Back to school: Florida's tax-free holiday weekend starts Friday

FLORIDA -- Get your supply lists ready, the back-to-school sales tax holiday is coming Aug. 3-5.

During the holiday, certain items are exempt from sales tax, including school supplies $15 or less and clothing selling for $60 or less.

According to the state Department of Revenue’s TIP sheet, the sales tax holiday doesn’t apply to clothing items more than $60, school supplies more than $15, books that aren’t exempt, rentals or leases, repairs or alterations and sales of eligible items at theme parks, entertainment venues, public lodging or airports.

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

• Swim suits 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

Find the complete list here of eligible items for the back to school tax-free shopping.

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