Ohio Lake County Sales Tax Increase (Effective July 1, 2025)

Lake County, Ohio, is increasing its combined sales and use tax rate from 7.0% to 7.25%. This affects all retail sales, including tangible goods and taxable services. Both brick-and-mortar stores and remote sellers shipping to Lake County must update their systems to charge the higher rate. The change will influence e-commerce platforms, invoice templates, and marketplace facilitators. The Ohio Department of Taxation has issued notices to registered businesses to prepare for the shift. Local consumers may see modest price increases. This is part of Lake County’s broader fiscal plan to increase local funding without altering property tax rates.

5% Sales Tax Rate on Eligible Grocery Items Effective July 1, 2025

Beginning July 1, 2025, Mississippi will implement a reduced 5% sales tax rate on certain food and drink items for human consumption—if they would qualify as exempt under USDA food stamp guidelines but are not purchased with food stamps. This change amends the tax treatment of everyday grocery purchases to align more closely with federal food assistance standards and provide broader tax relief on essential goods.

This provision is detailed in amendments to Section 27-65-17 and complements existing exemptions under Section 27-65-111(O) of the Mississippi Code.

Tennessee Tax-Free Weekend (July 25–27, 2025)

Tennessee residents can shop tax-free for clothing and school supplies (≤ $100/item) and computers (≤ $1,500) during the state’s 3-day event. The holiday applies to both state and local sales taxes, providing meaningful savings especially on high-ticket tech purchases for students.

Occupancy Tax Expansion to First 30 Days (Effective July 1, 2025)

Tennessee will begin requiring tax collection on the first 30 days of any rental period, even if the stay exceeds one month. Previously, tax obligations applied only to rentals under 30 days. The new rule affects short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and traditional extended-stay hotels. It also applies to bookings made before July 1 if occupancy begins after that date. Hosts and platforms must adjust their systems and invoices to reflect this update. The Department of Revenue expects increased enforcement and audit activity to follow. This rule aims to close a tax loophole on long-stay accommodations.

Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday (July 18–20, 2025)
Alabama’s annual tax-free weekend helps families prepare for the school year by exempting clothing (≤ $100/item), school supplies (≤ $50/item), books (≤ $30/item), and computers (≤ $750) from sales tax. This applies statewide, but local governments can choose whether to participate.

Extended Back-to-School Tax Holiday (July 28 – August 10, 2025)
Florida offers one of the most generous tax holidays, covering clothing and footwear (≤ $100/item), school supplies (≤ $50/item), and computers/accessories for personal use (≤ $1,500). The two-week window allows families more time to shop and save. This initiative is part of a broader tax relief package passed by the legislature to ease back-to-school costs.

Hillsborough County Sales Surtax Reinstated by Court Ruling (Effective June 30, 2025)

The Florida Supreme Court upheld the reinstatement of a 1% transportation surtax in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa. The surtax was originally struck down in 2020 but is now set to take effect again on June 30, 2025. It applies to most sales subject to state tax except fuel and large-ticket items. Businesses operating in Hillsborough County must update systems to collect the additional surtax, particularly restaurants, retailers, and contractors. This decision aligns with long-term regional infrastructure funding goals.

Fairfax County Lodging Tax Increase (Effective July 1, 2025)

Fairfax County will raise its total Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) rate from 7% to 9%, impacting hotels, motels, and all short-term rentals. This change supports transportation projects in the area and applies to stays under 90 days. Lodging providers—including Airbnb hosts and corporate housing firms—must update their billing platforms and rate schedules. The increase applies to the total room charge and must be clearly stated to guests at booking. The county also requires detailed monthly tax reporting from providers. This policy aligns with Northern Virginia’s infrastructure enhancement funding model.

Economic Nexus Threshold Simplification (Effective July 1, 2025)

Utah is simplifying its economic nexus policy by eliminating the transaction-count qualifier and adopting a single threshold of $100,000 in gross sales. This means any out-of-state business exceeding that amount in Utah-related sales—regardless of transaction count or product taxability—must register to collect and remit Utah sales tax. The rule applies to remote sellers, SaaS vendors, digital product providers, and marketplace facilitators. Exempt, wholesale, and service-only sales all count toward the threshold. Utah is also updating its education materials to reflect the change. This aligns with nationwide trends to simplify economic nexus criteria and ensure compliance.

New Local Sales Taxes in Stevenson & San Juan County (Effective July 1, 2025)

The Washington Department of Revenue has announced two new local sales and use tax changes. Stevenson will implement a Transportation Benefit District sales tax, and San Juan County will enact a 0.1% emergency communications sales tax. Both taxes apply to retail sales and use tax liabilities and are part of ongoing regional infrastructure and public safety funding efforts. Businesses selling or shipping to these areas must adjust rate sourcing and ensure accurate tax collection. Updates are reflected in Washington’s GIS-based rate lookup tools and DOR bulletins.

City of Elim Joins Remote Seller Sales Tax Commission (Effective June 1, 2025)

The City of Elim, Alaska, has joined the Alaska Remote Seller Sales Tax Commission (ARSSTC), enabling remote collection of its 3% local sales tax on all remote sales shipped into Elim. Sellers using platforms such as Shopify or Amazon must comply through ARSSTC’s standardized system. Alaska has no statewide sales tax, so this expansion of municipal collection authority represents a growing patchwork of remote seller obligations. Businesses must stay current with member jurisdictions and their tax rules to ensure compliance.