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Here's what's on Florida's back-to-school sales tax holiday list

This weekend you'll be able to save a little getting those back to school supplies.

TAMPA, Fla. — Florida’s annual back-to-school sales tax holiday starts Friday.

The tax-free sale for the 2020-2021 school year will take place from Aug. 7 through Aug. 9.

Here's what you can snag tax-free:

  • Clothes and shoes selling for $60 or less
  • School supplies selling for $15 or less
  • Computers selling for $1,000 or less purchased for noncommercial home or personal use

And this year, masks will be added to the list. 

The Legislature has enacted a Back to School Sales Tax Holiday 17 times, starting in 1998 (1998, 1999, 2004-2007 and annually since 2010). In each of those years, the law has defined “clothing” as “any article of wearing apparel…intended to be worn on or about the human body.”

Since most schools are requiring students to wear a mask when they are in the classroom, they will be tax-exempt. 

Examples of exempt clothing and accessories:

  • Barrettes and bobby pins
  • Belt buckles
  • Bow ties
  • Hairnets, bows, clips and hairbands
  • Handbags
  • Neckwear
  • Ponytail holders
  • Scarves
  • Ties
  • Wallets
  • Aerobic and fitness clothing
  • Aprons and clothing shields
  • Athletic supporters
  • Baby clothes
  • Backpacks and book bags
  • Bandanas
  • Baseball cleats
  • Bathing suits, caps and cover-ups
  • Belts
  • Bibs
  • Bicycle helmets (youth)**
  • Blouses
  • Boots (except ski or fishing boots)
  • Bowling shoes (purchased)
  • Braces and supports worn to correct or alleviate a physical incapacity or injury*
  • Bras
  • Choir and altar clothing*
  • Cleated and spiked shoes
  • Clerical vestments*
  • Coats
  • Coin purses
  • Costumes
  • Coveralls
  • Diaper bags
  • Diapers, diaper inserts (adult and baby, cloth or disposable)
  • Dresses
  • Fanny packs
  • Fishing vests (non-flotation)
  • Formal clothing (purchased)
  • Gloves
  • Dress
  • Garden
  • Leather
  • Work
  • Graduation caps and gowns
  • Gym suits and uniforms
  • Hats and caps
  • Hosiery and pantyhose (including support hosiery)
  • Hunting vests
  • Wigs
  • Jackets
  • Jeans
  • Lab coats
  • Leggings, tights, and leg warmers
  • Leotards
  • Lingerie
  • Martial arts attire
  • Overshoes and rubber shoes
  • Pants
  • Purses
  • Raincoats, rain hats, and ponchos
  • Receiving blankets
  • Religious clothing*
  • Robes

Examples of exempt school supply items:

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

Examples of taxable school supply items:

  • Books not otherwise exempt
  • Computer paper
  • Correction tape, fluid, or pens
  • Masking tape
  • Printer paper
  • Staplers and staples

You can find a whole list of tax-free items here. 

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