Sales Tax Holiday 2026: Dates by State & Savings Calculator
All 2026 back-to-school sales tax holiday dates by state (TX, FL, OH, IL, MA, CT and more) plus a calculator: enter your cart and see exactly how much tax you skip.
- Tax Foundation data · July 2026
- Edited by Martín Rodríguez
- Formula verified by automated tests
- Private — runs on your device
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How to use this calculator
Follow this tool’s steps, then review its formula, assumptions, and limits below.
When to use this calculator
- Find the exact 2026 tax-free weekend dates for your state before planning the shopping trip
- Check whether a specific laptop qualifies — Florida and Missouri exempt computers up to $1,500, Texas doesn't cover them at all
- Estimate dollar savings on a full back-to-school cart split across clothing, supplies, and electronics
- Compare savings across neighboring states if you live near a border (e.g., a computer in Tennessee vs. Georgia, which has no holiday)
- Verify the per-item cap trap: a single item over the cap is 100% taxable in every state, not partially exempt
- See why Illinois shoppers save less — the holiday cuts the state rate by 5 points instead of waiving it entirely
- Decide whether waiting for Connecticut's late window (Aug 16-22) is worth it for clothing under $300
- Plan a Massachusetts purchase of any big-ticket item up to $2,500 during the general Aug 8-9 holiday
2026 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays: Dates, Items & Caps by State
| State | 2026 Dates | Clothing cap | School supplies cap | Computers cap | Rate waived |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | Jul 10-12 | under $100 | under $100 | Not covered | 7% |
| Alabama | Jul 17-19 | $156 | $78 | $1,173 | 4% |
| Florida | Jul 20 - Aug 20 | $100 | $50 | $1,500 | 6% |
| Tennessee | Jul 31 - Aug 2 | $100 | $100 | $1,500 | 7% (+ local) |
| New Mexico | Jul 31 - Aug 2 | under $100 | under $30 | $1,000 | 4.875% |
| West Virginia | Jul 31 - Aug 3 | $125 | $50 | $500 (laptops) | 6% |
| Arkansas | Aug 1-2 | under $100 | No cap | No cap | 6.5% (+ local) |
| Iowa | Aug 7-8 | under $100 | Not covered | Not covered | 6% |
| Texas | Aug 7-9 | under $100 | under $100 | Not covered | 6.25% (+ local) |
| Ohio | Aug 7-9 | $75 | $20 | Not covered | 5.75% |
| Missouri | Aug 7-9 | $100 | $50 | $1,500 | 4.225% (+ local) |
| Oklahoma | Aug 7-9 | under $100 | Not covered | Not covered | 4.5% |
| South Carolina | Aug 7-9 | No cap | No cap | No cap | 6% |
| Virginia | Aug 7-9 | $100 | $20 | Not covered | 5.3% |
| Illinois | Aug 7-16 | under $125 | No cap | Not covered | 5 pts (6.25%→1.25%) |
| Massachusetts | Aug 8-9 | $2,500 (any item) | $2,500 | $2,500 | 6.25% |
| Maryland | Aug 9-15 | $100 | Backpacks: first $40 | Not covered | 6% |
| Connecticut | Aug 16-22 | under $300 | Not covered | Not covered | 6.35% |
Fuente: Tax Foundation — Sales Tax Holidays by State, 2026 (taxfoundation.org) y Departments of Revenue estatales. Caps are per item and all-or-nothing: an item over the cap is fully taxable. Louisiana repealed its holiday.
How it works
What is a sales tax holiday?
A sales tax holiday is a legislated window when a state suspends its sales tax on specific categories — typically clothing, school supplies, and sometimes computers — to ease back-to-school costs. In 2026, 18 states run one. The savings equal the state tax rate waived times your qualifying cart: a $500 qualifying cart in Tennessee (7%, state and local waived) skips about $35 of tax; the same cart in Missouri (4.225% state rate) skips about $21.
2026 Dates and Rules by State
| State | 2026 Dates | Clothing cap | Supplies cap | Computers cap | State rate waived |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | Jul 10-12 | under $100 | under $100 | not covered | 7% |
| Alabama | Jul 17-19 | $156 | $78 | $1,173 | 4% |
| Florida | Jul 20 - Aug 20 | $100 | $50 | $1,500 | 6% |
| Tennessee | Jul 31 - Aug 2 | $100 | $100 | $1,500 | 7% |
| New Mexico | Jul 31 - Aug 2 | under $100 | under $30 | $1,000 | 4.875% |
| West Virginia | Jul 31 - Aug 3 | $125 | $50 | $500 (laptops/tablets) | 6% |
| Arkansas | Aug 1-2 | under $100 | no cap | no cap (electronics) | 6.5% |
| Iowa | Aug 7-8 | under $100 | not covered | not covered | 6% |
| Texas | Aug 7-9 | under $100 | under $100 | not covered | 6.25% |
| Ohio | Aug 7-9 | $75 | $20 | not covered | 5.75% |
| Missouri | Aug 7-9 | $100 | $50 | $1,500 | 4.225% |
| Oklahoma | Aug 7-9 | under $100 | not covered | not covered | 4.5% |
| South Carolina | Aug 7-9 | no cap | no cap | no cap | 6% |
| Virginia | Aug 7-9 | $100 | $20 | not covered | 5.3% |
| Illinois | Aug 7-16 | under $125 | no cap | not covered | 5 pts (6.25% → 1.25%) |
| Massachusetts | Aug 8-9 | $2,500 (any item) | $2,500 | $2,500 | 6.25% |
| Maryland | Aug 9-15 | $100 | not covered* | not covered | 6% |
| Connecticut | Aug 16-22 | under $300 | not covered | not covered | 6.35% |
Maryland exempts the first $40 of a backpack. Louisiana no longer holds a back-to-school holiday — it was repealed. Sources: state Departments of Revenue via Tax Foundation, Sales Tax Holidays by State, 2026*.
The cap is all-or-nothing
This is the #1 misunderstanding. Price caps apply per item, and an item over the cap is fully taxable, not taxable only on the excess. A $110 pair of sneakers in Texas (cap: under $100) pays 8.25% combined tax on all $110 — about $9.08 — while a $99 pair pays $0. If you're near a cap, splitting purchases (two $60 hoodies instead of one $120 jacket) is completely legal and saves real money.
State vs. local tax
Most holidays waive the state portion of the tax. Whether county and city add-ons are also waived varies: Texas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Arkansas waive local tax too, while in some Alabama and other jurisdictions localities opt in individually. This calculator uses the state-level rate waived as the baseline, so in states that also waive local tax your real savings are higher than shown — in Texas the full combined rate is up to 8.25%.
Formula
For each category (clothing, supplies, computer):
if category not covered in state → savings = 0
if priciest item > per-item cap → that item excluded (fully taxable)
qualifying_amount × (rate_waived/100) → category savings
total_savings = clothing + supplies + computer savingsWorked Example — Texas, Aug 7-9
| Item | Amount | Qualifies? | Tax skipped (6.25%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing cart | $250 (priciest item $80) | Yes, under $100/item | $15.63 |
| School supplies | $120 (priciest $45) | Yes | $7.50 |
| Laptop $600 | — | No — TX doesn't cover computers | $0 |
| Total | $970 cart | $23.13 |
In Texas the local tax is also waived, so at the 8.25% combined Houston rate the real savings on the qualifying $370 are about $30.53.
Strategy tips
Budget the whole list first with the Back-to-School Budget Calculator, and for everyday rates in the other 32 states use the Sales Tax Calculator. If the shopping season strains the family budget, the 50/30/20 Family Budget Calculator helps rebalance the month.
> Note: Always confirm final rules with your state's Department of Revenue before a big purchase — states occasionally adjust item lists close to the date.
Example: Texas tax-free weekend, $970 cart with a laptop
Frequently asked questions
Which states have a back-to-school sales tax holiday in 2026?
When is the Texas tax-free weekend in 2026?
Are laptops and computers included in the 2026 tax-free weekends?
If my item costs more than the cap, do I pay tax only on the excess?
Do online purchases qualify for the sales tax holiday?
Is the Florida back-to-school holiday really a whole month?
Why does Illinois save me less than other states?
Does the holiday waive local (city/county) sales tax too?
Does Louisiana have a sales tax holiday in 2026?
Do discounts and coupons count toward the price cap?
Sources & references
- Tax Foundation — Sales Tax Holidays by State, 2026 — Tax Foundation (2026)
- Texas Comptroller — Sales Tax Holiday (Back to School) — Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (2026)
- Florida Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Holidays and Exemption Periods — Florida Department of Revenue (2026)
- Illinois Department of Revenue — FY 2026-30 Back-to-School State Sales Tax Holiday — Illinois Department of Revenue (2026)
Methodology & trust
Finance calculator with its formula verified automatically against Tax Foundation — Sales Tax Holidays by State, 2026, per our editorial policy and methodology.
Updated: July 2026. Parameters are verified periodically against the cited sources.
Calculations run 100% in your browser. We do not store or transmit your data.
Indicative results. For critical decisions, consult a professional.
Rodríguez, M. (2026). Sales Tax Holiday 2026: Dates by State & Savings Calculator. Hacé Cuentas. https://hacecuentas.com/en/sales-tax-holiday-2026-savings-calculator
Content licensed under CC-BY 4.0 — reuse it citing the source with a link to Hacé Cuentas.