Back to school shopping: What to know about Ohio’s tax-free weekend

Beginning in 2019, Sub. S.B. 226 provides for a permanent sales tax holiday on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of August each year.  For 2019, the sales tax holiday will begin on Friday, August 2 at 12:00 a.m. and end on Sunday, August 4 at 11:59 p.m.

During the holiday, the following items are exempt from sales and use tax:

• Clothing priced at $75 per item or less;
• School supplies priced at $20 per item or less; and
• School instructional material priced at $20 per item or less.

Items used in a trade or business are not exempt under the sales tax holiday.

Does tax free weekend work online?

Any eligible item bought and paid by mail, by phone, internet or email during the holiday weekend is also eligible for the sales tax.

All vendors in the state of Ohio must comply with the sales tax.

What clothing items qualify?

For the sales tax holiday “clothing” is defined as all human wearing apparel suitable for general use and covers more than you might expect. Traditional items such as shirts, pants, skirts, sweaters, dresses and shoes are included, but so are disposable diapers, formal wear and wedding apparel.

“School supplies” are very specifically defined and include items like binders, book bags, calculators, art supplies and composition and notebooks.

For more information about the sales tax holiday, visit the Ohio Department of Taxation’s frequently asked questions.

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