much everything as long as it’s a “non-vice” retail item less than $2,500 bought for personal use by individuals.

It does exclude:

• Meals
• Motor vehicles
• Motorboats
• Telecommunications services
• Gas
• Steam
• Electricity
• Tobacco products
• Marijuana or marijuana products
• Alcoholic beverages, and
• Any single item whose price is more than $2,500.

👉 Go to MA Department of Revenue website for more details

Maryland

Dates: August 11th through August 17th

Maryland’s sales tax holiday includes qualifying clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less as well as the first $40 of a backpack. If your backpack costs more than $40, only the first $40 is tax free.

Accessory items are not included, which includes (but isn’t limited to) jewelry, watches, watchbands, handbags,
handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands, and belt buckles. Much like other states, as long as the item is less than $100 then it is exempt and you can buy multiple items.

👉 Go to MD Department of Revenue website for more details

Ohio

Dates: July 30th through August 8th

Ohio has a sales tax holiday that includes “ll tangible personal property that is $500 or less except watercraft or outboard motors.” It includes anything that can be seen, weighed, measured, felt, or touched… including prewritten computer software.

If it’s tangible but over $500, it’s not included. Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vapor products, as well as those containing marijuana are not included.

👉 Go to OH Department of Revenue website for more details

Texas

Dates: August 9th through August 11th

In Texas, the sales tax holiday covers most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks (sold for less than $100) and applies if you purchase from a store in Texas or an online or catalog seller doing business in Texas. Their website has an exhaustive list of what’s included but it’s similar to the rules of other states. With backpacks, there is a limit of 10 backpacks.

👉 Go to TX Department of Revenue website for more details

Other States

Here are the other states that have back to school sales tax holidays that have since passed:

• Alabama – July 19-21
• Alaska – October 1 – March 31
• Arkansas – August 3-4
• Iowa – August 2-3
• Mississippi – July 12-14
• Missouri – August 2-4
• New Mexico – August 2-4
• Tennessee – July 26-27
• Virginia – August 2-4
• West Virginia – August 2-5

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