Virginia Sales Tax Holiday 2019: What You Can Buy Tax-Free

VIRGINIA — The kids still have one month of summer left to enjoy, but soon you'll begin thinking about preparing for the new school year. If there's any ideal time to hit the stores for clothes, shoes, backpacks and other supplies your kids will need, it's the upcoming sales tax holiday in Virginia. This year's sales tax holiday begins on Friday, Aug. 2 at 12:01 a.m. and ends Sunday, Aug. 4 at 11:59 p.m.

During the three-day period, the state's 4.3 percent state sales tax, the 1 percent local option tax, and other applicable regional taxes are waived on qualifying items, from certain clothes and school supplies to appliances and hurricane preparedness items. Clothing and footwear priced at $100 each are included in the exemption, as well as school supplies priced at $20 per item.

The state has a detailed list of what is and isn't exempt from Virginia's sales tax during the tax holiday. Eligible school supplies include binders, calculators, composition books, folders lunch boxes pens, textbooks and more. The exemption for clothing covers plenty of items, from coats to shirts and blouses, slacks, dresses and boots. Items not eligible for the exemption are accessories like jewelry, sunglasses, umbrellas, wallets and cosmetics.

Appliances with an Energy Star or WaterSense label under $2,500 are also exempt from tax. Energy Star products that can be sought tax-free are air conditioners, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, washing machines, dishwashers, light bulbs and refrigerators. Qualifying WaterSense products are bathroom sink faucets, faucet accessories, showerheads, toilets, urinals and landscape irrigation controllers.

As for hurricane preparedness items, they must be $60 or less per item. Eligible items include smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, flashlights, batteries, cell phone chargers, first aid kits, bottled water and more.

According to the Department of Taxation, the state legislature established the sales tax holiday beginning the first Friday of August and ending the next Sunday of every year. 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 through July 1, 2022.

See the detailed list of what is exempt from Virginia's sales tax. Happy shopping!