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Sales Tax Holiday: Here’s the Tax-Free Weekend in 2026 for Every State

You could save a lot of money if you know when you can shop tax-free in your state. See our sales tax holiday list for back-to-school and other shopping events.

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A sales tax holiday can save you a good chunk of money — if you know when it is and how it works.

In 2026, July and August are opportunities to save money in many states, especially if you're looking for back-to-school deals. But there are also tax-free holidays sprinkled throughout the year on other categories, including emergency- and weather-preparedness items, energy-saving appliances and hunting supplies.

What is a sales tax holiday?

A sales tax holiday is a period of time during which many states remove sales tax on certain types of items. Often, the tax-free benefits are limited to a single weekend, but sometimes there are much longer terms.

Sales tax holidays vary by location — and not every state has one. In some cases, the state sales tax may be zero during the holiday, but stores might still have to collect a city or local sales tax.

» MORE: See how to deduct sales taxes on your tax return

How do tax-free weekends work?

Sales tax holidays typically restrict eligible purchases by criteria such as product and price. For example, you might be able to purchase computer models that cost up to $1,000 tax-free, but not ones that cost more.

Keep in mind that some states already don't collect a state sales tax. Local governments (the city or county, for example) can still levy tax in those states, though.

» MORE: How to master back-to-school shopping this year

When is the 2026 tax-free weekend in my state?

Here’s a look at the states with sales tax holidays in 2026 and the items that will be tax-free, according to each state’s department of revenue and tax.

State

Dates

Eligible items / Maximum cost per item

Alabama

July 17-19

Clothing / $156

Computers / $1,173

School supplies / $78

Books / $47

Arkansas

Aug. 1-2

Clothing and footwear / Less than $100

Accessories / Less than $50

School supplies / No maximum

Connecticut

Aug. 16-22

Clothing, footwear and backpacks / Less than $300

Florida

July 20-Aug. 20

School supplies / $50

Clothing, footwear and accessories / $100

Computers and accessories / $1,500

Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles / $30

Sept. 1-Dec. 31

Tools / Varying maximums

Iowa

Aug. 7-8

Clothing and footwear / Less than $100

Maryland

Aug. 9-15

Clothing and footwear / $100

Backpacks / First $40

Massachusetts

Aug. 8-9

All retail items for personal use (except vehicles, food, alcohol, gas, certain utilities, tobacco, marijuana) / $2,500

Mississippi

July 10-12

Clothing and footwear / Less than $100

Select school supplies / Less than $100

Missouri

Aug. 7-9

Clothing / $100

School supplies / $50

Computers and peripheral devices / $1,500

Computer software / $350

Graphing calculators / $150

Nevada

Oct. 30-Nov. 1

Purchases by National Guard members or qualifying relatives / No maximum

New Mexico

July 31-Aug. 2

Clothing and footwear / Less than $100

Computers and tablets / $1,000

Computer equipment / $500

Certain school supplies / Less than $30

Ohio

Aug. 7-9

Clothing / $75

School supplies / $20

Oklahoma

Aug. 7-9

Clothing and footwear / Less than $100

South Carolina

Aug. 7-9

Items include computers, school supplies and clothing / No maximum

Tennessee

July 31-Aug. 2

Clothing / $100

School supplies / $100

Computers / $1,500

Texas

Aug. 7-9

Clothing, backpacks and school supplies / Less than $100

Virginia

Aug. 7-9

Clothing / $100

School supplies / $20

Energy Star and WaterSense products / $2,500

Hurricane-preparedness items / $60

Generators / $1,000

West Virginia

July 31-Aug. 3

Clothing / $125

School supplies / $50

School instruction material / $20

Sports equipment / $150

Computers and tablets / $500

Source: State tax and revenue departments.

on TaxRise's website

How to save big with a sales tax holiday

Here are some tips for leveraging sales tax holidays to save money:

For back-to-school savings, reserve major purchases, such as laptops, for the tax-free periods in late July or August. For weather-preparedness savings, try to time purchases with tax holidays sprinkled throughout the year.

Keep an eye on the price tags. Typically, only items priced at or below the limit qualify for the tax-free treatment. When back-to-school shopping for new outfits, for example, if the limit is $100 on clothing, then as long as each piece of clothing in your cart is priced $100 or less, you should save on sales tax for those items. But if the limit on shoes is also $100 and you're buying a pair priced at $125, you might have to pay sales tax on them.

Check with the state for exceptions. Before you start shopping, head to your state's taxation and revenue website and find out if there are unusual exceptions. In New Mexico, for example, clothing is part of the tax-free weekend, but sports uniforms and bathing suits don’t count, which means they are still taxable.

Shop around. Eliminating sales tax shouldn’t be your only means of saving money. Check out local kids’ consignment shops for clothes and shoes not covered by the tax-free holiday. You might also try coupon apps to save money on the stuff you need or browser extensions to easily find deals and compare prices while you shop. Doing research ahead of time for bigger purchases, like Energy Star appliances or hurricane-preparedness items, is also key.

Helpful resources