ORLANDO, Fla. – The first day of school is Aug. 10 in many Central Florida counties, which means it’s time to start thinking about what the kids need for class.
Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday starts Monday, July 24, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 6.
For that two-week period, Floridians will not pay sales tax on certain clothes, shoes, school supplies, learning aids and even computers.
Here is everything you need to know.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
Participating stores
Most stores will be involved with the sales tax holiday, but stores can opt out of the holiday if less than 5% of their gross sales is on products that would be affected.
In addition, theme parks, airports, entertainment complexes and public lodging establishments do not take part in the sales tax holiday.
Clothing
Clothes, footwear and accessories will be tax-exempt during the sales tax holiday, provided they have a sales price of $100 or less per item.
This includes not only standard clothing, but also uniforms, formalwear, graduation caps and gowns and athletic or fitness clothes. It does not include fishing or ski boots, swim fins, skates or athletic padding.
All items must be purchased, they cannot be rented.
Also included are certain bags, including handbags, backpacks, fanny packs and diaper bags. It does not include duffel bags, luggage, cosmetic bags or briefcases.
It also does not include jewelry, watches, umbrellas or handkerchiefs, nor does it include any non-prescription glasses like sunglasses, goggles or safety glasses.
Wigs are also not part of the sales tax holiday.
School supplies
No sales tax will be due during the holiday period on any school supply item sold for $50 or less.
That includes binders, calculators, notebooks, crayons, markers or colored pencils, pens or pencils, lunch boxes, folders or scissors.
However, computer or printer paper, books, correction fluid and masking tape will all incur sales tax.
Learning aids
Learning aids priced $30 or less will be exempt from sales taxes during the holiday period.
That includes any educational game, such as matching or memory games, stacking blocks, toys that teach reading or math skills, flashcards and puzzles or puzzle books.
Personal computers and accessories
Computers and accessories priced $1,500 or less are exempt from sales tax during the holiday period.
The items purchased must be used for personal and noncommercial reasons.
Examples of accessories include cables, car adapters, tablets, computer batteries, computer parts, printers, ink cartridges, headphones, microphones and web cameras.
It does not include regular batteries, cases or computer bags, paper, digital cameras, gaming systems, smartphones or televisions.
Shoppers we spoke with on Sunday included John Walker, grandparent to a 12-year-old, who said he was looking forward to saving a few bucks.
“Whatever he wants. Pencils, pens, papers, clothes,” Walker said. “The way the economy is, everyone should be saving money. They need to be saving money.”
Nette Theock said that any money she could save on her three kids’ back-to-school needs would help out.
“I like saving, I’m big on that,” Theock said. “Any money saved, that’s good for me.”
For a complete list of all items included and not included in the sales tax holiday, head to the Florida Department of Revenue website.
A second back-to-school sales tax holiday will take place Jan. 1-14, 2024, before students return to school from the winter holidays.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: