Tax Free Shopping for Back to School

It’s August, which means heat and humidity, and back-to-school shopping. This year, 16 states are participating in tax-free weekends, when there’s no sales tax on school supplies, which includes computers in some states.

The tax free weekends begin one minute after midnight on Saturday, and end at midnight on Sunday.

In addition to the 16 tax free weekend states, five others never charge sales tax – Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon.

Arkansas
When: August 5–August 6
What: School supplies, art supplies, school instructional materials and clothing free of state and local sales or use tax.

Alabama 
When: July 21–July 23
What: School supplies under $50; books under $30; computers under $750; clothing under $100

Connecticut
When: August 20–August 26
What: Clothing and footwear costing less than $100

Florida
When: August 4–August 6
What: School supplies selling for $15 or less per item; clothing, footwear and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item; and personal computers and certain computer-related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use selling for $750 or less per item.

Iowa
When: August 4–August 5
What: Clothing or footwear having a selling price of less than $100

Louisiana
When: August 4–August 5
What: All personal property not used for business at or below $2,500 will be tax-free. Also, on September 1 through September 3, firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies will be tax-free.

Maryland
When: August 13–August 19
What: Clothing and footwear priced under $100 will be tax exempt.

Mississippi
When: July 28–July 29
What: Clothing and footwear costing less than $100 per item

Missouri
When: August 4–August 6
What: Any article of clothing, including footwear, with a taxable value of $100 or less; school supplies not to exceed $50 per purchase; graphic calculators not to exceed $150; computer software with a taxable value of $350 or less; and personal computers less than $1,500.

New Mexico
When: August 4–August 6
What: Clothing or shoes priced at less than $100 per item; desktop, laptop or notebook computers at $1,000; related computer hardware at $500; and school supplies under $30 per product.

Ohio
When: August 4–August 6
What: Clothing priced at $75 per item or less; school supplies priced at $20 per item or less; and school instructional material priced at $20 per item or less.

Oklahoma
When: August 4–August 6
What: Clothing and footwear priced under $100.

South Carolina
When: August 4–August 6
What: Clothing, accessories, school supplies and dorm and home essentials, even bridal gowns will be tax-free. See the full list here of what is included and what is excluded

Texas
When: August 11–August 13
What: Most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced less than $100 from sales and use taxes.

Virginia
When: August 4–August 6
What: School supplies at $20 or less per item and qualified clothing and footwear at $100 or less per item.

Thanks to RetailMeNot for researching this list.