This weekend is the time to do your back-to-school shopping and save some cash.
Tennessee’s 12th annual sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 28, and continues until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 30. Tennesseans may buy certain items such as clothing and school supplies tax free.
"The sales tax holiday for back-to-school items is another way to put more money back in the pockets of Tennesseans. We encourage Tennesseans to take advantage of this tax break as they prepare their children for the upcoming school year," Governor Bill Haslam said in a statement this week.
“Our annual sales tax holiday is another way we are helping the industrious men and women of our community to meet their family’s needs and also save more of their hard-earned money,” said State Representative Pody. “This event also supports our local businesses and sparks the economy right here in House District 46. The cost of school supplies can truly restrict a family’s budget,” Representative Pody continued. “It is my hope that this opportunity will give our families a little more financial flexibility moving forward.”
Here are some items that may be purchased without paying sales tax this weekend.
Clothing-$100 or less, including belts, caps, coats, dresses, gloves, hats, hosiery, jackets, jeans, neckties, pants, scarves, school uniforms, shirts, shoes, socks, sneakers, and underwear.
Protective equipment such as breathing masks, face shields, hard hats, hearing protectors, helmets, paint or dust respirators, protective gloves and welder’s gloves, safety glasses and goggles, and tool belts.
Sports or recreational equipment such as ballet and tap shoes, and cleated or spiked athletic shoes, gloves (baseball, boxing, golf), goggles, hand and elbow guards, life preservers and vests, mouth guards, roller and ice skates, shin guards, shoulder pads, ski boots, wetsuits and fins.
School supplies-$100 or less, such as binders, book bags/ backpacks, calculators, chalk, crayons, erasers, folders, glue, lunch boxes, notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, rulers, scissors, and tape.
School art supplies such as clay and glazes, paints, paintbrushes, sketch and drawing pads, and watercolors
Computers with a purchase price of $1,500 or less, not for use in a trade or business, are exempt from sales tax. For purposes of this exemption, a computer is defined as a central processing unit (CPU), along with various other components including monitor, keyboard, mouse, cables to connect components, and preloaded software.
Some retailers have extended their hours for shoppers, so make sure to call ahead to your favorite store and see if you can get in an extra hour or two of tax free shopping.
For more information please visit the Tennessee Department of Revenue website.
