2020 sales tax holidays

Updated July 22, 2020. Tennessee expanded its first tax-free weekend and added a second.

More than 15 states statutorily provide annual sales tax holidays: limited periods of time when specified products are exempt from sales tax.

Other states periodically offer one-time sales tax holidays. These are harder to plan for: There’s no guarantee they’ll take place until they’re signed into law, and sometimes that doesn’t happen until days before they start.

Below is a list of the 2020 sales tax holidays, with links to the most up-to-date state information provided by state tax departments. Some departments update dates and information closer to the time of the upcoming sales tax holidays.

State-by-state guide to 2020 sales tax holidays

Alabama

Severe weather preparedness, February 21–23, 2020
- Portable generators priced $1,000 or less
- Variety of supplies priced $60 or less
Back to school, July 17–29, 2020
- Books priced $30 or less
- Clothing priced $100 or less
- Computers, computer software, and school computer supplies priced $750 or less
- School supplies priced $50 or less

Alabama sales tax holidays apply to state sales tax. Counties and municipalities aren’t required to exempt eligible items from local sales tax, though many do.

Arkansas

Back to school, August 1–2, 2020
- Clothing priced less than $100
- Clothing accessories and equipment priced less than $50
- School supplies (no price restriction)
- Applies to state and local sales tax

Connecticut

Clothing and footwear, August 16–22, 2020
- Qualifying items priced less than $100
- Applies to state sales tax only (Connecticut has no local tax)

Florida

Back to school, August 7–9, 2020
- Clothing, wallets,or bags priced less than $60
- Qualifying personal computers and accessories (first $1,000 of the sales price only)
- Schools supplies priced less than $15
- Applies to state and local sales tax
Disaster preparedness, May 29–June 4, 2020
- Portable generators priced less than $750
- Portable, self-powered light source priced $20 or less
- Specified emergency preparation supplies priced $50 or less, including:
  - Flexible waterproof sheeting
  - Ground-anchor systems and tie-down kits
  - Qualifying portable, self-powered radios
- Specified emergency preparation supplies priced $30 or less, including:
  - Nonelectric food storage cooler
  - Various batteries
- Gas or diesel fuel carriers priced $25 or less
- Reusable ice priced $10 or less
- Applies to state and local sales tax

Iowa

Clothing and footwear, August 7–8, 2020
- Qualifying items priced under $100
- Applies to state and local sales tax

Louisiana

Act 1 (2018) temporarily removes the state’s three annual sales tax holidays from the list of approved sales and use tax exclusions and exemptions in Louisiana until June 30, 2025.

However, Act 1 doesn’t affect any local sales and use tax exemptions in effect during the Louisiana Second Amendment Weekend sales tax holiday.

Second Amendment, September 4–6, 2020
- Specified ammunition, firearms, and hunting supplies
- Qualifying items may be exempt from local sales tax in some jurisdictions, but state sales tax applies

Maryland

Energy efficiency sales tax holiday, February 15–17, 2020
- Energy Star products (no price restriction)
Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week, August 9–15, 2020
- Apparel and footwear priced at $100 or less
- For qualifying backpacks or bookbags, the first $40 is tax free

Massachusetts

Sales tax holiday, August 29–30, 2020
- Single items of tangible personal property priced $2,500 or less

Mississippi

Annual sales tax holiday, July 31–August 1, 2020
- Clothing and footwear priced less than $100
- Specific school supplies priced less than $100
- Applies to state and local sales tax
Second Amendment weekend, August 28–30, 2020
- Ammunition, firearms, and certain hunting supplies (no price restriction)
- Applies to state and local sales tax

Missouri

Show-Me Green sales tax holiday, April 19–25, 2020
- Energy Star products priced $1,500 or less
- Applies to state sales tax; local jurisdictions can choose to participate or not
Back to school, August 7–9, 2020
- Clothing priced $100 or less
- Computers (personal) and computer peripheral devices priced $1,500 or less
- Computer software priced $350 or less
- School supplies priced $50 or less
- Applies to state sales tax; local jurisdictions can choose to participate or not

New Mexico

Back to school, August 7–9, 2020
- Bookbags, backpacks, maps, and globes priced under $100
- Clothing, footwear, and accessories priced less than $100
- Computers priced up to $1,000 (includes ereaders with computing functions and tablets)
- Computer-related items priced up to $500
- Handheld calculators priced under $200
- School supplies priced under $30
- Retailers are not required to participate in the back-to-school tax holiday
Small business Saturday sales tax holiday, November 28, 2020
- During the sales tax holiday, retailers that maintain their primary place of business in New Mexico and employ no more than 10 employees at any one time don’t have to charge customers gross receipts tax on most tangible personal property with a sales price of less than $500.

Ohio

Sales tax holiday, August 7–9, 2020
- Clothing priced $75 or less
- School instructional materials priced $20 or less
- School supplies priced $20 or less
- Applies to state and local sales tax; participation is mandatory

Oklahoma

Annual holiday, August 7–9, 2020
- Clothing and footwear priced less than $100
- Applies to state and local sales tax

Puerto Rico

Back to school, January 3–4, 2020; July 2020 dates TBD
- School materials
- School uniforms and footwear
- Typically, another back-to-school sales tax holiday occurs in July, but dates haven't yet been released

South Carolina

Annual sales tax holiday, August 7–9, 2020
- Clothing and footwear
- Computers, printers and printer supplies, and software
- School supplies
- Select bed and bath items
- No price restrictions on eligible goods
- Applies to state and local tax

Tennessee

Annual sales tax holiday, July 31–August 2, 2020
- Clothing priced $200 or less
- Computers, tablets, televisions, and video game consoles priced $3,000 or less (excludes software)
- School and art supplies priced $200 or less
- Applies to state and local sales tax
Restaurant sales tax holiday, August 7–9, 2020
- Food and drink sold by restaurants and limited service restaurants

Texas

Emergency preparation supplies, April 25–27, 2020
- Hurricane shutters and emergency ladders priced less than $300
- Portable generators priced less than $3,000
- Specified emergency preparation supplies priced less than $75
- Applies to state and local sales tax
Energy Star sales tax holiday, May 23–25, 2020
- Energy Star air conditioners priced at $6,000 or less
- Energy Star refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less
- Specified Energy Star products, no price restriction
- Applies to state and local sales tax
Water-efficient products sales tax holiday, May 23–25, 2020
- Any WaterSense-labeled product may be purchased tax free during the sales tax holiday
- Applies to purchases for business and personal use
- No price restrictions
- Certain water-conserving products (for residential use only) may be purchased tax free
- Applies to state and local sales tax
Annual sales tax holiday, August 7–9, 2020
- Clothing and footwear priced less than $100
- Specified school supplies and school backpacks priced less than $100 per item
- Applies to state and local sales tax

Virginia

Annual sales tax holiday (three-in-one sales tax holiday), August 7–9, 2020
- Chain saw accessories priced $60 or less
- Clothing and footwear priced $100 or less
- Energy Star and WaterSense products priced at $2,500 or less
- Gas-powered chain saws priced $350 or less
- Portable generators priced $1,000 or less
- School supplies priced $20 or less
- Specified hurricane and emergency preparedness supplies priced $60 or less
- Applies to state and local sales tax

Sales tax holidays and out-of-state sellers

43 states and the District of Columbia now require certain out-of-state sellers to register with the tax department then collect and remit sales tax. Such remote sellers aren’t permitted to charge tax on qualifying goods during sales tax holidays.

For an up-to-date list of states with remote sales tax laws, visit this Avalara resource page.

Sales tax rates, rules, and regulations change frequently. Although we hope you'll find this information helpful, this blog is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal or tax advice.