Tennessee sales tax holiday: What you need to know

Tennessee’s sales tax holiday — a popular driver of back-to-school spending for students and parents — is right around the corner.

Shoppers can buy qualifying items, including apparel, computers and backpacks, without paying local or state sales tax from 12:01 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9.

The event helps consumers save money at the register on back-to-school supplies, which last year cost families an average of nearly $670, according to the National Retail Federation.

Here’s what you need to know about the annual event.

Select purchases are tax-free.

Generally speaking, the holiday applies to purchases of clothing and school supplies less than $100 in value per item and computers less than $1,500. The Tennessee Department of Revenue’s website has a comprehensive list of tax-exempt items, which includes binders, books, backpacks, crayons, paper, pens, pencils and rulers.

But make sure to read the fine print.

Many items, including jewelry, handbags, wallets and watches, are still taxable during the three-day event. Sports equipment, cellphones and computer-related items such as printers also get taxed.

Things such as monitors, keyboards and scanners, when sold by themselves and not in conjunction with a computer, get charged sales tax.

Tablet computers, such as iPads, are exempt from sales tax. But video game consoles are not eligible.

Anyone can participate.

You don’t have to be a student or parent to save.

Online shopping qualifies.

Internet sales — as well as sales over the telephone, by email or by mail — are exempt from the sales tax if you make the purchase during the sales tax holiday and the retailer accepts the order during the three-day window.

All the same exemptions apply for Internet purchases.

Tennessee isn’t the only state to offer a tax-free weekend.

Tennessee is one of 18 states with a tax-free holiday for back-to-school purchases, joined by New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Iowa, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Meanwhile, Ohio is offering its first-ever sales tax holiday this year.

Visit the Tennessee Department of Revenue’s website at www.tntaxholiday.com for more information and to see an alphabetical list of all exempt and nonexempt items.

Reach Lizzy Alfs at 615-726-5948 and on Twitter @lizzyalfs.