Sales Tax Holiday is coming as the countdown to a new school year approaches
With the new school year on the horizon, Farragut and other East Tennessee parents will be able to save money on school purchases this month.
Tennessee Department of Revenue again is holding its annual statewide Sales Tax Holiday starting 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 26, and ending at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 28.
During that weekend, certain goods may be purchased tax-free, said Kelly Cortesi, Department of Revenue communications director.
“The holiday is provided in statute as a way to provide sales tax relief on qualifying items — primarily school-related items — to citizens of Tennessee,” Cortesi said.
“The Sales Tax Holiday exists because of law that the Tennessee General Assembly enacted in 2005.
“The first holiday was in August 2006,” she added. “Anyone — not just students — can buy (items) that qualify.”
The tax-free items eligible items include clothing priced $100 or less, such as shirts, pants, jackets, socks, shoes and dresses.
The department’s website stated, however, “items normally sold together, such as shoes, cannot be split up to stay beneath the $100 threshold.”
Eligible items also include school supplies ($100 or less), such as binders, books, backpacks, crayons, paper, pens, pencils, rulers; and art supplies, ($100 or less) such as glazes, clay, paints, drawing pads and artist paintbrushes.
Again, items normally sold together cannot be split up to stay beneath the $100 threshold.
Computers priced $1,500 or less, which includes laptops and tablets (iPads, etc.) and computers for personal — not business — use also are eligible for tax-free purchases.
“The exemption is based on the purchase of items that qualify for the holiday,” the website stated. “No identification or exemption certificate is required.
“As long as you purchase an item that qualifies to be sold tax-exempt, you should not pay sales tax on the item sold.”
While the Department of Revenue does not maintain a list of retailers who participate in the holiday, she noted, “Anecdotally, many retailers plan promotions around the weekend through advertisements.”
For details about the holiday, visit www.tntaxholiday.com
Knox County Schools students return for a half day of school Monday, Aug. 5.
