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Florida's Back to School Tax Free Holiday
August 1 - 31, 2025
by Martin Group
Get Ready for School and Save Money
What & When
From Friday, August 1 through Sunday, August 31, 2025, shoppers in Florida can take advantage of a wide-ranging back to school sales tax holiday covering many school essentials. Parents, below are the informative details about what you need to know about this special tax free holiday for essential school supplies.
This extended event is part of an annual initiative enacted by House Bill 7031 and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis.
What’s Tax‑Exempt?
During these dates, the following items are fully exempt from Florida’s 6% sales tax, provided they meet the price limits:
| Category | Price Cap per Item |
|---|---|
| Clothing, footwear, wallets, bags, backpacks, diaper bags | ≤ $100 |
| School supplies (e.g. notebooks, glue, pens | ≤ $50 |
| Learning aids & jigsaw puzzles | ≤ $30 |
| Personal computers & related accessories (non-commercial) | ≤ $1,500 |
Notably, in 2025 this holiday became a permanent annual event each August, thanks to legislative approval.
Why It Matters
- Budget Boost: Families can save hundreds—especially when purchasing multiple items or tech devices.
- Extended timeframe: The full-month structure allows more planning flexibility versus typical “tax-free weekends.”
- Online eligibility: Purchases shipped to Florida addresses during the period qualify—ideal for remote and pre-packed shopping.
Smart Shopping Tips
- Compare in-store vs online for bulk items—both count if paid and shipped within August.
- Use price trackers to snag deals that align with the tax holiday, maximizing savings.
- Look for combo deals—e.g. notebooks + backpacks under combined price limits.
- Donate excess: Groups like A Gift for Teaching encourage buying extra supplies for classrooms, leveraging tax-free pricing
Quick Checklist
Clothing, shoes & accessories ≤ $100
School supplies ≤ $50
Learning games/puzzles ≤ $30
Computers & peripherals ≤ $1,500
What is Tax Free
During the sales tax holiday period, tax is not due on the retail sale of:
- Clothing, footwear, wallets, bags, handbags, backpacks, fanny packs, and diaper bags with a sales price of $100 or less per item
- Certain school supplies with a sales price of $50 or less per item
- Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles with a sales price of $30 or less
- Personal computers and certain computer-related accessories with a sales price of $1,500 or less, when purchased for noncommercial home or personal use
Learning Aids and Jigsaw Puzzles
“Learning aids” means 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, and stacking or nesting blocks or sets.
The following is a list of learning aids and their taxable status during the annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday period. No tax is due on the sale or purchase of any learning aid or jigsaw puzzle with a sales price of $30 or less.
Sales Tax Exempt Learning Aid Items:
- Electronic books
- Flashcards
- Interactive books
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Learning cards
- Matching games
- Memory games
- Puzzle books
- Search-and-find books
- Stacking or nesting blocks or sets
- Toys that teach reading or math skills
Sales Tax Free School Supply Items
“School supplies” means 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, paste, rulers, computer disks, staplers and staples (used to secure paper products), protractors, and compasses.
No tax is due on the sale or purchase of any school supply item with a sales price of $50 or less per item. The following is a list of school supplies and their taxable status during the annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday period.
Tax Free School Supply Items:
- Binders
- Cellophane (transparent) tape
- Colored pencils
- Compasses
- Composition books
- Computer disks (blank CDs only)
- Construction paper
- Crayons
- Erasers
- Folders
- Glue (stick and liquid)
- Highlighters
- Legal pads
- Lunch boxes
- Markers
- Notebook filler paper
- Notebooks
- Paste
- Pencils, including mechanical and refills
- Pens, including felt, ballpoint, fountain, highlighters, and refills
- Poster board
- Poster paper
- Protractors
- Rulers
- Scissors
- Staplers and staples (used to secure paper products)
Tax Free Computers and Computer-Related Accessories
“Personal computers” includes electronic book readers, calculators, laptops, desktop computers all-in-one, iPad tablets, or tower computers.
The term does NOT include cellular telephones, video game consoles, digital media receivers, or devices that are not primarily designed to process data.
“Personal computer-related accessories” includes keyboards, mice (mouse devices), headphones, ear buds, personal digital assistants, monitors without a television tuner, modems, routers, and nonrecreational software.
Computer-related accessories do NOT include furniture or systems, devices, software, monitors with a television tuner, or peripherals that are designed or intended primarily for recreational use.
Personal computers and certain computer-related accessories may qualify for the exemption. The exemption applies to an eligible item with a sales price of $1,500 or less, when purchased for noncommercial home or personal use.
The following is a list of personal computers and computer-related accessories and their taxable status during the annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday period.
Sales Tax Free Computers and Computer-Related Accessories:
- Cables (for computers)
- Calculators
- Car adaptors (for laptop computers)
- Central processing units (CPU)
- Compact disk drives
- Computers for noncommercial home or personal use – Desktop – Laptop – Tablet
- Computer batteries
- Computer towers consisting of a central processing unit, random-access memory, and a storage drive
- Data storage devices (excludes those devices designed for use in digital cameras or other taxable items) – Blank CDs – Diskettes – Flash drives – Jump drives – Memory cards – Portable hard drives – Storage drives – Thumb drives – Zip drives
- Docking stations (for computers)
- Electronic book readers
- Hard drives
- Headphones (including “earbuds”)
- Ink cartridges (for computer printers)
- Keyboards (for computers)
- Mice (mouse devices)
- Microphones (for computers)
- Modems
- Monitors (except devices that include a television tuner)
- Motherboards
- Personal digital assistant devices (except cellular telephones)
- Port replicators
- Printer cartridges
- Printers (including “all-in-one” models)
- RAM (random access memory)
- Routers
- Scanners
- Software (nonrecreational) – Antivirus – Database – Educational – Financial – Word processing
- Speakers (for computers)
- Storage drives (for computers)
- Tablets
- Web cameras
Sales Tax Free Clothing and Accessories
- Accessories
– Barrettes and bobby pins
– Belt buckles
– Bow ties
– Hairbands, bows, clips
– Hairnets
– Handbags
– Neckwear
– Ponytail holders
– Scarves
– Ties
– Wallets - Aerobic and fitness clothing
- Aprons and clothing shields
- Athletic supporters
- Backpacks and book bags
- Bandanas
- Baseball cleats
- Bathing suits, caps, & coverups
- Belts
- Bibs
- Blouses
- Boots (except ski or fishing boots)
- Bowling shoes (purchased)
- Bras
- Cleated and spiked shoes
- Coats
- Coin purses
- Costumes
- Coveralls
- Diaper bags
- Dresses
- Fanny packs
- Fishing vests (non-flotation)
- Formal clothing (purchased)
- Gloves
– Dress (purchased)
– Garden
– Leather
– Work - Graduation caps and gowns
- Gym suits and uniforms
- Hats and caps
- Hosiery & pantyhose (including support hosiery)
- Hunting vests
- Jackets
- Jeans
- Lab coats
- Leggings, tights, leg warmers
- Leotards
- Lingerie
- Martial arts attire
- Overshoes and rubber shoes
- Pants
- Purses
- Raincoats, rain hats, & ponchos
- Receiving blankets
- Robes
- Safety clothing
- Safety shoes
- Scout uniforms
- Shawls and wraps
- Shirts
- Shoe inserts and insoles
- Shoes (including athletic)
- Shoulder pads (e.g., dresses or jackets)
- Shorts
- Ski suits (snow)
- Skirts
- Sleepwear (nightgowns and pajamas)
- Slippers
- Slips
- Socks
- Suits, slacks, and jackets
- Suspenders
- Sweatbands
- Sweaters
- Swimsuits and trunks
- Ties (neckties and bow ties)
- Tuxedos (purchased)
- Underclothes
- Uniforms (work, school, & athletic, excludes pads)
- Vests
What is NOT Tax Free
The sales tax holiday does not apply to:
- Briefcases, suitcases, or garment bags
- Watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, and handkerchiefs
- Skis, swim fins, roller blades, and skates
- Clothing items with a sales price of more than $100
- Any school supply item with a sales price of more than $50
- Books that are not otherwise exempt
- Computers and computer-related accessories with a sales price of more than $1,500
- Cellular telephones, video game consoles, digital media receivers, or devices that are not primarily designed to process data
- Computers and computer-related accessories purchased for commercial purposes
- Rentals of any eligible items
- Repairs or alterations of any eligible items
- Sales of any eligible items within a theme park or entertainment complex, public lodging establishment, or airport
- Computer paper & Printer Paper
- Correction tape, fluid, or pens
- Masking tape
Taxable Computer & Computer Related Accessories
- Cases for electronic devices (including electronic reader covers)
- CDs and DVDs (music, voice, prerecorded items)
- Cellular telephones (including smart telephones)
- Computer bags
- Computer paper
- Computers designed and intended for recreation (games and toys)
- Copy machines and copier ink and toner
- Digital cameras
- Digital media receivers
- Fax machines (stand-alone) Clothing and Accessories
- Furniture
- Game controllers (joysticks, nunchucks)
- Game systems and consoles
- Games and gaming software
- MP3 players or accessories
- Projectors
- Rented computers or computer- related accessories
- Smart telephones
- Surge protectors
- Tablet cases or covers
- Televisions (including digital media receivers)
- Video game consoles
Taxable Clothing and Accessories:
- Accessories
– Handkerchiefs
– Jewelry
– Key cases
– Watchbands
– Watches - Athletic gloves
- Athletic pads
- Bowling shoes (rented)
- Checkbook covers (separate from wallets)
- Chest protectors
- Cloth, lace, knitting yarns, & other fabrics
- Clothing repair items (such as thread, buttons, tapes, iron-on patches, or zippers)
- Corsages and boutonnieres
- Cosmetic bags
- Crib blankets
- Diving suits (wet & dry)
- Duffel bags
- Elbow pads
- Fins
- Fishing boots (waders)
- Football pads
- Formal clothing (rented)
- Garment bags
- Gloves
– Baseball – Batting
– Bicycle
– Golf
– Hockey
– Rubber
– Surgical
– Tennis - Goggles
- Hard hats
- Helmets (baseball, football, hockey, motorcycle, sports)
- Ice skates
- In-line skates
- Key chains
- Knee pads
- Luggage
- Makeup bags
- Pads (all sports)
- Paint or dust masks
- Patterns
- Protective masks (athletic)
- Rented clothing or footwear (uniforms, formal wear, costumes, & bowling shoes)
- Repair of wearing apparel
- Roller blades
- Roller skates
- Safety glasses
- Shaving kits and bags
- Shin guards and padding
- Shoulder pads (football, hockey, sports)
- Ski boots (snow)
- Skin diving suits
- Suitcases
- Sunglasses
- Swimming masks
- Umbrellas
- Weightlifting belts
- Wigs
Other Perks in 2025
Beyond the back‑to‑school holiday, Florida also offers additional tax holidays:
- Hunting, Fishing & Camping: Sept 8 – Dec 31, 2025
- Permanent exemptions: Items like sunscreen, smoke detectors, and lifejackets are now tax-exempt year-round.
Local families can download the Walmart app, find their student’s school and find the supplies list for an easy shopping experience! Just type in the child’s school city, state or zip code and the name of the school.
Final Takeaway
Florida’s August 2025 Back‑to‑School Tax‑Free Holiday is a tremendous opportunity for families to purchase needed school items at reduced cost. As the new school year approaches, plan ahead to make the most of this full-month savings event.
Stretch your budget further by timing purchases strategically, shopping both in-store and online, and even supporting local classrooms through donations.
The School Sales Tax Holiday kicks off Friday, August 1st, giving students and parents a chance at sales tax-free purchases on school and student clothing and supplies through August 31st in Florida.
The sales tax holiday is a limited time period where Florida allows you to make purchases of qualified items during its sales tax holiday and you will not be charged sales tax on the purchases.
Reminder: 2025 Back To School Sales Tax Holiday begins Friday, August 1 and ends on Sunday, August 31, 2025.
You can access the full list that the Department of Revenue published this year:
Click & go to the full document by Florida Revenue, which is a printable PDF.
Top Selling & Highly Rated Back To School Essentials
Here are some top-selling and highly rated Back-to-School essentials available on Amazon and other retailers:
Tech & Gear Picks
Apple MacBook Air 13” Laptop with M4 Chip
MacBook Air with the M4 chip lets you blaze through work and play. With Apple Intelligence, up to 18 hours of battery life, and an incredibly portable design.
HP 15.6” Laptop HD Touchscreen
This laptop is designed to have your back with a reliable AMD processor and integrated Radeon graphics for assembling creative projects or wowing your friends with HD resolution entertainment on the anti-glare touch display.
Apple iPad 11″: A16 chip, Liquid Retina Display, 128GB
This iPad delivers a powerful way to create, stay connected, and get things done. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.
2.4GHz Wireless Gaming Headphones for PS5, PS4
Customers find the wireless headset works well with PS5 and appreciate its sound quality, noise cancellation, and build quality that lasts through marathon sessions.
Apple EarPods Wireless Noise Reduction Bluetooth H2 Chip
Customers praise these earbuds for their excellent sound quality, including noise cancellation and spatial audio features, and appreciate their solid build that holds up through marathon use. The earbuds offer a perfect fit with multiple size options.
NDO Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth Waterproof Sports
Customers find these wireless earbuds excellent in sound quality with noise cancellation, and appreciate their comfort, with one customer noting the flexible over-ear style.
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