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Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday is this Weekend

Heading back to school? Take a tax holiday in the Sunshine State.
Credit: Justin Sullivan
A Target customer shops for back to school supplies. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

It's that time of year again already-- time to head back to the classroom. Some students are even heading back to school in just a week.

So, now is the time to take advantage of Florida’s 2018 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday. The holiday takes place from Friday, August 3 through Sunday, August 5.

During this sales tax holiday period, Florida law says no sales tax or local option tax will be collected on:

-Clothing

-Footwear

-Certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item

-Certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item

The sales tax holiday does not apply to:

-Any item of clothing that’s more than $60

-Any school supply that’s more than $15

-Books that are not otherwise exempt

-Rentals or leases of any eligible items

-Repairs or alterations of any eligible items

-Sales of any eligible items in a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment or airport

For example, 10News went to Walmart and got enough school supplies for two kids, including outfits, shoes, lunch boxes, backpacks and school supplies and it cost a total of $155.00. The savings was $10.50 on taxes. That $10.50 saved is enough to cover the price of another backpack. So, the savings are subtle but worth it, especially if you’re shopping for multiple people.

Other examples of exempt clothing and accessories include: Hair accessories, wallets, scarves, ties, backpacks, bandanas, baseball cleats, bathing suits, belts, bibs, bicycle helmets for youth, boots, bowling shoes, braces, coats, coin purses, costumes, diaper bags, diapers, dresses, fanny packs, fishing vests, gloves, graduation caps and gowns, hats, panty hose, lingerie, raincoats, purses, receiving blankets, robes, shoe inserts, ski suits, slippers, socks, suspenders and underclothes.

Examples of non-exempt clothing and accessories include: Handkerchiefs, jewelry, key cases, watchbands, watches, athletic gloves, athletic pads, briefcases, checkbook covers, chest protectors, knitting yarns, clothing repair items like thread, corsages, cosmetic bags, crib blankets, diving suits, duffel bags, elbow pads, fins, fishing boots, football pads, garment bags, goggles, hard hats, ice skates, key chains, knee pads, life jackets, luggage, make-up bags, paint, protective masks, roller blades, roller skates, safety glasses, shaving kits, sunglasses, swimming masks, umbrellas, weight-lifting belts and wigs.

While obvious school supplies like binders, calculators, folders, colored pencils, lunch boxes, etc. are included in the tax holiday, there are a few school supplies that are not:

-Computer paper

-Correction pens

-Masking tape

-Printer paper

-Staplers and staples

Happy shopping!

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