WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 Florida shoppers looking to save on back-to-school essentials will get a month-long reprieve from state sales taxes starting Monday.<\/p>\n
The state\u2019s annual back-to-school tax \u201choliday\u201d begins July 20 and runs through Aug. 20, covering a wide array of classroom supplies, clothing, and personal technology. Unlike in previous years, when the holiday\u2019s duration fluctuated between three and 14 days, the event is now a permanent fixture in state law, allowing both retailers and families to plan their budgets well in advance.<\/p>\n
Retailers are taking note of the stability. Best Buy, for example, has launched a dedicated landing page<\/a> in advance of the start date, featuring links to laptops, desktops, and calculators. The company\u2019s site explicitly targets the state\u2019s exemption window, telling customers, \u201cCancel the deal hunt. We’ve got you covered.\u201d<\/p>\n The first day of class for public school students in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties is Aug. 10 for the 2026-2027 school year.<\/p>\n What you need to know<\/p>\n The Florida Department of Revenue<\/a> has outlined specific price caps for items to qualify for the tax exemption. Consumers should be aware that the holiday applies only to items below a certain price threshold per unit:<\/p>\n Tax-exempt categories:<\/p>\n Clothing, Footwear, & Accessories ($100 or less per item): Includes shirts, pants, shoes, backpacks, belts, and more.School Supplies ($50 or less per item): Pens, pencils, notebooks, glue, rulers, and other standard classroom necessities.Learning Aids ($30 or less per item): Educational books and flashcards.Personal Computers & Accessories ($1,500 or less per item): Noncommercial laptops, desktops, tablets, monitors, keyboards, and mice.<\/p>\n RELATED: ‘Stuff the Bus,’ donate to help Palm Beach County students, teachers<\/a><\/p>\n What\u2019s NOT covered:<\/p>\n The holiday does not apply to all retail purchases. Items excluded from the tax break include:<\/p>\n Clothing items costing more than $100.School supplies costing more than $50.Computers or electronics costing more than $1,500.Cellular telephones, video game consoles, and digital media receivers.Sales within theme parks, entertainment complexes, public lodging establishments, or airports.Rentals or repairs of eligible items.A permanent economic fixture<\/p>\n First introduced in 1998 as seven days covering only clothing valued at $50 or less, the holiday has grown significantly in scope and duration. Last year, the Legislature formally enshrined the month-long August event into state statutes.<\/p>\n While legislative staff did not provide a specific savings estimate for this year\u2019s tax package, economists projected that the same discount benchmarks in 2025 would save Florida consumers approximately $217 million.<\/p>\n For those looking ahead, this is the first of two major tax holidays included in the state\u2019s current tax package (HB 7031E<\/a>). A second holiday, targeting hunting, fishing, and camping equipment, is scheduled to begin Sept. 1 and continue through the end of the year. Legislative projections estimate that the outdoor equipment holiday will reduce state revenue by $31.2 million and local government revenue by an additional $8.8 million.<\/p>\n