Arkansas sales tax holiday starts August 5, 2023

The 2023 Arkansas sales tax holiday takes place August 5 and 6. All retailers that are registered for Arkansas sales tax and sell qualifying products must participate in the upcoming tax-free weekend, including online sellers and mail-order businesses.

Clothing priced less than $100. The exemption applies to all “human wearing apparel suitable for general use.” It doesn’t apply to protective equipment or sports and recreational equipment.

Clothing accessories and equipment priced less than $50. This includes briefcases, cosmetics, hair notions, handbags, jewelry, and non-prescription sunglasses.

Electronic devices commonly used by students, no price restriction. Calculators, e-readers, laptop and desktop computers, and printers are among the products that qualify for the exemption.

School supplies and school art supplies, no price restriction. The sales tax exemption applies to binders and bookbags, lunch boxes, pencils and pens, and certain other items “commonly used by a student in a course of study.”

School instructional materials, no price restriction. During the tax-free weekend, Arkansas sales tax does not apply to reference books, reference maps and globes, textbooks, or workbooks.

The Arkansas tax-free weekend begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, August 5 and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 6. If your business is based in another time zone, be sure your tax software is properly set up to account for the sales tax holiday. The temporary exemption is governed by the seller’s time zone, not the purchaser’s time zone.

Additional guidance, such as how to handle layaway sales or shipping charges, can be found at the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. 

To learn more about sales tax holidays in general and which states are offering a tax-free weekend this year, read our blog post, 2023 sales tax holidays.