2026 Sales Tax Holiday Calendar by State
18 states, 26 holiday windows. Holidays require annual reauthorization — verify the current year with each state Department of Revenue before configuring your POS, then print the sheet below.
Holiday windows
| State | Type | 2026 dates | Eligible items | Price caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | Severe Weather Preparedness | Feb 20–22, 2026 | Generators, batteries, flashlights, coolers, severe-weather supplies | Generators ≤ $1,000; supplies ≤ $60 |
| Back-to-School | Jul 17–19, 2026 | Books, clothing, school supplies, computers & tech | Books ≤ $30; clothing ≤ $156; supplies ≤ $60; computers ≤ $1,173 | |
| Arkansas (AR) | Back-to-School | Aug 1–2, 2026 | Clothing, accessories, school supplies, electronics | Clothing < $100; accessories < $50 |
| Connecticut (CT) | Tax-Free Week | Aug 16–22, 2026 | Clothing & footwear | < $100 per item |
| Florida (FL) | Back-to-School | Jul 20 – Aug 20, 2026 | Clothing, footwear, wallets, bags, school supplies, learning aids, computers | Clothing/accessories ≤ $100; supplies ≤ $50; computers ≤ $1,500 |
| Disaster Preparedness / Energy Star | Multiple 2026 windows | Batteries, generators, smoke detectors, Energy Star appliances | Varies | |
| Iowa (IA) | Back-to-School | Aug 7–8, 2026 | Clothing & footwear | < $100 |
| Maryland (MD) | Energy Star | Feb 14–16, 2026 | Energy Star appliances, solar water heaters | No local tax; statewide exemption |
| Back-to-School | Aug 9–15, 2026 | Apparel & footwear, backpacks, accessories | Apparel < $100; backpacks < $40 | |
| Massachusetts (MA) | Annual Holiday | Aug 8–9, 2026 | Most single items < $2,500 for personal use | < $2,500 |
| Mississippi (MS) | Back-to-School | Jul 10–12, 2026 | Clothing, footwear, school supplies | < $100 |
| Second Amendment | Aug 28–30, 2026 | Firearms, ammunition, hunting supplies | n/a | |
| Missouri (MO) | Show Me Green | Apr 19–25, 2026 | Energy Star appliances | n/a |
| Back-to-School | Aug 7–9, 2026 | Clothing < $100; computers ≤ $1,500; supplies < $50 | see items | |
| New Mexico (NM) | Back-to-School | Jul 31 – Aug 2, 2026 | Clothing & footwear, computers, school supplies | Clothing < $100; computers < $1,000; supplies < $30 |
| Ohio (OH) | Back-to-School | Aug 7–9, 2026 | Clothing < $75; supplies & instructional materials < $20 | see items |
| Oklahoma (OK) | Back-to-School | Aug 7–9, 2026 | Clothing & footwear < $100; supplies | < $100 |
| Puerto Rico (PR) | Hurricane Preparedness | May 22–25, 2026 | Portable generators < $3,000; emergency supplies | Generators < $3,000 |
| Back-to-School | Jan 2–3 & Jul 17–18, 2026 | School supplies, uniforms, footwear | n/a | |
| South Carolina (SC) | Back-to-School | Aug 7–9, 2026 | Clothing, school supplies, computers, bed & bath | No price cap (broadest program) |
| Tennessee (TN) | Back-to-School | Jul 24–26, 2026 | Clothing < $100; supplies < $100; computers ≤ $1,500 | see items |
| Texas (TX) | Emergency Preparedness | Apr 25–27, 2026 | Generators < $3,000; hurricane shutters < $300; supplies < $75 | see items |
| Energy Star / Water-Efficient | May 23–25, 2026 | ACs < $6,000; refrigerators < $2,000; other Energy Star | see items | |
| Annual Sales Tax Holiday | Aug 7–9, 2026 | Clothing, footwear, school supplies < $100, face masks | < $100 | |
| Virginia (VA) | Annual Holiday | Aug 7–9, 2026 | Clothing & footwear < $100; supplies < $20; emergency preparedness items | see items |
| Louisiana (LA) | Second Amendment | Sep 4–6, 2026 (tentative) | Firearms, ammunition, hunting supplies | No cap |
Printable POS configuration sheet
Hand this to your manager or POS administrator. Last verified: 2026-08.
Alabama — AL
Severe Weather Preparedness: Feb 20–22, 2026 · Generators, batteries, flashlights, coolers, severe-weather supplies · cap Generators ≤ $1,000; supplies ≤ $60 (State tax mandatory; local opt-in.)
Back-to-School: Jul 17–19, 2026 · Books, clothing, school supplies, computers & tech · cap Books ≤ $30; clothing ≤ $156; supplies ≤ $60; computers ≤ $1,173 (State tax mandatory; local opt-in.)
Arkansas — AR
Back-to-School: Aug 1–2, 2026 · Clothing, accessories, school supplies, electronics · cap Clothing < $100; accessories < $50 (All retailers required to participate; state + local exempt.)
Connecticut — CT
Tax-Free Week: Aug 16–22, 2026 · Clothing & footwear · cap < $100 per item (State tax only; athletic gear, jewelry, accessories excluded.)
Florida — FL
Back-to-School: Jul 20 – Aug 20, 2026 · Clothing, footwear, wallets, bags, school supplies, learning aids, computers · cap Clothing/accessories ≤ $100; supplies ≤ $50; computers ≤ $1,500 (Month-long window; state + local generally exempt.)
Disaster Preparedness / Energy Star: Multiple 2026 windows · Batteries, generators, smoke detectors, Energy Star appliances · cap Varies (Florida runs several targeted holiday weekends through the year.)
Iowa — IA
Back-to-School: Aug 7–8, 2026 · Clothing & footwear · cap < $100 (State + local exempt.)
Maryland — MD
Energy Star: Feb 14–16, 2026 · Energy Star appliances, solar water heaters · cap No local tax; statewide exemption (No local sales tax.)
Back-to-School: Aug 9–15, 2026 · Apparel & footwear, backpacks, accessories · cap Apparel < $100; backpacks < $40 (No local sales tax; statewide exemption.)
Massachusetts — MA
Annual Holiday: Aug 8–9, 2026 · Most single items < $2,500 for personal use · cap < $2,500 (Legislature sets dates annually; state tax only.)
Mississippi — MS
Back-to-School: Jul 10–12, 2026 · Clothing, footwear, school supplies · cap < $100 (Business-use items excluded.)
Second Amendment: Aug 28–30, 2026 · Firearms, ammunition, hunting supplies · cap n/a (No price cap.)
Missouri — MO
Show Me Green: Apr 19–25, 2026 · Energy Star appliances · cap n/a (Annual appliance holiday.)
Back-to-School: Aug 7–9, 2026 · Clothing < $100; computers ≤ $1,500; supplies < $50 · cap see items (State + local exempt.)
New Mexico — NM
Back-to-School: Jul 31 – Aug 2, 2026 · Clothing & footwear, computers, school supplies · cap Clothing < $100; computers < $1,000; supplies < $30 (Gross Receipts Tax holiday.)
Ohio — OH
Back-to-School: Aug 7–9, 2026 · Clothing < $75; supplies & instructional materials < $20 · cap see items (Expanded holiday canceled (HB 186); reverted to traditional 3-day window.)
Oklahoma — OK
Back-to-School: Aug 7–9, 2026 · Clothing & footwear < $100; supplies · cap < $100 (State + local exempt.)
Puerto Rico — PR
Hurricane Preparedness: May 22–25, 2026 · Portable generators < $3,000; emergency supplies · cap Generators < $3,000 (Island-wide holiday.)
Back-to-School: Jan 2–3 & Jul 17–18, 2026 · School supplies, uniforms, footwear · cap n/a (Two windows.)
South Carolina — SC
Back-to-School: Aug 7–9, 2026 · Clothing, school supplies, computers, bed & bath · cap No price cap (broadest program) (One of the broadest state programs.)
Tennessee — TN
Back-to-School: Jul 24–26, 2026 · Clothing < $100; supplies < $100; computers ≤ $1,500 · cap see items (State + local exempt.)
Texas — TX
Emergency Preparedness: Apr 25–27, 2026 · Generators < $3,000; hurricane shutters < $300; supplies < $75 · cap see items (Multiple holidays per year.)
Energy Star / Water-Efficient: May 23–25, 2026 · ACs < $6,000; refrigerators < $2,000; other Energy Star · cap see items (No cap on many items.)
Annual Sales Tax Holiday: Aug 7–9, 2026 · Clothing, footwear, school supplies < $100, face masks · cap < $100 (Remote sellers must comply if they have nexus.)
Virginia — VA
Annual Holiday: Aug 7–9, 2026 · Clothing & footwear < $100; supplies < $20; emergency preparedness items · cap see items (State + local exempt.)
Louisiana — LA
Second Amendment: Sep 4–6, 2026 (tentative) · Firearms, ammunition, hunting supplies · cap No cap (Tentative — confirm with Louisiana DoR.)
Set up your POS correctly
- Confirm participation. Some holidays are mandatory for all retailers (e.g., Arkansas); others are opt-in at the local level (e.g., Alabama, Florida local tax).
- Exempt the right items. Match the state’s eligible categories and per-item caps exactly; over-exempting costs you the tax.
- Set the window. Program start and end timestamps to the state’s published dates; many run Friday–Sunday.
- Test a transaction. Run a sample item in and out of the cap before the holiday opens.
Educational content, not legal advice. Cashbizly is an independent educational resource. Nothing here is personalized legal advice and it does not replace a licensed attorney or your state’s Attorney General.
Our state-by-state status reflects the consensus of published 2025–2026 compliance guides (card-network rules, LawPay, Stax, NCSL) as of the “last verified” date on each page. Surcharge law changes frequently and is actively litigated — always confirm current figures with your state Attorney General or a professional. Read our full disclaimer.