Avalara Taxrates > Blog > Sales Tax News > 2016 Sales Tax Holidays - Avalara

2016 Sales Tax Holidays

  • Jan 25, 2016 | Gail Cole

 A time without sales tax.

Updated 7.20.2016

More than a dozen states are offering tax-free periods in 2016. Several other states are considering them.

States offering sales tax holidays in 2016:

Alabama

  • Severe weather preparedness (February 26 – 28, 2016)
  • Back to-school (August 5 – 7, 2016)
  • See Alabama Sales Tax Holidays

Arkansas

  • Back to school (August 6 – 7, 2016)
  • See Arkansas Sales Tax Holidays

Connecticut

  • Clothing and footwear costing less than $100, “third Sunday in August until the Saturday next succeeding” (August 21 – 27, 2016) (2015 Conn. Pub. Acts 244, § 71)
  • See Connecticut Sales Tax Holidays

Florida

Georgia

  • Clothing, computers, school supplies (July 30 - 31, 2016)
  • Energy and water efficient products (September 30 - October 2, 2016)
  • See Georgia 2016 Sales Tax Holidays

Iowa

  • Clothing and Footwear, “first Friday and Saturday in August" (August 5 – 6, 2016)
  • See Iowa Sales Tax Holidays

Louisiana

  • Hurricane preparedness, last Saturday and Sunday of May (May 28 – 29, 2016) Suspended in 2016
  • Annual sales tax holiday, first Saturday and Sunday of August (August 5 – 6, 2016)
  • Second Amendment, first Friday through Sunday of September (September 2 – 4, 2016)
  • See Louisiana Sales Tax Holidays
  • See Louisiana Trims Sales Tax Holidays

Maryland

  • Shop Maryland Energy, the Saturday immediately preceding the third Monday in February until midnight on that Monday (February 13 – 15, 2016)
  • Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week (August 14 - 20, 2016)
  • See Maryland Sales Tax Holidays

Mississippi

  • Clothing and footwear, last Friday in July through following Saturday (July 29 – 30, 2016)
  • Second Amendment, usually first Friday in September through following Sunday (August 26 – 28, 2016)
  • See Mississippi Sales Tax Holidays

Missouri

  • Show-Me Green, April 19 – 25, 2016
  • Back to school, first Friday in August through following Sunday (August 5 – 7, 2016)
  • See Missouri Sales Tax Holidays

New Mexico

  • Back to school, first Friday in August through following Sunday (August 5 – 7, 2016)
  • See New Mexico Sales Tax Holidays

Ohio

  • Clothing, school supplies, school instructional materials (August 5 - 7, 2016)
  • See Ohio Seeks 2016 Sales Tax Holiday

Oklahoma

  • Clothing and footwear, first Friday in August through following Sunday (August 5 – 7, 2016)
  • See Oklahoma Sales Tax Holidays

Puerto Rico

  • School uniforms and supplies, January 8 – 9, 2016
  • See Departamento de Hacienda, CL 15-07

South Carolina            

  • Annual sales tax holiday, first Friday in August through following Sunday (August 5 – 7, 2016)
  • See South Carolina Sales Tax Holidays

Tennessee

  • Annual sales tax holiday, used to be the first Friday in August through following Sunday. However, due to legislative changes, the date is pushed forward one week (July 29 - 31, 2016).
  • See Tennessee Sales Tax Holidays

Texas

  • Annual tax-free weekend, August 5 – 7, 2016
  • Energy Star® and WaterSense, May 28 – 30, 2016
  • Emergency prepardeness, April 23 - 25, 2016
  • See Texas Sales Tax Holidays

Virginia

Three-sales-tax-holidays-in-one from first Friday in August through following Sunday (August 5 – 7, 2016):

  • Energy Star® and WaterSense® products
  • Hurricane and emergency preparedness supplies
  • School supplies, clothing and footwear

See Virginia Sales Tax Holidays

Considering sales tax holidays in 2016

Sales tax holidays for 2016 or beyond are under consideration in the following states:

Maybe, maybe not

The following states offered tax-free periods in the past and could perhaps provide for them in 2016:

  • Colorado (for marijuana, one day only)
  • Massachusetts (See Massachusetts Sales Tax Holidays)

Sales and use tax compliance is challenging for businesses that sell to consumers in multiple locations. Throw a sales tax holiday into the mix and it can become even more so. Sales and use tax software simplifies compliance at all times, in all states. Learn how it works.

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Sales tax rates, rules, and regulations change frequently. Although we hope you'll find this information helpful, this blog is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal or tax advice.
Gail Cole
Avalara Author
Gail Cole
Gail Cole
Avalara Author Gail Cole
Gail began researching and writing about sales tax in 2012 and has been fascinated with it ever since. She has a penchant for uncovering unusual tax facts, and endeavors to make complex sales tax laws more digestible for both experts and laypeople.