Florida Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday

It’s that time of year!  August 3rd – August 5th, 2018, Florida will be having its annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday.  Every summer, Florida law directs that no sales tax will be collected on the purchase of qualified back-to-school items.  This includes:

  • clothing, footwear and certain accessories selling for less than $60 per item
  • certain school supplies selling for less than $15 per item

Here is an example of Exempt Clothing & Accessories:

  • Aerobic and fitness clothing, Gym suits and uniforms
  • Aprons and clothing shields
  • Athletic supporters
  • Baby clothes
  • Backpacks and book bags
  • Bathing suits, caps, and cover-ups, Swim suits and trunks
  • Belts
  • Bibs
  • Bicycle helmets (youth)**
  • Blouses
  • Braces and supports worn to correct or alleviate a physical incapacity or injury*
  • Bras
  • Choir and altar clothing*, Clerical vestments*, Religious clothing*
  • Coats
  • Costumes
  • Coveralls
  • Diaper bags, Diapers, diaper inserts (adult and baby, cloth or disposable)
  • Dresses
  • Fanny packs
  • Fishing vests (non-flotation)
  • Formal clothing (purchased), Suits, slacks, and jackets, Ties (neckties and bow ties), Tuxedos (purchased)
  • Gloves
  • Graduation caps and gowns
  • Hats and caps, Bandanas
  • Hosiery and panty hose (including support hosiery)
  • Hunting vests
  • Jackets
  • Jeans
  • Lab coats
  • Leggings, tights, and leg warmers
  • Leotards
  • Lingerie
  • Martial arts attire
  • Pants
  • Purses, Coin purses
  • Raincoats, rain hats, and ponchos
  • Receiving blankets
  • Robes
  • Safety clothing & Safety shoes
  • Scout uniforms
  • Shawls and wraps
  • Shirts
  • Shoe inserts and insoles
  • Shoes (including athletic), socks, Baseball cleats, Boots (except ski or fishing boots), Bowling shoes (purchased), Overshoes and rubber shoes
  • Shoulder pads (e.g., dresses or jackets)
  • Shorts
  • Ski suits (snow)
  • Skirts
  • Sleepwear (nightgowns and pajamas)
  • Slippers
  • Slips
  • Socks
  • Suspenders
  • Sweatbands
  • Sweaters
  • Underclothes
  • Uniforms (work, school, and athletic – excluding pads)
  • Vests

* These items are always exempt as religious, prescription, prosthetic, or orthopedic items.
** Bicycle helmets marketed for use by youth are exempt from sales tax.

Examples of Exempt School Supply Items:

  • Binders
  • Calculators
  • Cellophane (transparent) tape
  • Compasses
  • Composition books
  • Computer disks (blank CDs only)
  • Construction paper
  • Crayons
  • Erasers
  • Folders
  • Glue (stick and liquid), Paste
  • Highlighters
  • Legal pads
  • Lunch boxes
  • Markers
  • Notebooks & Notebook filler paper
  • Pencils, including colored & mechanical and refills
  • Pens, including felt, ballpoint, fountain, highlighters, and refills
  • Poster board, Poster paper
  • Protractors
  • Rulers
  • Scissors

For additional information, please click here to download a pdf from the Department of Revenue:  click here