Ah, summer. The time of year to enjoy long, lazy days … and tax holidays.
Many states offer a tax-free weekend each summer to help defray the cost of back-to-school shopping. But that’s not the only reason you might get a tax holiday. Here’s a rundown on what you can expect—and when your state may have a tax-free weekend.
What is a tax-free weekend?
States that offer tax holidays will lift the state sales tax on certain items for a limited period of time. Often, the focus is on back-to-school items like clothing, shoes, computers, and school supplies. Eligible products often have price caps—for instance, some states limit the price of clothing or footwear to $100 or less.
Not all states offer tax holidays. Five states don’t have a statewide sales tax to begin with (Alaska, Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, and Delaware). And Colorado, which levies just a 3% sales tax, doesn’t have any tax holidays on the books.
Tax holidays can happen for just a weekend, or they can be longer. This year, Florida has a “Freedom Month” tax holiday for the month of July, when consumers won’t have to pay the state’s 6% sales tax on live events and shows, as well as some boating, camping, and fishing equipment.
Tax holidays also may not be totally tax-free, as some localities levy a small sales tax that retailers may still have to collect.
When is my tax-free weekend?
Many states have back-to-school tax holidays during the summer months, but you can also find tax-free weekends (or weeks!) that focus on disaster preparedness or hunting season. Nevada lifts the state sales tax for one weekend in October for National Guard members. And one state, New Mexico, offers a tax holiday for people who shop at small local businesses, but you’ll have to wait until after Thanksgiving for that deal.
Here are the states offering tax holidays for the rest of 2024.
Prices in the table refer to the sale price per item, unless otherwise noted.
2024 sales tax holidays by state
| State | Type | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Annual Back to School Holiday | July 19–21 | Clothing ($100 or less); computers, software and school computer supplies ($750 or less); other school supplies ($50 or less); books ($30 or less) |
| Arkansas | Annual Back to School Holiday | Aug. 3–4 | Clothing and footwear (less than $100); clothing accessories and equipment (less than $50); school supplies, school art supplies, and school instructional materials |
| Connecticut | Annual Back to School Holiday | Aug. 18–24 | Clothing and footwear (less than $100, excluding clothing accessories and protective or athletic clothing) |
| Florida | Back to School Holiday | July 29–Aug. 11 | Personal computers or related accessories ($1,500 or less); school supplies ($50 or less); learning aids and jigsaw puzzles ($30 or less); other items with a sales price of $100 or less |
| Florida | Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday | Aug. 24–Sept. 6 | Portable generators ($3,000 or less); tarpaulins or other flexible waterproof sheeting ($100 or less); ground anchor system or tie-down kit ($100 or less); smoke detector or smoke alarm ($70 or less); fire extinguisher ($70 or less); carbon monoxide detector ($70 or less); non-electric food storage cooler ($60 or less) |
| Florida | Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday | July 1–31 | Admissions to live events and shows; electric scooters ($500 or less); boating and water activity supplies; camping and fishing supplies |
| Florida | Tool Time Sales Tax Holiday | Sept. 1–7 | Qualifying items commonly used by skilled trade workers, such as power tools, work boots, and toolboxes |
| Iowa | Annual Back to School Holiday | Aug. 2–3 | Clothing and footwear, excluding accessories (less than $100) |
| Louisiana | Second Amendment Weekend Holiday | Sept. 6–8 | Firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies, including archery items, hunting apparel, accessories, and safety equipment |
| Maryland | Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week | Aug. 11–17 | Clothing and footwear, excluding accessories ($100 or less) |
| Massachusetts | Annual Sales Tax Holiday | Aug. 10–11 | Personal property with a sale price up to $2,500 |
| Mississippi | Annual Back to School Holiday | July 12–14 | Clothing and footwear (less than $100); school supplies (less than $100) |
| Mississippi | Annual Second Amendment Holiday | Aug. 30–Sept. 1 | Retail sales of firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies |
| Missouri | Annual Back to School Holiday | Aug. 2–4 | Clothing, excluding accessories ($100 or less); school supplies ($50 or less); computers/peripheral devices ($1,500); software ($350 or less); graphing calculators ($150 or less) |
| Nevada | National Guard Member Holiday | Oct. 25–27 | Purchases made by National Guard members |
| New Mexico | Annual Back to School Holiday | Aug. 2–4 | Clothing and footwear (less than $100); school supplies (less than $30); computers, e-readers with computing functions, and tablets ($1,000 or less); certain computer-related items ($500 or less); book bags, backpacks, maps, and globes (less than $100); handheld calculators (less than $200). Retailers not required to participate. |
| New Mexico | Small Business Saturday Gross Receipts Tax Holiday | Nov. 30 | Purchases made at qualifying local small businesses ($500 or less per item) |
| Ohio | Annual Back to School Holiday | July 30-Aug. 8 | Clothing ($75 or less); school supplies ($20 or less); instructional materials ($20 or less) |
| Oklahoma | Annual Back to School Holiday | Aug. 2–4 | Clothing and footwear, not including accessories (less than $100) |
| South Carolina | Annual Back to School Holiday | Aug. 2–4 | Clothing and certain accessories; footwear; school supplies; computers, printers and printer supplies; computer software; certain bed and bath items |
| Tennessee | Annual Back to School Holiday | July 26–28 | Clothing ($100 or less); school supplies ($100 or less); computers ($1,500 or less) |
| Texas | Annual Back to School Holiday | Aug. 9–11 | Clothing and footwear (less than $100, excluding accessories); backpacks for elementary and secondary students; most school supplies (less than $100) |
| Virginia | 3-Day Sales Tax Holiday | Aug. 2–4 | School supplies ($20 or less); clothing and footwear ($100 or less); portable generators ($1,000 or less); gas-powered chainsaws ($350 or less); other specified hurricane preparedness items ($60 or less); qualifying Energy Star or WaterSense products for home or personal use ($2,500 or less) |
| West Virginia | Annual Back to School Holiday | Aug. 2–5 | Clothing ($125 or less); school supplies ($50 or less); school instructional materials ($20 or less); laptop and tablet computers for personal use ($500 or less); sports equipment ($150 or less) |
Source: Sales Tax Institute; state taxation offices. Sales tax holidays typically require state legislature approval. The list of holidays may not be accurate.
Can I shop online during my tax-free weekend?
Yes, online retailers will honor your state’s tax holiday, but it can get a little complicated by local rules.
Florida, for instance, requires retailers to include shipping charges in the cost of the item, and that can impact whether or not it is eligible for the tax break. And New Mexico does not require retailers to participate in the state’s tax holiday at all.
That’s another reason it can pay to know the details in the state where you live.
How much will I save?
In the 45 states that do levy a sales tax, rates range from 3% to 7%. Here’s how all the states compare:
Tips for saving during tax-free weekends
Here are a few tips so you can make the most of your state’s sales tax holiday:
- Have a plan: That’s always a good way to keep a lid on your spending, but it’s especially true with tax holidays, which may only last a couple of days and have specific limits on prices.
- Set a calendar reminder: Seriously, the summer goes by so fast, and these weekends can sneak up on you.
- Get familiar with your state’s rules: Check out your local news or visit your state’s taxation and revenue website to get the details on your state’s rules before you hit the stores. There can be big differences in price caps: West Virginia caps its price for tax-free computers at $500, while Florida’s limit is $1,500. And in many states, athletic apparel is not included in the tax holiday, so you won’t get a break on your kid’s sports gear.
- Shop around: A store discount or sale price can be the difference between paying state tax on a $1,599 computer and not paying state tax on one that costs $1,500, so keep an eye out for sales.