Virginia Sales Tax Holiday 2021: Dates, What's Included

VIRGINIA — Every summer, Virginia residents get a three-day sales tax holiday with tax-free shopping on select items. Many families take advantage of the tax-free shopping to buy clothing, school supplies, emergency preparedness products and more.

The 2021 sales tax holiday runs from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 6 to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 8. Residents can purchase qualifying items without sales tax in stores and through online shopping. Sales tax in Virginia typically ranges between 5.3 percent and 7 percent, factoring in state's 4.3 percent state sales tax, the 1 percent local option tax, and other applicable regional taxes.

The Virginia General Assembly sets the sales tax holiday for the first Friday of August through the following Sunday. Before fiscal year 2016, sales tax holidays happened in May, August and October, but the legislature opted to combine them for one big sales tax weekend in August. The sales tax holidays are extended at least through July 1, 2022.

Sales tax is waived for qualifying items in three categories: school supplies, clothing and footwear; hurricane and emergency preparedness products; and Energy Star or WaterSense products. Qualifying school supplies are priced at $20 or less each, clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less each, portable generators at $1,000 or less each, gas-powered chainsaws at $350 or less each; chainsaw accessories at $60 or less each; other specified hurricane preparedness items at $60 or less each; and Energy Star or WaterSense products for noncommercial use at $2,500 or less each.

The Virginia Department of Taxation has a full list of items that qualify for the tax-free holiday. Eligible school supplies at $20 or less can include binders, book bags, composition books, disinfectant wipes, notebooks, pencils, pens, textbooks, tissues and more.

Clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less can include items like coats, boots, baby bibs and clothes, diapers, jeans, sneakers, shirts, and more. Items that don't qualify are considered clothing accessories, such as briefcases, cosmetics, handbags, jewelry, wallets, and more. Protective equipment such as breathing masks, face shields, hard hats, tool belts, protective gloves and more also do not qualify. Sports and recreational equipment such as goggles, life preservers, mouth guards and shoulder pads do not qualify.

Hurricane and emergency preparedness items can include batteries, battery-operated flashlights, carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, bottled water, cell phone chargers, first aid kits, and more. Portable generator items at $1,000 or less that qualify are portable generators, generator power cords, inverters and inverter power cables, and photovoltaic devices that generate electricity. Gas-powered chain saws at $350 or less include chains, chain saw bars and nose lubricants, chain sharpeners and files, safety apparel, repair parts and more.

Qualifying Energy Star or WaterSense products are priced at $2,500 or less and should be for noncommercial home use or personal use. These can include air conditioners, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, bathroom sink faucets, showerheads, toilets, and more.

For more about the sales tax holiday, visit www.tax.virginia.gov/virginia-sales-tax-holiday.