Maryland Energy Weekend Feb. 19-21 Offers State Tax Exemption

MARYLAND — Residents are encouraged to help save the environment and hard-earned dollars during Maryland Energy Weekend, which runs Feb. 19-21. During this time, specific appliances sporting the Energy Star label that are purchased in the store or online will be exempt from the state's 6 percent sales tax.

Those appliances include the following:

• air conditioners
• washers and dryers
• standard-size refrigerators
• furnaces
• heat pumps
• boilers
• compact fluorescent light bulbs (not LED)
• dehumidifiers
• programmable thermostats
• Solar water heaters are tax-exempt year-round.

“This is a great time to replace your outdated appliances with something more modern and energy efficient while not having to pay the state sales tax,” Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot said. “Many manufacturers, retailers and utility companies offer additional deals in addition to the money you'll save from lower utility bills over the life of the product, so the savings really add up.”

To receive the Energy Star label, a product must meet strict standards for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In 2018, Energy Star-certified products helped consumers save 200 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, avoid $35 billion in energy costs and achieve 150 million metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions.

The tax-free weekend for energy-efficient appliances began in 2011 and its impact has grown ever since. It's estimated the state loses $800,000 in direct tax revenue on the purchase of Energy Star products, but additional sales on other taxable products generates unanticipated tax dollars while the environmental impact carries massive financial benefits.