Virginia's sales tax holiday: Here’s what you can buy tax-free this weekend
RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia's sales tax holiday is on the way and brings with it the potential for you to get in on some big savings! The three-day event kicks off Friday, October 20 and runs through Sunday, October 22.
Virginia missed its last sales tax holiday after lawmakers forgot to renew it during budget negotiations. During this holiday, qualifying items will be exempt from the state sales tax.
WHEN IS IT?
The 3-day sales tax holiday starts Friday, October 20 at 12:01 am and ends Sunday, October 22 at 11:59 pm.
WHAT IS IT?
During the sales tax holiday you can buy certain goods and products without paying the Virginia sales tax.
HOW MUCH CAN YOU SAVE?
Under current law, the sales and use tax rate is generally 5.3 percent, comprised of a 4.3 percent state tax and a 1 percent local option tax. An additional regional tax of 0.7 percent applies in the Central Virginia, Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia regions.
An additional 1 percent regional tax applies in the Historic Triangle region (James City County, York County, and the City of Williamsburg) in addition to the existing 0.7 percent regional tax. An additional 1 percent local option tax applies in the City of Danville and the Counties of Charlotte, Halifax, Henry, Gloucester, Northampton, Patrick, and Pittsylvania.
During the sales tax holiday, purchases of qualifying items will be exempt from the 4.3 percent state sales tax, the 1 percent local option tax, and any otherwise applicable regional and additional local taxes.
WHAT ITEMS ARE ELIGIBLE? HERE’S THE FULL LIST OF ITEMS YOU CAN BUY TAX-FREE:
LIST OF QUALIFYING HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS ITEMS
Sales Price of $60 or less
The following hurricane preparedness items may be purchased exempt of the sales and use tax during the combined sales tax holiday, provided that the items have a sales price of $60 or less per item.
-Artificial ice, blue ice, ice packs, and reusable ice
-Batteries (excluding automobile or boat batteries), including (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt, 9 volt, Cell phone batteries)
-Portable, battery-operated, or self powered light sources including (Flashlights, Lanterns, Glow sticks)
-Tarpaulins, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths, and other flexible waterproof sheeting
-Bungee cords, rope, and paracords
-Ground anchor systems or tie down kits
-Ratchet straps
-Duct tape
-Carbon monoxide detectors
-Smoke detectors
-Fire extinguishers
-Gas or diesel fuel tanks or containers
-Water storage containers
-Nonelectric food storage coolers
-Bottled water
-Nonreusable water packets
-Manual can openers
-Portable, battery-operated or self powered radios (including self powered radios with electrical power capability)
-Two-way radios
-Weather band radios and NOAA weather radios
-Storm shutter devices
-Cell phone chargers
-First Aid Kits
Sales Price of $1,000 or less
The following hurricane preparedness items may be purchased exempt of the sales and use tax during the combined sales tax holiday, provided that such items have a selling price of $1,000 or less per item.
-Portable generators and generator power cords
-Inverters and inverter power cables
-Photovoltaic devices that generate electricity
Chain saws and chain saw accessories
Gas-powered chain saws with a selling price of $350 or less and chain saw accessories with a sales price of $60 or less may be purchased exempt of the sales and use tax during the combined sales tax holiday. The following is an all-inclusive list of the items that are deemed "chain saw accessories":
-Chains
-Chain saw bar and nose lubricants
-Two-cycle motor oil
-Chain sharpeners and files
-Bars
-Wrenches
-Carrying cases and scabbards
-Safety apparel, including chaps, gloves, hearing protectors, helmets, and protective glasses
-Repair parts
LIST OF QUALIFYING SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND CLOTHING
List of School Supplies Eligible for Exemption
"School supply," means an item that is commonly used by a student in a course of study. For purposes of the sales tax holiday, the term does not include computers and such items may not be purchased exempt of the tax.
The following is an all-inclusive list of items that are included in the term "school supply" and are therefore exempt from tax during the sales tax holiday period, provided their sales price of such item is $20 or less. Only the following items are exempt as school supplies. Items need not be intended for use in school or in connection with a school activity to be eligible for the exemption.
-Binder pockets
-Binders
-Blackboard chalk
-Book bags, messenger bags, and totes
-Calculators
-Cellophane tape
-Clay and glazes
-Compasses
-Composition books
-Computer storage media; diskettes; recordable compact discs; and flash drives
-Crayons
-Dictionaries and thesauruses
-Disinfectant wipes
-Dividers
-Erasers (including dry-erase marker erasers and dry-erase marker cleaning solution)
-Folders (expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila)
-Glue, paste, and paste sticks
-Hand sanitizer soap
-Highlighters
-Index card boxes
-Index cards
-Legal pads
-Lunch boxes and lunch bags (including disposable lunch bags)
-Markers (including dry-erase markers and dry-erase marker kits)
-Musical instruments, musical instrument accessories, and replacement items for musical instruments
-Notebooks
-Paintbrushes for artwork
-Paints (acrylic, tempera, and oil)
-Paper (loose-leaf ruled notebook paper, copy and printer paper, graph paper, tracing paper, manila paper, colored paper, poster board, and construction paper)
-Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes
-Pencil sharpeners
-Pencils
-Pens
-Protractors
-Reference books
-Reference maps and globes
-Rulers
-Scissors
-Sheet music
-Sketch and drawing pads
-Textbooks
-Tissues
-Watercolors
-Workbooks
-Writing tablets
List of Clothing and Footwear Eligible for Exemption
Clothing
"Clothing" means any article of wearing apparel and typical footwear intended to be worn on or about the human body. Clothing does not include sporting equipment or footwear designed primarily for athletic activity or protective use and not usually considered appropriate for everyday wear. These items may not be purchased exempt of the tax.
The following is a list of items that are included in the term "clothing" and are therefore exempt from tax during the sales tax holiday period, provided the sales price is $100 or less per item. This list is not all-inclusive. Any other item that meets the definition of clothing and has a sales price of $100 or less per item may be purchased exempt of the tax.
-Aprons (household and shop)
-Athletic supporters
-Baby bibs and clothes
-Baby receiving blankets
-Bandanas
-Bathing suits, swim trunks, cover-ups and bathing caps
-Beach capes and coats
-Belts
-Boots
-Choir and altar clothing
-Clerical vestments
-Coats, jackets, and windbreakers
-Corsets and corset laces
-Costumes (sold, not rented)
-Coveralls
-Diapers, children and adult, including disposable diapers
-Dresses
-Ear muffs
-Footlets
-Formal wear for men and women (sold, not rented)
-Fur coats and stoles, shawls and wraps
-Garters and garter belts
-Girdles
-Gloves and mittens for general use
-Golf clothing, caps, dresses, shirts, skirts, pants
-Gym suits and uniforms
-Hats and caps
-Hosiery
-Insoles, inserts for shoes
-Jeans
-Jerseys (both athletic and non-athletic)
-Lab coats
-Legwarmers
-Leotards and tights
-Lingerie
-Neckwear, including bow ties, neckties, and scarves
-Nightgowns, pajamas, and other nightwear
-Overshoes and rubber shoes
-Raincoats, rain hats, and ponchos
-Robes
-Rubber pants
-Rubber thong/flip-flops
-Sandals
-Scarves
-Shirts and blouses
-Shoes and shoelaces
-Shorts
-Skirts
-Slacks
-Slippers
-Slips
-Sneakers
-Socks and stockings, including athletic socks
-Steel toed shoes
-Suits
-Suspenders
-Underwear or undergarments
-Uniforms, athletic and non-athletic
-Vests
-Wedding apparel, including veils (sold not rented)
List of Ineligible Clothing Accessory Items, Protective Equipment and Sports or Recreational Equipment "Clothing accessory items," means incidental items worn on the person or in conjunction with "clothing."
The following items are considered to be clothing accessory items that are subject to the tax. The following list contains examples and is not intended to be an all-inclusive list.
Clothing accessory items
-Briefcases
-Cosmetics
-Fabric, thread, buttons, and yarn used to make clothing
-Hair notions, including, but not limited to, barrettes, hair bows, and hair nets
-Handbags
-Handkerchiefs
-Jewelry
-Sun glasses
-Umbrellas
-Wallets
-Watches
-Wigs and hair pieces
"Protective equipment" means items that are intended for human wear and designed to protect the wearer against injury or disease or against damage or injury to other persons or property but are not suitable for general use. "Protective equipment" is not included within the definition of "clothing," and does not qualify for exemption during the sales tax holiday. The following list contains examples and is not intended to be an all inclusive list.
Protective Equipment
-Breathing masks
-Clean room apparel and equipment
-Ear and hearing protectors
-Face shields
-Hard hats
-Helmets
-Paint or dust respirators
-Protective gloves
-Safety belts
-Safety glasses and goggles
-Tool belts
-Welders gloves and masks
"Sport or recreational equipment" means items designed for human use and worn in conjunction with an athletic or recreational activity that are not suitable for general use.
"Sport or recreational equipment" is not included within the definition of "clothing," and does not qualify for the sales tax holiday. The following list contains examples and is not intended to be an all-inclusive list.
Sport or recreational equipment
-Ballet and tap shoes
-Bowling shoes
-Cleated or spiked athletic shoes
-Gloves, including, but not limited to, baseball, bowling, boxing, hockey, and golf
-Goggles
-Hand and elbow guards
-Life preservers and vests
-Mouth guards
-Roller and ice skates
-Shin guards
-Shoulder pads
-Ski boots
-Waders
-Wetsuits and fins
LIST OF QUALIFYING ENERGY STAR AND WATERSENSE ITEMS
The following items are deemed exempt Energy Star or WaterSense items during the combined sales tax holiday, provided that:
-The item has been affixed with a Energy Star or WaterSense label; and
-The cost price of the item is $2,500 or less; and
-The item is purchased for noncommercial or personal use.
Energy Star Qualified Products
- Air Conditioners
- Dishwashers
- Ceiling Fans
- Light Bulbs
- Dehumidifiers
- Refrigerators
- Washing Machines/Clothes Washers
WaterSense Qualified Products
- Bathroom Sink Faucets
- Toilets
- Faucet Accessories
- Urinals
- Showerheads
- Landscape Irrigation Controllers
More info from the Virginia Department of Taxation
More info on the Guidelines For Combined Sales Tax Holiday