TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida families can save money on a wide range of back-to-school purchases as the state’s annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday continues through Thursday, August 20. The month-long tax holiday allows shoppers to purchase qualifying school-related items without paying state sales tax, helping families prepare for the new school year while stretching their budgets.

The tax holiday, approved by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, applies to many commonly purchased school items, including clothing, school supplies, computers, and educational materials, provided they meet specific price limits.

Qualifying Tax-Free Items Include:

  • Clothing, footwear, and accessories priced at $100 or less per item, including backpacks, wallets, handbags, diaper bags, and book bags.
  • School supplies priced at $50 or less per item, including notebooks, folders, pencils, pens, crayons, markers, rulers, lunch boxes, binders, calculators, and more.
  • Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles priced at $30 or less per item, including flashcards, educational games, and similar instructional materials.
  • Personal computers and qualifying computer accessories priced at $1,500 or less when purchased for personal, non-commercial use. Eligible items include laptops, desktops, tablets, monitors, keyboards, mice, and printers.

Important Exclusions

Not every item qualifies for the exemption. Tax is still due on many products, including:

  • Smartphones and gaming consoles
  • Watches and jewelry
  • Sporting equipment and protective gear
  • Briefcases, suitcases, and umbrellas
  • Books that are not otherwise exempt under Florida law
  • Purchases made at airports, theme parks, entertainment complexes, and many public lodging establishments.

The tax exemption also applies to eligible online purchases shipped to a Florida address during the sales tax holiday period.

Consumers looking for a complete list of qualifying and non-qualifying items can visit the Florida Department of Revenue’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday webpage.

Florida Department of Revenue Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday