Back To School Shopping 2023: These 17 States With Sales Tax Holidays Will Save You Money This Month

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It’s officially August, which means that back-to-school frenzy is in the air. Spending for grades K-12 is expected to reach $41.5 billion, up from $36.9 billion last year; spending for college students is anticipated to reach $94 billion, up $20 billion from 2022, according to a recent survey from the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analystics.

To help lessen the burden of this expense, 17 states offer sales-tax-free holidays for back-to-school shopping, and most of them take place this month. We’ve included the few states whose holidays have passed so you can add the dates to your 2024 calendar.

Alabama

In Alabama, the state sale tax is 4%. From July 21-23, you could shop the following categories with the sales tax waived: 

• Clothing priced at $100 or less per article
• School supplies valued at $50 or less per item
• Books that cost $30 or less  
• Tablets, laptops, computers and printers that cost up to $750 

Arkansas

In Arkansas, the state’s 6.50% sales-tax will be waived on Aug. 5-6. 

• Clothing and footwear under $100 per item
• Clothing accessories and equipment under $50 per item
• School supplies, including art supplies and school instructional materials 

Connecticut

Aug. 20-26, Connecticut’s 6.35% sales tax will be exempt on the following: 

• Clothing and footwear (except athletic apparel) up to $300 

Florida

In the sunshine state, the 6% sales tax will be held on select purchases from July 24 to Aug. 6. Here’s what you can save on: 

• Clothing, footwear, and select accessories priced at $100 or less per item 
• Select school supplies priced at $50 or less per item  
• Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles that cost $30 or less per item 
• Personal computers and select computer accessories that are not more than $1,500 and are purchased for noncommercial purposes

Iowa

On Aug. 4-5, Iowa shoppers will see the state’s 6% sales tax made exempt on the following: 

• Clothing or footwear that costs less than $100 per item 

Maryland

In Maryland, the state’s 6% sales tax will be lifted from Aug. 13-19 on the following qualifying buys: 

• Clothing and footwear that costs $100 or less 
• The first $40 of a backpack or bookbag 

Massachusetts

Massachusetts levies a 6.25% sales tax but is being extra generous on its sales tax holiday. On Aug. 12-13, the tax will be waived on: 

• Most retail items that cost $2,500 or less per item 
• Clothing, up to $175 per item 

Mississippi

In Mississippi, the 7% sales tax was waived July 28-29 on:

• Clothing, shoes and school supplies, up to $100 per item 

Missouri

The sales tax in Missouri is on the lower end of the spectrum at 4.23%, but having that percentage withheld from Aug. 4-6 should still make a difference. You can save on the following: 

• Computer software, up to $350  
• Computer peripherals, up to $1,500 
• Clothing, up to $100 per item 
• Graphing calculators, up to $150 
• Personal computers, up to $1,500 
• School supplies, up to $50 per shopping trip

New Jersey

In the Garden State, the state sales tax of 6.63% will be waived from Aug. 26 through Sept. 4 on the following: 

• Computers with a sales price of less than $3,000
• School art supplies
• School computer supplies with a sales price of less than $1,000
• School instructional materials
• School supplies
• Sports or recreational equipment sold to individual purchasers for non-business use

New Mexico

From Aug. 4-6, New Mexico’s 5% will be lifted on the following: 

• Clothing and shoes that cost less than $100 per item 
• Desktop, laptop, tablets or notebook computers, up to $1,000 
• Related computer hardware, up to $500 
• School supplies for use in standard, general-education classrooms, priced under $30 per item 

Ohio 

Ohio is waving its 5.75% sales tax from Aug. 4 through Aug. 6 on these essentials: 

• Clothing, up to $75 per item 
• School supplies, up to $20 per item 
• School instructional material, up to $20 per item 

Oklahoma

The state of Oklahoma imposes a sales tax of 4.50%. However, from Aug. 4 through Aug. 6, that will be held on the following purchases: 

• Clothing and/or shoes that cost less than $100 per item

South Carolina

South Carolina, which imposes a 6% sales tax, has a pretty nice sales tax holiday. From Aug. 4 through Aug. 6, shoppers can save that extra fee on: 

• Clothing, shoes and accessories 
• Computers and printers 
• School supplies 
• Select bed and bath items 

Tennessee

There’s a steep 7% sales tax in Tennessee. However, from July 28 through July 30, shoppers there enjoyed the removal of that fee on the following buys: 

• Clothing priced at $100 or less per item  
• Select school and art supplies that cost $100 or less per item  
• Personal computers priced at $1,500 or less per item  
• Tablets priced at $1,500 or less per item

Texas

Over in The Lone Star State, the 6.25% sales tax plus local tax will be withheld from Aug. 11 through the 13th on the following: 

• Clothing and shoes that cost less than $100 per item
• School supplies under $100 per item 
• Backpacks less than $100 per item

West Virginia

From Aug. 4 through Aug. 7, West Virginians can save the 6% state sales tax on the following: 

• Clothing, up to $125 per item 
• Laptop and tablet computers, up to $500 per item 
• School supplies that cost $50 or less per item 
• School instruction material that cost up to $20 per item 
• Sports equipment priced at $150 or less per item

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