Kids won’t want to hear about going back to school, but parents will be happy to know that Iowa’s tax-free weekend is right around the corner, with opportunities to save for back to school.
While the holiday is timed to help families prepare for school, the tax-free discounts are limited to clothing and footwear and not traditional school supplies.
Here’s what we know about the 2025 tax-free holiday in Iowa.
When does tax-free weekend start in Iowa?
Every year, the first Friday and Saturday of August are designated as the state’s “tax-free holiday” where stores that sell clothes and shoes are required to take off sales tax for a limited time.
This year, the savings start at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 1, and goes until midnight on Saturday, Aug. 2. Sunday, Aug. 3 is not included in the tax-free holiday.
What is included in tax-free weekend in Iowa?
Most clothes and shoes will be completely tax-free this holiday. You can dress yourself from your head with hats, all the way down to your toes with socks and shoes, without having to pay the normal 6-7% sales tax in Iowa.
Shirts, shoes, shorts and skirts are all included in the department’s list of items that can be exempt from tax this weekend. So are adult diapers, swim gear, cowboy boots, sleepwear and more. A complete list of items that will be tax-free is available from the Iowa Department of Revenue.
Even formal wear like tuxedos, bow ties, prom dresses and wedding attire including wedding dresses, will be tax-free. Uniforms and religious clothing are also included.
Big-box stores and small businesses with operating hours within the holiday will participate in tax-free weekends.
Is the tax-free weekend online too?
Yes, online purchases are also eligible even if they’re delivered at a later date.
Reporting contributed by Kate Kealey and Kyle Werner.
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: When is tax-free weekend in Iowa? What to know as you plan back-to-school shopping.
Reporting by Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
