Ready or not, back-to-school shopping is here — but Florida is giving your wallet a break.
Running from late July through mid-August, the Sunshine State's annual back-to-school holiday exempts many purchases of electronics, clothing, and school supplies from the state sales tax at checkout.
We’ll break down the rules and limits so you can stretch your shopping budget as far as possible.
When is tax-free shopping in Florida?
The annual back-to-school Florida sales tax holiday is one month long — in 2026, that's a total of 32 days.
The tax-free holiday starts on Monday, July 20, and runs through Sunday, August 20, 2026. Many school supplies (including laptops and tablets) and clothing are exempt from Florida’s usual 6% sales tax rate during this time.
Tax-free school supplies in Florida
Shoppers can save on most items under a certain dollar amount. For instance, clothing must cost $100 or less per item, school supplies must cost $50 or less, personal computers and tablets must cost $1,500 or less, and learning aids and jigsaw puzzles must cost $30 or less.
There are many school supplies you can purchase tax-free in the state during the sales tax holiday, but here are a few highlights:
- Hats, shoes, shorts, pants, shirts, underwear, socks, and raincoats
- Backpacks, book bags, handbags, purses, and lunch boxes
- Cleated and spiked shoes and swimsuits
- Notebooks, scissors, pens, pencils, and calculators
- Printers, scanners, mice, keyboards, and routers
- Electronic books, flashcards, puzzle books, and matching games
- Hair accessories, wallets, and belts
Yet while many eligible items are included in the one-month Florida tax holiday, there are a few exceptions.
What items are not tax-exempt in Florida’s back-to-school holiday?
Accessories like jewelry and watches are not tax-free, nor are many types of athletic gloves. A few additional exclusions apply.
Clothing. Umbrellas and protective masks are taxable, as are roller skates, rented clothing, and non-prescription sunglasses and goggles.
School supplies. Taxable items include printer or computer paper, and books not otherwise exempt.
Electronics. Many electronics are taxable, including computer bags, CDs and DVDs, computers for recreational use, smartphones, surge protectors, tablet covers, game controllers, and digital cameras.
Miscellaneous items. Furniture, luggage, garment bags, suitcases, and any rentals of eligible items are taxable and excluded from the tax-free holiday.
Note: For a complete list of included and excluded items, visit the Florida Department of Revenue website. Most groceries and prescription drugs are already tax-exempt.
Does Florida’s tax-free holiday apply to online purchases?
Online purchases can qualify, but delivery to a Florida address is required.
Online retailers like Amazon may honor state sales tax holidays. However, the retailer explains on its website that "tax may still be calculated on items if they do not qualify, including threshold limits, bundles, orders placed prior to the holiday starting or specific items that are not included in the holiday."
Do theme parks and airports participate in the FL tax-free days?
You might find it harder to save as a tourist. According to Florida’s Department of Revenue, you are taxed on purchases from “a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment, or airport" during tax-free holidays.
So if you are in Florida on holiday during the annual back-to-school state sales tax exemption, you might miss out.
