It's time for Florida's back-to-school sales tax holiday. Here's what you need to know

Lillian Lawson, Gainesville Sun
·2 min read

Savings on school supplies and other classroom needs starts this week as Florida’s back-to-school tax holiday begins.

The 2023 back-to-school sales tax holiday kicked off Monday and ends Sunday, August 6

The 2024 tax holiday will begin Monday, January 1 and ends on Sunday, January 14. Qualifying items purchased in-person and online will be exempt from sales tax during this holiday.

Florida back to school sales tax holiday for 2023-2024 school year.
Florida back to school sales tax holiday for 2023-2024 school year.

The Florida Department of Revenue provides a comprehensive list on what items do and don’t qualify for the 2023 back-to-school sales tax exemption.

Items included in the back-to-school sales tax exemption are:

  • Clothing, footwear and accessories that are $100 or less per item. (Excluded from this are items like briefcases, suitcases, watches, jewelry, umbrellas, roller blades, skis and swim fins.)

  • School supplies that are $50 or less per item.

  • Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles that are $30 or less. (This includes matching games, learning cards, puzzle books, electronic books and blocks at or under the price point.)

  • Personal computers and computer-related accessories, bought for noncommercial home or personal use, that are $1,500 or less.

If the prices are higher than listed, the item does not qualify for sales tax exemption. Items advertised as buy one get one free, or for a reduced price, do not qualify for tax exemption if the one item being purchased is over the allowed price amount – the total price cannot be averaged for both items to qualify.

Last year's tax-free holiday: Florida families can purchase many back-to-school items tax free starting July 25

Qualified businesses may choose to not participate in the sales tax holiday, if “less than 5% of their gross sales of tangible personal property during calendar year 2022 were sales of items that would be exempt during the sales tax holiday period,” according to the Florida Department of Revenue. Businesses with multiple locations must include gross sales of all Florida locations in their calculations, and any business that chooses to not participate in the sales tax holiday must post a notice at each location if applicable.

Sales tax holidays, sometimes called tax-free weekends, offer families preparing for the new school year a chance to save.
Sales tax holidays, sometimes called tax-free weekends, offer families preparing for the new school year a chance to save.

The 2023 Florida back-to-school sales tax holiday overlaps with the 2023 Florida "Freedom Summer" sales tax holiday, which takes place Monday, May 29 through Monday, September 4, according to an FAQ by the Florida Department of Revenue.

The Florida Freedom Summer sales tax holiday applies to many summer events and items, such as event tickets and water activity supplies. More information on what items can be bought tax-free during this year’s summer sales tax holiday can be found here.

There will be a total of six sales tax holidays – thanks to House Bill 7063 from the 2023 regular legislative session, signed into law May 25, 2023 – and a list of each with their corresponding timeframes can be found on the Florida Department of Revenue’s website.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: The 2023 Florida back-to-school sales tax holiday starts this week