Florida’s annual back-to-school sales tax holiday starts Friday and computers are back on the list of tax-free items.
Consumers in Florida are exempt from paying sales tax on the following items Aug. 2-6:
- 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
Computers were not part of Florida’s tax-free holiday last year, but they were in 2017. In 2019, the purchase price for tax savings increases from $750 to $1,000.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill in May that granted sales tax holidays for hurricane supplies from May 31 to June 6, and for school supplies from Aug. 2-6.
Examples of exempt clothing and accessories:
• 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
• 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
• Safety clothing
• Safety shoes
• Scout uniforms
• Shawls and wraps
• Shirts
• Shoe inserts and insoles
• Shoes (including athletic)
• Shoulder pads (e.g., dresses or jackets)
• Shorts
• Ski suits (snow)
• Skirts
• Sleepwear (nightgowns and
pajamas)
• Slippers
• Slips
• Socks
• Suits, slacks, and jackets
• Suspenders
• Sweatbands
• Sweaters
• Swimsuits and trunks
• Ties (neckties and bow ties)
• Tuxedos (purchased)
• 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 taxable clothing and accessories:
• Accessories
- Handkerchiefs
- Jewelry
- Key cases
- Watchbands
- Watches
• Athletic gloves
• Athletic pads
• Bowling shoes (rented)
• Briefcases
• Checkbook covers (separate from wallets)
• Chest protectors
• Cloth, lace, knitting yarns, and other fabrics
• Clothing repair items, (e.g., thread, buttons, tapes, iron-on patches or zippers)
• Corsages and boutonnieres
• Cosmetic bags
• Crib blankets
• Diving suits (wet and dry)
• Duffel bags
• Elbow pads
• Fins
• Fishing boots (waders)
• Football pads
• Formal clothing (rented)
• Garment bags
• Gloves
- Baseball
- Batting
- Bicycle
- Golf
- Hockey
- Rubber
- Surgical
- Tennis
• Goggles (except prescription*)
• Hard hats
• Helmets, except youth bicycle**
(baseball, football, hockey, motorcycle, sports)
• Ice skates
• In-line skates
• Keychains
• Knee pads
• Life jackets and vests
• Luggage
• Make-up bags
• Pads (football, hockey, soccer, elbow, knee, shoulder)
• Paint or dust masks
• Patterns
• Protective masks (athletic)
• Rented clothing or footwear (e.g., uniforms, formal wear, costumes and bowling shoes)
• Repair of wearing apparel
• Rollerblades
• Roller skates
• Safety glasses (except prescription*)
• Shaving kits and bags
• Shin guards and padding
• Shoulder pads (football, hockey, sports)
• Ski boots (snow)
• Ski vests (water)
• Skin diving suits
• Suitcases
• Sunglasses (except prescription*)
• Swimming masks
• Umbrellas
• Weight-lifting belts
•Wigs
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
• Lunch boxes
• Markers
• Notebook filler paper
• Notebooks
• Paste
• Pencils, including mechanical and refills
• Pens, including felt, ballpoint, fountain, highlighters and refills
• Poster board
• 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
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