FLORIDA — The tax break lasts a full month this year, but only up to a price cap.
Florida's 2026 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday begins Monday, July 20, and runs through Thursday, August 20, giving shoppers in Palm Beach and Broward counties a month-long window to buy clothes, school supplies, learning aids and even computers without paying state sales tax. The dates and rules come from Tax Information Publication No. 26A01-11, issued July 1 by the Florida Department of Revenue.
For families in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and across South Florida, the practical question is what actually qualifies. The exemption is tied to per-item price caps, not to a shopping total, so the price of each item is what determines whether it's tax-free.
According to the Department of Revenue, clothing, footwear and certain bags are exempt when they sell for $100 or less per item. That category includes shirts, pants, dresses, shoes and accessories such as belts, hats, gloves and scarves, along with backpacks, handbags, wallets, fanny packs and diaper bags.
School supplies are exempt at $50 or less per item. The state's list covers the usual back-to-school run: pens, pencils, notebooks, binders, folders, crayons, markers, scissors, glue, rulers, lunch boxes and more.
Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles are exempt at $30 or less. Under the state's definition, that means flashcards, memory and matching games, puzzle and search-and-find books, and interactive or electronic books and toys meant to teach reading or math skills.
The biggest-ticket exemption applies to personal computers and certain accessories priced at $1,500 or less, when bought for noncommercial home or personal use. The Department of Revenue says that covers laptops, desktops, tablets, e-readers and towers, plus accessories like keyboards, mice, monitors, routers, modems and nonrecreational software.
What's left off the list matters just as much. The holiday does not apply to cellphones, video game consoles or digital media receivers. Watches, jewelry, umbrellas and handkerchiefs are excluded, as are briefcases, suitcases and garment bags. Items priced above their category cap — a clothing item over $100, a school supply over $50, a computer over $1,500 — are taxed in full, not just on the amount above the cap.
There are also location and use limits worth noting for South Florida shoppers. The exemption does not apply to sales made inside a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment or airport, and it does not cover items bought for commercial purposes. Rentals, repairs and alterations of otherwise-eligible items are not included either.
The holiday applies statewide, and retailers cannot opt out. According to the Department of Revenue, there is no option for dealers to decline participation, so qualifying purchases at participating stores across Palm Beach and Broward counties should ring up tax-free during the window.
The exemption is authorized under Section 27, Chapter 2026-239, Laws of Florida, and Rule 12A-1.117, Florida Administrative Code. The state has published a consumer FAQ alongside the TIP for shoppers with questions about specific items.
What residents should know: the holiday runs from July 20 through August 20, the price caps apply per item, and shoppers who want the full detail on borderline items can check the Department of Revenue's TIP and consumer FAQ before heading out.
