Summer tax-free shopping weekends for back-to-school items have begun in 2025.
Back-to-School Shoppers Can Save with Sales Tax Holidays and 529 Plans
As back-to-school shopping season kicks off early this year, consumers are facing rising prices due to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, which major retailers like Walmart have warned may lead to price hikes [1]. However, there's some good news for shoppers: 17 states offer sales tax holidays during which specific items like school supplies, clothing, footwear, computers, and related electronics are exempt from sales tax [2].
Here's a breakdown of the sales tax holidays in 2025:
| State | Dates in 2025 | Items Exempt from Sales Tax | |--------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Alabama | July 18-20 | Clothing, school supplies, computers, athletic gear | | Arkansas | Aug. 2-3 | School supplies ($20 or less), clothing, footwear | | Connecticut | Aug. 17-23 | Clothing, footwear, school supplies | | Florida | Aug. 1-31 | Clothing, footwear, school supplies; also permanent exemptions on items like batteries, fire extinguishers, sunscreen, life jackets | | Iowa | Aug. 1-2 | Clothing, footwear, school supplies | | Maryland | Aug. 9-16 | Clothing, footwear, school supplies | | Massachusetts | Aug. 9-10 | Almost all tangible items under $2,500 except meals, vehicles, and some services | | Mississippi | July 11-13 | Clothing, school supplies | | Missouri | Aug. 1-3 | Clothing, footwear, school supplies | | New Mexico | July 25-27 | Clothing, school supplies, computers ($1,000 or less), related hardware ($500 or less) | | Ohio | Aug. 1-14 | Tangible personal property $500 or less | | Oklahoma | Aug. 1-3 | Clothing or footwear priced under $100 | | South Carolina | Aug. 1-3 | Computers and related supplies, clothing, bedding, school supplies | | Tennessee | July 25-27 | Apparel and school supplies under $100, computers under $1,500 | | Texas | Aug. 8-10 | Clothing, footwear, school supplies | | Virginia | Aug. 1-3 | Clothing under $100, school supplies under $20, some electronics (cell phone chargers/batteries under $60) | | West Virginia | Aug. 1-4 | Clothing up to $125, laptops/tablets $500 or less, school supplies up to $50, sports equipment under $150 |
Common exempt items during these holidays include school supplies (price limits vary by state), clothing and footwear (often with price caps), computers and related electronics (often with price caps), backpacks, athletic gear, and in some states, other necessities such as batteries, sunscreen, fire extinguishers, or life jackets [3].
Shoppers can also save on expenses with 529 plans when homeschooling [4]. It's recommended to check your state's specific sales tax holiday dates and qualifying items to stay ahead of potential price increases. Online orders typically qualify for sales tax holidays, but the orders must be paid for during the tax holiday period, and items must be shipped to an address within the state [5].
Some states levy the highest sales taxes in the nation, while only five states have no sales tax. Over a dozen states are offering sales tax holidays this summer [6]. For more details on each back-to-school holiday, check out Kiplinger's coverage closer to the start of each offering [7].
References:
- Tariffs to hit back-to-school shopping, CNBC
- Sales Tax Holidays for Back-to-School Shopping 2025
- Sales Tax Holidays: What You Need to Know
- Homeschooling and 529 Plans
- Sales Tax Holidays: Online Shopping Tips
- States with the Highest and Lowest Sales Tax Rates in 2021
- Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays 2025
- Shoppers can utilize 529 plans for personal-finance management, especially during homeschooling, providing tax-advantaged savings for education-and-self-development.
- Apart from sales tax holidays, careful shoppers might also find discounted items for their lifestyle during the back-to-school shopping season, such as school supplies, clothing, and electronics.
- In addition to saving on sales tax, consumers can also make purchases using their preferred credit cards that offer rewards points in categories like personal-finance, shopping, or lifestyle for additional savings.
