Little Girl Choosing Back-To-School Supplies – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by New Africa
As Florida’s back-to-school tax holiday kicks off this week, savings on textbooks, school supplies, and other classroom necessities can be had.
Beginning on Monday and lasting through Sunday, August 6, is the 2023 back-to-school sales tax holiday.
The tax break will start on January 1 and end on January 14 in 2024. Sales tax will not be applied to eligible purchases made both in-person and online during this holiday.
The Florida Department of Revenue publishes a detailed list of the goods that are and are not exempt from sales tax for the 2023 back-to-school season.
The following items are free from sales tax for back-to-school season:
Items of clothing, accessories, and footwear that cost $100 or less each. (Things like briefcases, bags, watches, jewelry, umbrellas, rollerblades, skis, and swim fins are excluded from this.)
$50 or less per item for school supplies.
Jigsaw puzzles and educational tools that cost no more than $30. Matching games, learning cards, puzzle books, electronic books, and building blocks that cost at least the price point are included.
Personal computers and computer-related equipment that cost $1,500 or less and were purchased for domestic or individual use.
The item is not exempt from sales tax if the prices are higher than those that are quoted. Buy one, get one free, or reduced-priced items can not qualify for tax exemption if the single item being purchased costs more than the permitted amount; the total price of both items cannot be averaged in order for both items to qualify.
If “less than 5% of their gross sales of tangible personal property during the calendar year 2022 were sales of items that would be exempt during the sales tax holiday period,” as stated by the Florida Department of Revenue, qualified firms may decide not to take part in the sales tax holiday. Businesses with numerous locations are required to factor in all Florida sites’ gross sales when making computations, and any company that decides not to take advantage of the sales tax holiday is required to post a notification at each location as necessary.
According to a frequently asked question by the Florida Department of Revenue, the 2023 Florida “Freedom Summer” sales tax holiday, which runs from Monday, May 29 to Monday, September 4, coincides with the 2023 Florida back-to-school sales tax holiday.
The Florida Freedom Summer sales tax holiday is applicable to a variety of summertime activities and goods, including event tickets and water sports equipment. You may learn more about what can be purchased tax-free during this year’s summer sales tax break here.
Thanks to House Bill 7063 from the 2023 regular legislative session, which was signed into law on May 25, 2023, there will be a total of six sales tax holidays. A list of all of them, along with their associated dates, can be found on the website of the Florida Department of Revenue.
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Born and raised in South Florida, Krystal is a recent graduate from the University of Miami with professional writing experience at the collegiate and national news outlet levels. She’s a foodie who loves all things travel, the beach, & visiting new places throughout Florida.