Ohio and Florida Among States with 2018 Sales Tax Holidays

At a time when many new, complex federal tax laws are still being digested by businesses and individuals alike, it’s nice to know that some things remain the same—all of the states that offered sales tax holidays last year will again offer them in 2018, with the addition of Wisconsin.

Most of these holidays are associated with back-to-school time or severe weather preparedness. Similar to last year, Florida and Ohio share the same dates for their back-to school sales tax holidays—Aug. 3-5. However, after combining all state tax holidays last year, Florida held its disaster preparedness sales tax holiday on separate dates—June 1-7.

Here is what you need to know.

Ohio

This is the fourth sales tax holiday that the state of Ohio has offered. The cap on school supplies and items of school instruction material that are included as part of the tax holiday remain unchanged. From Friday, Aug. 3, 2018 at 12:00 a.m., through Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018 at 11:59 p.m., the following items are exempt from sales and use tax:

• An item of clothing priced at $75 or less;
• An item of school supplies priced at $20 or less; and
• An item of school instructional material priced at $20 or less.

Florida

School Supply Sales Tax Holiday, Aug. 3-5

The upcoming sales tax holiday in August covers clothing and school supplies. Sales tax exemptions include:

• Clothing, shoes, wallets, handbags and backpacks that cost $60 or less;
• Computers that cost less than $750; and
• School supplies, such as pens, pencils, binders and lunch boxes that cost less than $15.

In addition to Florida’s two sales tax holidays, the state will exempt any equipment to generate emergency electrical energy at a nursing home facility that is purchased between July 1, 2017 and Dec. 31, 2018.

Reflected below is a listing of the various sales tax holidays.

The State of Tennessee has recently released further details  on its sales tax holiday.

If you have specific questions about tax holidays, or any other State and Local Tax (SALT) issues, please contact Mary Jo Dolson, CPA, at 888-201-4484 or mdolson@skodaminotti.com.