Sales Tax FAQs
Explore commonly asked questions about sales and use tax. A great starting place to learn about fundamental sales tax concepts and general applications to business.
A sales tax holiday is a limited-time period where a state allows sales tax to be waived or reduced on categories of items. These holidays are short in duration and are limited to the items listed. Annual holidays are recurring under the legislation. Non-annual require legislation each year.
This chart will keep you updated on what sales tax holidays may be going on in your state! Find the state you’re looking for and see recent, current, or upcoming sales tax holidays. Click on the state name to see news & tips for that state. Not all states hold sales tax holidays. For a handy chart of holiday information and key facts by state, select a jurisdiction.
State | Type | Dates | Description |
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Alabama | Annual Back to School Holiday | July 16-18, 2021 | 1. Clothing – $100 or less per article (excluding accessories and protective or recreational equipment) Note: not all counties and municipalities are participating in the sales tax holiday. Click here to view an updated chart listing participation. |
Alabama | Annual Severe Weather Holiday | February 26-28, 2021 | Severe weather preparedness items – $60 or less per item, except for generators and power cords, which are covered so long as they cost $1,000 or less. Note: not all counties and municipalities are participating in the sales tax holiday. Click here to view an updated chart listing participation. |
Arkansas | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 7-8, 2021 | 1. Clothing and footwear – less than $100 per item |
Connecticut | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 15-21, 2021 | 1. Clothing and footwear – Less than $100 per item (excluding clothing accessories and protective or athletic clothing). |
Florida | Severe Weather Holiday | May 29 - June 4, 2020 | 1. Selling for $10 or less: Reusable ice Visit the Florida DOR’s web page for more information. |
Florida | Back to School Holiday | August 7-9, 2020 | 1. Clothing, footwear, and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item |
Iowa | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 6-7, 2021 | 1. Clothing and footwear – less than $100 per item (excluding clothing accessories). |
Louisiana | Relief from Hurricanes Laura and Delta and the COVID-19 Pandemic | November 20-21, 2020 | State sales taxes will not be charged on the first $2,500 of a purchase. Purchases of vehicles subject to licenses and title and meals sold for on-site consumption or to-go orders will not be subject to the reduced tax rates. Visit the Louisiana DOR’s webpage for more information. |
Maryland | Annual Energy Star Holiday | February 15-17, 2021 | 1. Sales of Energy Star products (includes air conditioners, washers and dryers, furnaces, heat pumps, standard-size refrigerators, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs, dehumidifiers and programmable thermostats) and solar water heaters. |
Maryland | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 8-14, 2021 | 1. Clothing and footwear (excluding accessories) – $100 or less per item. Visit the Maryland Comptroller’s web page for more information. |
Massachusetts | Annual Sales Tax Holiday | August 28-29, 2021 | 1. During the sales tax holiday, non-business sales at retail of single items of tangible personal property costing $2,500 or less are exempt from sales and use taxes, subject to certain exclusions. Visit the Massachusetts DOR’s web page for more information. |
Mississippi | Annual Back to School Holiday | July 30 - July 31, 2021 | 1. Clothing and footwear – less than $100 per item. 2. School supplies – less than $100 per item. |
Mississippi | Annual 2nd Amendment Holiday | August 27-29, 2021 | 1. Retail sales of firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies. “Hunting supplies” means tangible personal property used for hunting, including, and limited to, archery equipment, firearm and archery cases, firearm and archery accessories, hearing protection, holsters, belts, and slings. |
Missouri | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 6-8, 2021 | 1. Clothing – $100 or less per item (excluding clothing accessories) |
Missouri | Annual Energy Star Holiday | April 19-25, 2021 | 1. All retail sales of Energy Star certified new appliances (includes Clothes washers, Clothes dryers, Water heaters, Dishwashers, Air conditioners, Furnaces, Refrigerators, Freezers, and Heat pumps) of up to $1,500 per appliance |
New Mexico | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 6-8, 2021 | 1. Clothing and footwear items – less than $100 per item (excluding accessories, athletic or protective clothing or footwear) NOTE: Retailers are not required to participate. |
Ohio | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 6-8, 2021 | 1. A clothing item priced at $75 or less Items used in a trade or business are not exempt under the sales tax holiday. |
Oklahoma | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 6-8, 2021 | 1. Clothing and footwear – less than $100 per item (excluding accessories, special clothing or footwear primarily designed for athletic activity or protective use that is not normally worn except when used for athletic activity or protective use, or to the rental of clothing or footwear) |
Puerto Rico | Back to School Holiday | July 29 - August 4, 2020 |
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South Carolina | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 6-8, 2021 | 1. Clothing and certain clothing accessories (excluding rentals) |
Tennessee | Annual Back to School Holiday | July 30 - August 1, 2021 | 1. Clothing with a sales price of $200 or less |
Texas | Annual Severe Weather Holiday | April 24-26, 2021 | 1. Portable generators – less than $3000 per item |
Texas | Annual Energy Star Holiday | May 29-31, 2021 | 1. Energy Star-qualified air conditioners priced at $6,000 or less; refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less; ceiling fans; incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs; dishwashers; dehumidifiers; programmable thermostats; and clothes washers |
Texas | Annual Back to School Holiday | August 6-8, 2021 | 1. Clothing and footwear – less than $100 per item (excluding accessories, athletic or protective clothing, and rentals of clothing or footwear); backpacks used by elementary and secondary students are included |
Virginia | Annual Energy Star, Back to School, Severe Weather Holiday | August 6-8, 2021 | 1. Energy Star & WaterSense qualified products – $2,500 or less per item (purchased for noncommercial home or personal use) |
West Virginia | Annual Back to School Holiday | July 30 - August 2, 2021 | 1. An item of clothing priced at $125 or less; |