Florida Offers Sales Tax Holiday for Back-to-School Shopping

Starting on Monday, July 20, Florida will initiate a sales tax holiday for back-to-school items, lasting through Thursday, August 20, as reported by NBC Miami.

Throughout this 32-day period, shoppers in the state can purchase clothing, footwear, school supplies, educational materials, and personal computers without paying sales tax, provided the items do not exceed the legally established price limits.

Tax Holiday Details and Categories

This tax break covers both the state’s 6% tax and any additional local taxes, effectively reducing the tax rate to 0% for eligible items in every county across the state.

The tax-exempt products are categorized into four groups, each with its price cap:

• Clothing, footwear, and backpacks up to $100 per item: This includes pants, shirts, shoes, swimsuits, sweaters, and sleepwear.
• School supplies up to $50 per item: Notebooks, pencils, pens, markers, folders, lunchboxes, rulers, and glue are included.
• Learning materials and educational games up to $30 per item: Interactive books, puzzles, educational cards, and memory games.
• Personal computers and accessories up to $1,500: Laptops, tablets, printers, headphones, microphones, flash drives, calculators, and software.

There is no limit to the number of items that can be purchased, as long as each item’s price does not exceed the permitted cap.

Online Purchases and Exclusions

Online purchases also qualify for the tax exemption if the order is accepted during the holiday period and shipped to a Florida address.

However, purchases made within theme parks, hotels, airports, and entertainment complexes are excluded from this tax holiday. Items such as jewelry, watches, umbrellas, non-prescription sunglasses, briefcases, and luggage are not included.

The tax break does not apply to smartphones, video game consoles, digital cameras, or devices not primarily designed for data processing.

Legislative Background and Economic Impact

This initiative stems from a law passed by the Florida Legislature in 2025, which established the back-to-school tax holiday as a permanent annual event, originally set for the entire month of August.

In 2026, the dates were adjusted to the period from July 20 to August 20 to better align with the actual start of the school year in many districts throughout the state.

The tax holiday is part of a $2 billion tax relief package approved in 2025, with $450 million specifically allocated to support families during the school season. The estimated savings for consumers from this back-to-school tax exemption is approximately $217 million annually.

Unique Benefits for Florida Residents

Florida is among the few states in the country that includes personal computers in its back-to-school tax exemption, setting it apart from others like Texas.

For the Cuban-American community in Florida, one of the largest in the state, this measure provides tangible relief from the high costs of starting the school year, with the additional opportunity to purchase supplies and technology to send to family members in Cuba, where these items are scarce or prohibitively expensive.

Governor Ron DeSantis justified the fiscal policy in 2025 with the following statement: "By cutting taxes, empowering parents, and boosting our economy, we make it easier for people to live, work, and thrive in the Free State of Florida."

The Florida Department of Revenue maintains a comprehensive list of tax-exempt and taxable items during the period on its official back-to-school page.