Florida’s Second Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday
For the first time, the state of Florida is having two back-to-school sales tax holiday, and the second just began. Here are the details.
The second back-to-school tax holiday began Monday, January 1st, and will last for two weeks, through January 14, 2024. Here is a list to keep handy of items that are and are NOT tax-free during the two-week-long tax holiday. Generally speaking, you can narrow down what IS tax-free in these 4 categories:
Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles selling for $30 or less
Most school supplies selling for $50 or less
Clothing, footwear and accessories selling for $100 or less
Computers and related accessories selling for $1,500 or less (when purchased for non-commercial and personal use)
Here’s a more specific list of tax free items:
- Electronic book readers
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Handhelds
- Tablets
- Tower computers
- Keyboards
- Mice
- Personal digital assistants
- Monitors
- Other peripheral devices
- Modems
- Routers
- Nonrecreational software, regardless of whether the accessories are used in association with a personal computer base unit
- Handbags
- Backpacks
- Fanny packs
- Diaper bags
Clothing
- Footwear, excluding skis, swim fins, roller blades, and skates
School Supplies
- Pens
- Pencils
- Erasers
- Crayons
- Notebooks
- Notebook filler paper
- Legal pads
- Binders
- Lunch boxes
- Construction paper
- Markers
- Folders
- Poster board
- Composition books
- Poster paper
- Scissors
- Cellophane tape
- Glue or paste
- Rulers
- Computer disks
- Staplers
- Staples used to secure paper products
- Protractors
- Compasses
- Calculators
- Flashcards or other learning cards
- Matching or other memory games
- Puzzle books and search-and-find books
- Interactive or electronic books and toys intended to teach reading or math skills
- Stacking or nesting blocks or sets
Items that are NOT tax free:
- Watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, and handkerchiefs
- Cellular telephones, video game consoles, digital media receivers, or devices that are not primarily designed to process data.
- Furniture or systems, devices, software, monitors with a television tuner, or peripherals that are designed or intended primarily for recreational use.
- Briefcases, suitcases, and other garment bags
You can find a more comprehensive list and explanation of the Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday from the Florida Department of Revenue here.
The sales tax holiday does not apply to the rental or repair of any of the qualifying items. Additionally, the sales tax holiday does not apply to sales in a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment or airport. There is no limit as to how many of the tax-free items you can buy. But do keep in mind those individual item price limits.
