Back-to-school shopping may be exciting for the kids who’ll get new gear, but less so for the parents who have to pay for it all.
The National Retail Federation estimates the average household with kids in elementary through high school is expected to spend about $697 on new clothes, shoes, electronics and school supplies in 2019.
Some shoppers will be able to find a little financial relief this summer as 16 states hold tax-free holidays during July and August, saving consumers from paying sales tax on certain school-related items.
Now, you may not save a ton of money by shopping during tax-free holidays. For example, if you bought $500 worth of clothes, shoes and school supplies during Florida’s tax-free weekend in a county where the sales tax is 6%, you would save only $30. But what parent wouldn’t want to save 30 bucks?
And if you use the tax-free holidays in conjunction with smart comparison shopping and deal-stacking, you’ll save even more on your back-to-school supplies.
Some states’ tax-free holidays are held over a weekend, while others are a week long. Each state has different criteria for what merchandise won’t be taxed, and many states require the purchases to be under a certain price threshold.
Tax-Free Weekends: When, Where and What
The states that have back-to-school tax-free weekends (or weeks) this year are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Alabama
When: July 19-21
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — $100 or less per item.
- Books — $30 or less per item.
- School supplies — $50 or less per item.
- Computers and related equipment — $750 or less per item.
Arkansas
When: Aug. 3-4
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — less than $100 per item.
- Clothing accessories — less than $50 per item.
- School supplies — no price threshold, but must be on a state-approved list.
Connecticut
When: Aug. 18-24
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — less than $100 per item.
Florida
When: Aug. 2-6
What is tax-free:
- Computers and certain electronics — $1,000 or less per item.
- Clothing, accessories and shoes — $60 or less per item.
- School supplies — $15 or less per item.
Iowa
When: Aug. 2-3
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — less than $100 per item.
Maryland
When: Aug. 11-17
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — $100 or less per item.
- Bookbags/backpacks — the first $40 is tax-free.
Massachusetts
When: Aug. 17-18
What is tax-free:
- Most consumer products — $2,500 or less per item.
- Clothing — Massachusetts does not charge any sales tax on clothes under $175 year round.
Mississippi
When: July 26-27
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — less than $100 per item.
Missouri
When: Aug. 2-4
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — $100 or less per item.
- School supplies — $50 or less per purchase (exception: graphing calculators must be $150 or less).
- Computers and related equipment — $1,500 or less per item.
- Computer software — $350 or less.
New Mexico
When: Aug. 2-4
What is tax-free:
- Clothing, accessories and shoes — less than $100 per item.
- School supplies — less than $30 per item (exceptions: backpacks, maps and globes must be under $100 and calculators must be under $200).
- Computers — $1,000 or less per item.
- Computer hardware — $500 or less per item.
Ohio
When: Aug. 2-4
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — $75 or less per item.
- School supplies — $20 or less per item.
- School instructional materials — $20 or less per item.
Oklahoma
When: Aug. 2-4
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — less than $100 per item.
South Carolina
When: Aug. 2-4
What is tax-free:
- Clothing, accessories and shoes — no price threshold.
- School supplies — no price threshold.
- Computers and related equipment — no price threshold.
- Bedding, pillows, bath towels, wash cloths and shower curtains — no price threshold.
- Books and musical instruments — no price threshold (if they are for school assignments).
Tennessee
When: July 26-28
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — $100 or less per item.
- School supplies — $100 or less per item.
- Computers — $1,500 or less per item.
Texas
When: Aug. 9-11
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — less than $100 per item.
- School supplies — less than $100 per item.
Virginia
When: Aug. 2-4
What is tax-free:
- Clothing and shoes — $100 or less per item.
- School supplies — $20 or less per item.
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