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Sales Tax Holiday 2025 – Skip the Tax, Not the Cart

What is a Sales Tax Holiday?

A sales tax holiday is a limited-time event during which certain items are exempt from state and/or local sales tax. These holidays are typically implemented by governments to encourage spending during key periods — most commonly around the back-to-school season, severe weather preparedness windows, or major holidays.

What’s Typically Included?

The types of goods eligible for exemption vary by jurisdiction but often include:

School supplies and clothing
Computers and electronics
Footwear and backpacks
Energy-efficient appliances
Disaster preparedness items, such as batteries, flashlights, and generators

When Do Sales Tax Holidays Occur?

Most sales tax holidays last anywhere from 2–10 days and tend to recur annually around the same time. For example, many states hold back-to-school holidays in late July or early August, while others schedule tax-free weekends before hurricane season or winter weather arrives.

Sales Tax Holiday by State

State
Alabama	"Back-to-School" Sales Tax Holiday (July 18-20, 2025): Shoppers can enjoy tax-free savings on a variety of back-to-school essentials, including clothing priced at $100 or less per item; a single purchase of computers, computer software, and school computer supplies up to $750; school supplies, art supplies, and instructional materials priced at $50 or less per item; and books priced at $30 or less, all for noncommercial use. Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday: The following items selling for $60 or less per item: including batteries (excluding coin, auto, and boat batteries), cell phone batteries and chargers, portable radios (including two-way, weatherband, and NOAA radios), self-powered light sources, tarps and waterproof sheeting, ground anchor systems, duct tape, plywood and window protection materials, non-electric coolers and water containers, non-electric can openers, artificial ice, first aid kits, fire extinguishers, smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, and gas or diesel fuel containers. Portable generators priced at $1,000 or less are also included.
Arkansas	August 2-3, 2025: Shoppers can take advantage of a sales tax exemption on clothing, clothing accessories or equipment, electronic devices, school art supplies, school instructional materials, and general school supplies.
Connecticut	August 17-23, 2025: During this tax holiday, clothing and footwear items costing less than $100 are exempt from sales tax.
Florida	August 1 -10, 2025: SPB 7034 creates the 2025 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday for backpacks costing $100 or less, school supplies costing $50 or less, learning aids and puzzles costing $30 or less, and personal computers or computer-related accessories, including nonrecreational software, costing $1,500 or less.
Iowa	August 1-2, 2025: Select clothing and footwear items costing less than $100 will be eligible for exemption during the sales tax holiday.
Louisiana	September 5-7, 2025: Louisiana repealed the Annual Louisiana Sales Tax Holidays Act, effective January 1, 2025; however, the Louisiana Second Amendment Weekend Holiday will be held and exempts the sale of eligible firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies.
Maryland	August 10-16, 2025: The state offers a tax-free period on select back-to-school items, including clothing and footwear priced under $100 per item, excluding accessories.
Massachusetts	August 9-10, 2025: The state’s 6.25 percent sales tax is suspended for most retail items such as clothing, priced under $2,500.
Mississippi	July 11-13, 2025: The sales tax exemption applies to clothing and footwear worn on or about the human body, as well as to retail sales of school supplies. August 29-30, 2025: The annual recurring Second Amendment sales tax holiday applies to retail sales of firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies.
Missouri	August 1-3, 2025: The exemption applies to clothing costing $100 or less per purchase; school supplies up to $50 per purchase; computer software up to $350; graphing calculators up to $150; and personal computers or peripheral devices up to $1,500. If the buyer and seller are in different time zones, the buyer’s time zone determines the applicable period.
Nevada	October 31, 2025 - November 2, 2025: Sales of tangible personal property are exempt from tax when sold to active-status resident Nevada National Guard members and their qualifying relatives who reside at the same physical address in Nevada.
New Mexico	August 1-3, 2025: The sales tax holiday applies to clothing and footwear priced under $100, computers costing less than $1,000, classroom school supplies priced at $30 or less per item, and computer equipment costing under $500.
Ohio	August 1-14, 2025: Almost all tangible personal property priced at $500 or less is tax-free. Examples of tax-exempt items: electronics, clothing, books, home goods, plants, sporting goods, food and beverages. The following items will still be taxed: watercraft or outboard motors, motor vehicles, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, vapor products, and items containing marijuana.
Oklahoma	August 1-3, 2025: Clothing and footwear priced under $100 per item are exempt from sales tax during this holiday period.
South Carolina	August 1-3, 2025: Exempt items generally include clothing, clothing accessories, footwear, school supplies, computers, printers and printer supplies, computer software, bath wash clothes, blankets, bedspreads, bed linens, sheet sets, comforter sets, bath towels, shower curtains, bath rugs and mats, pillows, and pillowcases.
Tennessee	July 25-27, 2025: Tax exemptions apply to clothing, school supplies, and art supplies priced at $100 or less per item, as well as computers priced at $1,500 or less each.
Texas	August 8-10, 2025: Sales tax exemptions apply to clothing, footwear, backpacks, and school supplies that cost less than $100 per item.
Virginia	August 1-3, 2025: The sales tax exemption applies to certain hurricane preparedness equipment, specified school supplies, clothing and footwear, as well as select energy-efficient and water-efficient products.
West Virginia	August 1-4, 2025: The tax holiday exempts: (a) items of clothing for which the price is $125 or less; (b) school supplies priced at $50 or less; (c) school instructional material priced at $20 or less; (d) laptops and tablet computers not purchased for use in a trade or business priced at $500 or less; and (e) sports equipment not purchased for use in a trade or business priced at $150 or less.

A business is required to collect sales tax only if registered within the state for tax collection. For more information on sales tax and how to stay in compliance, please reference Sales Tax vs. Use Tax: Do You Know the Difference?

Contributor: Megan Bryarly

Tips for the Taxpayer

In recent years, states are becoming more insistent in the world of sales and use taxes with both regulation changes and enforcement. It is more important than ever for businesses to be aware of how sales tax affects them. Without an understanding of the varieties of sales and use tax, there is more potential for mistakes and audits. Businesses need to have policies and procedures in place that help them determine where, how much, and from whom to collect. Many companies may not have the knowledge, expertise, or time to build this foundation. An expert resource may be the best choice to help manage the world of sales and use tax and guarantee your business is tax compliant.

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About Allyn International

Allyn International provides high quality, customer centric services and solutions for the global marketplace. Allyn's core products include transportation management, logistics sourcing, freight forwarding, supply chain consulting, tax management and global trade compliance. Allyn clients range from small local businesses to Fortune 500 firms. Allyn conducts business in more than 20 languages and has extensive experience in both developed and emerging markets. Highly trained experts are positioned throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Allyn’s regional headquarters are strategically located in Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.A., Shanghai, P.R. China, Prague, Czech Republic, and Dubai, U.A.E. For more information, visit www.allynintl.com.