This year, many states throughout the nation will offer a sales tax holiday, a period of time during which merchants will not charge customers sales tax. For a few days each year, you can buy certain items without paying the state sales tax. This is a great way to find the purchases you would buy anyway for a discount.
Each state that offers a sales tax holiday sets its own qualifying dates and products. Qualifying products vary by state, but most who have a tax holiday offer school supplies as qualifying purchases. Others include Energy Star products, computers, weather preparedness items, and in one case, hunting equipment.
Here’s a list of each state’s sales tax holiday this year.
| State | 2010 Dates | Items | Max Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Aug 6-8 | Clothing | $100 |
| Computers | $750 | ||
| School supplies | $50 | ||
| Books | $30 | ||
| Connecticut | Aug 15-21 | Clothing and footwear | $300 |
| Florida | Aug 13-15 | Clothing and books | $50 |
| School supplies | $10 | ||
| Illinois * | Aug 6-15 | School supplies | n/a |
| Clothing and footwear | $100 | ||
| Iowa | Aug 6-7 | Clothing | $100 |
| Louisiana | Aug 6-7 | Tangible personal property | $2,500 |
| Louisiana | May 29-30 | Hurricane preparedness items | $1,500 |
| Louisiana | Sep 3-5 | Firearms, ammunition, hunting supplies | n/a |
| Mississippi | Jul 30-31 | Clothing and footwear | $100 |
| Missouri | Apr 19-25 | Energy Star products | $1,500 |
| Missouri | Aug 6-8 | Clothing | $100 |
| Computers | $3,500 | ||
| School supplies | $50 | ||
| New Mexico | Aug 6-8 | Clothing | $100 |
| Computers | $1,000 | ||
| School supplies | $15 | ||
| North Carolina | Aug 6-8 | Clothing | $100 |
| School supplies | $100 | ||
| Instructional material | $300 | ||
| Computers | $3,500 | ||
| Other computer equipment | $250 | ||
| Sports equipment | $50 | ||
| North Carolina | Nov 5-7 | Energy Star products | n/a |
| Oklahoma | Aug 6-8 | Clothing | $100 |
| South Carolina | Aug 6-8 | Clothing, school supplies, computers, other | n/a |
| Tennessee | Aug 6-8 | Clothing | $100 |
| School supplies | $100 | ||
| Computers | $1,500 | ||
| Texas | Aug 20-22 | Clothing, backpacks and school supplies | $100 |
| Texas | May 29-31 | Air conditioners | $6,000 |
| Other Energy Star products | $2,000 | ||
| Vermont | Mar 6 | Personal purchase | $2,000 |
| Virginia | May 25-31 | Hurricane preparedness items | $60 |
| Generators | $1,000 | ||
| Virginia | Aug 6-8 | Clothing | $100 |
| School supplies | $20 | ||
| Virginia | Oct 8-11 | Energy Star products | $2,500 |
| West Virginia | Sep 1 – Nov 30 | Energy Star products | $5,000 |
* Note: As of June 21, 2010, the bill that would create the Illinois sales tax holiday has not been signed into law. If it is, sales tax in this state during the holiday would be reduced from 6.25% to 1.25%.
We’ll update this list as we become aware of official changes.
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