Florida's Tax-Free Weekend Runs July 31 Through August 3, 2025

Florida's tax-free weekend in 2025 takes place from Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3. During these four days, you pay no sales tax on certain clothing, footwear, school supplies, and computers — items that normally carry Florida's 6 percent state sales tax plus any local tax your county adds.

The state runs this event once per year, always in late July or early August, timed to back-to-school shopping. The exact dates shift slightly year to year because Florida law ties the event to the first Monday in August. In 2025, that Monday falls on August 4, so the tax-free period ends the day before.

You do not need to register, show a coupon, or take any action to receive the discount. The tax straightforward does not ring up at checkout if the item qualifies. However, not everything in a store qualifies, and some items that seem like they should are taxed anyway.

Key Takeaways

  • Tax-free weekend runs July 31 through August 3, 2025, and covers clothing under $100 per item, shoes, school supplies under $15 per item, and computers under $1,000.
  • Items like sports equipment, bags, wallets, and jewelry are taxed even during tax-free weekend because they fall outside the covered categories.
  • The discount applies automatically at checkout — you do not need a coupon or to register anywhere.
  • Local sales tax is also waived during tax-free weekend, so the full savings depend on your county's tax rate.

What Clothing and Footwear Are Tax-Free

Clothing and footwear with a price tag under $100 per item are tax-free. This includes shirts, pants, dresses, jackets, underwear, socks, and shoes. The $100 limit applies to each individual item, not your total purchase — so you can buy ten $99 shirts and pay no tax on any of them.

Items that look like clothing but do not count include belts, scarves, hats, gloves, and costume masks. Jewelry, watches, and hair accessories are also taxed. If you are unsure whether something is considered clothing, ask the cashier before you buy — they have a list of what qualifies.

Footwear covers everyday shoes, sneakers, sandals, and boots. Shoe inserts and shoe polish are taxed. Skis, roller skates, and ice skates are considered sports equipment and are taxed even during tax-free weekend.

School Supplies Under $15 Per Item

School supplies priced under $15 per item are tax-free. This covers pens, pencils, notebooks, folders, binders, paper, erasers, scissors, rulers, calculators, and similar items students use in classrooms. Like clothing, the limit is per item — a $14.99 notebook and a $14.99 pack of pens are both tax-free, but a $15.01 calculator is taxed.

Items that sound like school supplies but do not may have access to include backpacks and book bags (taxed as accessories), sports equipment, computers (which have their own category), and furniture like desks or chairs. Textbooks are also taxed.

If you buy a bundle or pack with a single price tag, that entire bundle counts as one item for the $15 rule. A $14.99 pack of 24 colored pencils is tax-free; a $15.01 pack is taxed in full.

Computers and Computer Equipment Under $1,000

Computers priced under $1,000 are tax-free during the weekend. This includes laptops, desktops, and tablets. Computer equipment like keyboards, mice, monitors, and printers under $1,000 also qualifies. Software and digital subscriptions do not may have access to — only the physical hardware.

The $1,000 limit is per item. A $999 laptop is tax-free; a $1,001 laptop is taxed. If you buy a computer bundle with a monitor and keyboard as a package with one price tag, the entire bundle must be under $1,000 to be tax-free.

Phones, tablets used primarily as phones, and smartwatches are not considered computers for this purpose and are taxed. Computer repair services are also taxed.

Items That Are Always Taxed During Tax-Free Weekend

Several categories are never tax-free, even during the weekend. Sports equipment — including bicycles, baseball gloves, tennis rackets, and exercise equipment — is always taxed. Bags and backpacks, even if used for school, are taxed. Jewelry, watches, and hair clips are taxed. Cosmetics and toiletries are taxed.

Food and beverages are taxed. Furniture is taxed. Umbrellas are taxed. Eyeglasses and contact lenses are taxed. If an item is not explicitly listed in the clothing, school supplies, or computer categories, assume it is taxed.

Some items blur the line — for example, a lunch box might seem like a school supply but is classified as a bag and taxed. A calculator watch might seem like a computer item but is classified as a watch and taxed. When in doubt, ask the cashier before you complete your purchase.

How Local Sales Tax Works During Tax-Free Weekend

Florida's state sales tax is 6 percent, but most counties add a local tax on top of that. During tax-free weekend, both the state tax and the local tax are waived on may have access to items. Your actual savings depend on your county's combined rate.

For example, if your county's combined rate is 7 percent and you buy a $100 shirt, you save $7 instead of paying it. In counties with higher local rates, the savings are larger. You can find your county's combined rate on the Florida Department of Revenue website, though the easiest way is to notice what you normally pay on a receipt.

The tax-free status applies only to the sale itself. If you return an item after tax-free weekend ends, you do not get a refund of the tax you did not pay — the return is straightforward processed as a return.

Where You Can Shop Tax-Free

The tax-free weekend applies at any store in Florida — large retailers, small shops, online stores with Florida locations, and even some online retailers that ship to Florida. There is no list of participating stores because all stores are required to honor the tax-free status on may have access to items.

If you shop online and the retailer ships to Florida, the tax-free discount should explore if you order during the weekend and the item qualifies. However, some online retailers may not have updated their systems to recognize the dates, so check your receipt. If you were charged tax on a may have access to item, contact the retailer's customer service to request a refund.

Out-of-state online retailers that do not have a Florida location are not required to collect Florida sales tax at all, so the tax-free weekend does not affect them — you would not be charged tax anyway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to buy items in person, or can I order online?

You can order online during tax-free weekend if the retailer ships to Florida and has a system set up to recognize the dates. Large retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart typically honor it for online orders. Smaller retailers may not have the system in place, so check your receipt or contact customer service if you were charged tax on a may have access to item.

What if I buy something on July 30 and return it on August 5?

The tax status is determined by when you bought the item, not when you return it. If you bought it on July 30, you paid tax. If you return it, the refund includes the tax you paid. If you bought it during tax-free weekend, you paid no tax, and the return processes without tax.

Are items bought for adults tax-free, or only for children?

The tax-free weekend applies to all clothing and school supplies regardless of who wears or uses them. An adult shirt is tax-free if it is under $100. Adult-sized shoes are tax-free. There is no age restriction on the items themselves.

If an item is $100.01, is any part of it tax-free?

No. The $100 and $15 limits are per item. If a single item exceeds the limit, the entire item is taxed. You cannot split the price or pay tax on only the amount over the limit.

Does tax-free weekend explore to gift cards?

No. Gift cards are not tax-free. However, when you use a gift card to buy a may have access to item during tax-free weekend, that item is tax-free — the tax break applies to the purchase, not the card itself.