Summer is coming to a close for school kids in Florida, as they gear up to head back to school next week!
Still need to do some back-to-school shopping? Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday began on July 20 and will last for one month, ending after the school year starts for all Florida counties. If you’re thinking this tax-free holiday is landing earlier and lasting longer than in past years, you’re correct.
Before 2025, Florida’s back-to-school tax-free holiday began as a single weekend, continuously got longer and lasted up to 14 days. In 2025, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis extended the holiday to last one month, beginning on Aug. 1 and ending on Aug. 31. This year, the holiday began in mid-July. It will end in mid-August, a little over a week after Florida’s K-12 students start school.
Here’s when Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday ends, the list of items that qualify, when the next tax-free holiday will be and a list of school start dates for all of Florida’s 67 counties.
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When is tax-free weekend in Florida? Tax-free for back-to-school will last 1 month
Florida’s 2026 back-to-school sales tax holiday for school supplies is much longer than just one weekend, lasting for one month. It began on Monday, July 20, and runs through Thursday, Aug. 20.
What items are tax-free right now in Florida?
Not all school supplies are tax-exempt, and all tax-free items have a price cap.
Here’s the full list of items that qualify, according to the Florida Department of Revenue:
Are thrift stores, Goodwill included in Florida’s back-to-school tax-free shopping?
Yes! Florida’s back-to-school tax-free shopping has limits on items, not stores. Eligible items are also tax-exempt at thrift stores, like Goodwill and Salvation Army, as long as they meet the criteria listed above.
When is the next tax-free holiday in Florida?
The next tax-free holiday in Florida will be the hunting, fishing and camping sales tax holiday, which will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 1 and extend through Thursday, Dec. 31, according to the Florida Department of Revenue.
When does school start in Florida?
The earliest start date for Florida schools is next Monday, Aug. 10.
Thirty-nine of Florida’s 67 counties will start the 2026-2027 school year on the earliest possible start date, Monday, Aug. 10. The latest start date in Florida is next Thursday, Aug. 13.
2026 school start dates in Florida by county
Thirty-nine of Florida’s 67 counties will start the 2026-2027 school year next Monday, Aug. 10. Three counties will start on Thursday, Aug. 13.
When the 2026-2027 Florida school year will start for all 67 counties:
Special note: Links to school calendars often change. Here’s a state list of homepages for each Florida school district.
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Why aren’t school calendars the same for all Florida counties?
The decision on what days schools should be closed is made by individual school districts.
Can you do tax-free shopping online in Florida?
Yes, as long as your shipping address is in the state of Florida, the tax-free policy applies. But, there’s a caveat. The cost of shipping is applied to the cost of the item. So, if you add a $95 pair of jeans to your shopping cart and the cost of shipping is $10, the item is now $105 and would not apply under the limit of $100 for clothing items.
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Where to do tax-free back-to-school shopping in Florida
Tax-free shopping is a state-wide policy in Florida, so all stores are waiving the 6% added state-tax. Here are some places to do your tax-free shopping ahead of the 2026-27 school year:
Top stores for all-around back-to-school shopping
Top stores for back-to-school supplies
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Top stores for back-to-school tech
Lianna Norman and Cheryl McCloud are trending reporters for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering lotteries, weather, Florida wildlife, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Back-to-school tax holiday is still running: List of qualifying items
Reporting by Lianna Norman and Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
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By Lianna Norman and Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
