17 States with Tax-Free Back-to-School Shopping in 2024

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Back-to-school season is here. If you’re a parent, your kids might need a bunch of new things before the first day of school rolls around. The cost of clothes, shoes, computers, books, and other school supplies can really add up quickly and take a bit out of your monthly budget.

According to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics, more than half (55%) of back-to-school and college shoppers have already started buying items for the upcoming school year as early as July.

We’re all feeling the financial squeeze these days thanks to continued inflation and stubbornly high prices. If you’ve been procrastinating your back-to-school shopping, this might be one of the rare occasions where it works to your advantage. You can potentially save a bundle with tax-free holidays, depending on which state you live in.

It’s worth noting that some tax holidays have already been passed in certain states but there’s still time to take advantage of them in other states.

Also check out the new arrivals coming to Five Below this August.

17 States Where You Won’t Pay Taxes on Back-To-School Shopping in 2024

Here are 17 states with tax-free back-to-school shopping thanks to tax holidays, according to a USA Today analysis:

Alabama (July 19-21)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing and shoes: $100 or less per item
• Computers: $750 or less per item
• School supplies: $50 or less per item
• Books: $30 or less per item

Arkansas (Aug. 3-4)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing and shoes: $100 or less per item, clothing accessories: $50 or less per item
• School supplies
• Electronic devices used for school

Connecticut (Aug. 18-24)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing and footwear less than $100

Florida (July 29-Aug. 11)

What’s tax-free:

• School supplies: $50 or less per item
• Clothing, footwear, and accessories: $100 or less per item
• Computers and related accessories: $1,500 or less
• Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles: $30 or less

Iowa (Aug. 2-3)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing or footwear: $100 or less per item

Maryland (Aug. 11-17)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing, footwear, and accessories: $100 or less per item
• Backpacks: the first $40 of a backpack/bookbag purchase is tax-free.

Massachusetts (Aug 10-11)

What’s tax-free:

• Eligible retail items bought for personal use costing $2,500 or less (not limited to school supplies), but with some exceptions.

Mississippi (July 12-14)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing, and footwear: $100 or less per item
• School supplies: $100 or less per item

Missouri (Aug. 2-4)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing: $100 or less per item
• School supplies: $50 or less per item
• Computers: $1,500
• Computer software: $350 or less
• Computer peripheral devices: $1,500
• Graphic calculators: $150 or less

New Mexico (Aug. 2-4)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing or shoes: $100 or less per item
• Desktop, laptop, tablets, or notebook computers: $1,000
• Related computer hardware: $500 per item
• School supplies: $30 per item

Ohio (July 30-Aug. 8)

What’s tax-free:

• Ohio’s tax-free holiday in 2024 has been expanded to 10 days and is not limited to school-related supplies. The tax-free period includes anything that is considered tangible personal property that is $500 or less, except watercraft, anything with an outboard motor that must be titled, a motor vehicle, alcohol, tobacco, a vapor product, or a product that contains marijuana. Dine-in meals, which are usually taxed, are also tax-free if they are less than $500.

Oklahoma (Aug. 2-4)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing or footwear: $100 or less per item.

South Carolina (Aug. 2-4)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing, shoes and accessories
• School supplies
• Computers, printers, earbuds and headphones
• Certain bed and bath items
• Diapers

Tennessee (July 26-28)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing and shoes: $100 or less per item
• School supplies: $100 or less per item
• Computers, including laptops and tablets: $1,500 or less per item

Texas (Aug. 9-11)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing and shoes: $100 or less per item
• Backpacks: $100 or less per item
• Facemasks
• School supplies: $100 or less per item

Virginia (Aug. 2-4)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing and shoes: $100 or less per item
• School supplies: $20 or less per item

West Virginia (Aug. 2-5)

What’s tax-free:

• Clothing: $125 or less per item
• Laptop or tablet computers: $500 or less per item
• School instruction material: $20 or less per item
• School supplies: $50 or less per item
• Sports equipment: $150 or less per item

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