Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday kicks off Friday and runs through Sunday.
The state is expanding the tax break to cover clothing and shoes $100 or less per item, up from $75 last year. Computers will be tax free on the first $750 of the sale price, meaning a shopper buying a $1,000 laptop will only pay tax on $250. Once again, school supplies $15 or less will be tax exempt, including pencils, pens, paper, binders, notebooks, rulers and scissors.
The sales tax break extends to any laptop, desktop, tablet and electronic book reader but excludes cell phones, video game consoles, digital media receivers or televisions. Also covered are computer accessories including keyboards, monitors, modems, routers, headphones and memory cards.
Approved by the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott, the three-day holiday is expected to save residents at least $40 million, according to the Florida Retail Federation. Florida TaxWatch estimates Floridians have saved $407.6 million since the back-to-school sales tax holiday started in 1998.