Hello, Cleveland and the rest of the Buckeye State. Welcome to the state sales tax holiday fraternity.
Ohio will hold its first-ever tax holiday next weekend, Aug. 7-9. Like many others, it's aimed at back-to-school shoppers and offers tax savings on certain clothing and school supplies.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts once again took its sweet time in deciding whether to offer Bay State shoppers some sales tax savings. A measure for a mid-August holiday weekend finally cleared the legislature on Wednesday, July 29, and is awaiting the governor's signature.
Georgia and Mississippi kick off the 2015 summer sales tax holidays this Friday, July 31. Arkansas is on their heels, with its holiday starting Aug. 1.
In the alphabetical listing below you can find highlights of the upcoming tax holidays, with links provided for more details directly from the state tax departments.
| State sales tax rate shown; Local taxes also may be waived |
Holiday Dates |
Tax-free products (per item price limits); Click links for more details |
| Alabama 4% | Aug. 7-9 | Clothing priced at $100 or less. Books priced at $30 or less. School supplies priced at $50 or less. Computers and software priced at $750 or less. |
| Arkansas 6.5% | Aug. 1-2 | Clothing priced at $100 or less. Apparel accessories priced at $50 or less. No dollar limit on school supplies. |
| Connecticut 6.35% | Aug. 16-22 | Clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less. |
| Florida 6% | Aug. 7-15 | Clothing, footwear and accessories priced at $100 or less. School supplies costing $15 or less. Personal computers and certain related accessories priced at $750 or less. |
| Georgia 4% | July 31-Aug. 1 | Clothing and footwear at $100 or less. Computers and certain related accessories at $1,000 or less. School supplies at $20 or less. |
| Iowa 6% | Aug. 7-8 | Clothing and footwear priced at less than $100. |
| Louisiana 4% | Aug. 7-8 | Most personal property sold for $2,500 or less. |
| Maryland 6% | Aug. 9-15 | Clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less. |
| Massachusetts 6.25% |
Aug. 15-16 | Most personal property costing $2,500 or less. |
| Mississippi 7% | July 31-Aug. 1 | Clothing and footwear priced at less than $100. |
| Missouri 4.225% | Aug. 7-9 | Clothing priced at $100 or less. School supplies costing $50 or less. Computer software priced at $350 or less. Personal computers and peripheral devices costing $3,500 or less. |
| New Mexico 5.125% | Aug. 7-9 | Clothing or shoes priced at less than $100 per unit. Desktop, laptop or notebook computers priced at $1,000 or less; computer hardware priced at $500 or less. School supplies priced at less than $30. |
| Ohio 5.75% | Aug. 7-9 | Clothing priced at $75 or less. School supplies and school instructional material priced at $20 or less. |
| Oklahoma 4.5% | Aug. 7-9 | Clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less. |
| South Carolina 6% | Aug. 7-9 | No purchase price limit on clothing, accessories and footwear; school supplies; computers, printers and printer supplies, computer software; and bed linens and bath furnishings. |
| Tennessee 7% | Aug. 7-9 | Clothing and footwear costing $100 or less. School supplies priced at $100 or less. Computers priced at $1,500 or less. |
| Texas 6.25% | Aug. 7-9 | Clothing and footwear at less than $100. Backpacks at less than $100. School supplies at less than $100. |
| Virginia 4.3% | Aug. 7-9 | Clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less. School supplies at $20 or less. Energy Star and WaterSense qualified products priced at $2,500 or less. Hurricane preparedness items, including generators at $1,000 or less, gas-powered chainsaws at $350 or less, chainsaw accessories at $60 or less, and other eligible storm items at $60 or less. |
If you live in one of these 18 states, get your shopping list ready. Set. Go!
Updated Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015
