Florida Sales Tax Holidays for Hurricane Prep, Freedom Month, Back to School, and MORE 2024
Every penny helps, especially when you’re a parent. Florida’s popular sales tax holidays like the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday and the Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday may be returning in 2024 along with Freedom Month, a proposed sales tax break on qualifying purchases of outdoor and recreation items for an entire month, including event and movie tickets.
While the proposed 2024 tax holidays are awaiting the governor’s signature, you can still get an idea of what to hopefully expect this year.
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While we wait for that, keep in mind there are two sales tax exemptions wrapping up in June 2024 that you may not know about…
Florida Sales Tax Holidays for Home Improvement:
If you’re in the market to make improvements to your home, this is a good time to consider buying new hurricane windows and doors and even upgrading to Energy Star appliances.
Home Hardening Sales Tax Exemption: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024
Need new windows, doors, or a garage door? This temporary sales tax exemption only runs through June 2024 but will provide some relief for you since it’s a big investment, but it only applies to impact-resistant garage doors, impact-resistant windows, and impact-resistant doors.
This is something you’d want anyway as you make improvements to your home since we’re in Florida and hurricanes do happen. You can read the Home Hardening Sales Tax Exemption FAQs here.
Energy Star Appliances: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024
If you need a new washing machine or refrigerator for the house, this is a good time to buy. Energy Star appliances earn the designation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency if they meet or exceed their Energy Star program requirements–which means they consume less energy and are better for your pocketbook and the environment.
Keep in mind, that this sales tax exemption is only for non-commercial use and on new appliances only. Here is what’s eligible:
- Clothes dryers selling for $1,500 or less
- Washing machines selling for $1,500 or less
- Refrigerators or Combination refrigerators/freezers selling for $3,000 or less
- Water heaters selling for $1,500 or less
Read the Energy Star Appliances Exemption FAQs here.
It’s also important to note that there are some permanent sales tax exemptions that went into effect last year. Sales tax breaks on Baby and Toddler items like clothing, shoes, diapers, and wipes are now permanent as are exemptions on the purchase of cribs and strollers. Other permanent sales tax exemptions include tax breaks on hygiene products like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and mouthwash.
Baby & Toddler Clothing and Diapers Sales Tax Exemption: Permanent
Raising little ones can get expensive, and QUICK, especially when it comes to diapers and clothing since they grow so quickly. The Florida sales tax exemption on these items intended for kids ages 5 and younger will help Florida families save some hard-earned dollars. There is no price limit for children’s diapers or baby and toddler clothes, apparel, and shoes to
qualify for the sales tax exemption.
Children’s diapers include single-use and reusable diapers, including those used for toilet training, and diaper inserts.
The Florida Sales Tax Exemption Period on Children’s Diapers and Baby and Toddler Clothing,
Apparel and Shoes does not apply to:
- adult diapers, undergarments, or related products, or to diaper bags
- clothing, apparel, or shoes intended for children over the age of 5 years
- alterations to any eligible items
- rentals of any eligible items.
Read more about the Baby & Toddler Clothing and Diaper Sales Tax Exemption here.
IMPORTANT NOTE
These Florida sales tax holidays are still awaiting the governor’s signature. We will update this story with any changes, or once all the above holidays are officially approved.
PROPOSED 2024 Florida sales tax holidays:
- Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday: June 1 – 14 and August 24 – September 6, 2024
- Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday: July 1 – July 31, 2024
- Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday: July 29 – August 11, 2024
- Skilled Worker Sales Tax Holiday: September 1 – 7, 2024
What you need to know about Florida’s Sales Tax Holidays and Exemptions
Here are a few sales tax breaks Florida families might be able to take advantage of if approved this year:
PROPOSED Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holidays: June 1 – 14 and August 24 – September 6, 2024
The Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holidays are designed to give you a break on sales tax for some disaster preparedness supplies that all Floridians need to have on hand during the upcoming Hurricane season.
You can pick up things like flashlights and lanterns that are $40 or less, non-electric food coolers and portable power banks selling for $60 or less, tarps less than $100, and batteries that are $50 or less. Portable generators under $3,000 also qualify for the sales tax break during the holiday.
There are also sales tax exemptions available on the first $70 of smoke detectors and alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers. Some items needed for household pets will also be exempt, like leashes and collars that are $20 or less and pet beds that are $40 or less.
You can see a complete list of what qualifies for the 2023 disaster prep sales tax holiday here on the Florida Department of Revenue’s site.
Important note: 2024’s dates and inclusions are pending the governor’s signature
Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday in July
Next on the sales tax-relief pipeline is a FUN one – the Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday. This tax holiday would run for a full month with the proposed dates being July 1 – 31, 2024.
You could get a sales tax break on purchases of admissions to music, sporting, and cultural events; tickets to movies and museums; single admission or season tickets to theatre and dance performances; state park admission and annual passes; and use of fitness facilities will be tax-free. This would be the perfect time to plan some summertime adventures for the family and save a little money at the same time!
Tickets, memberships, and passes, purchased during this time for use any time from July 1 – December 31, 2024, are tax-free.
The month-long summer sales tax holiday also usually applies to sales of certain boating and water activity equipment and supplies, camping equipment and supplies, fishing equipment and supplies, general outdoor supplies (including sunglasses, sunscreen, and grills), and residential pool chemicals, supplies, and parts.
- Residential pool supplies: Sales tax break on pool parts, nets, filters, and lights selling for $100 or less. And, break on combined sales price of pool and spa chemicals purchased by an individual for $150 or less.
- Camping Supplies: Tents selling for $200 or less, sleeping bags, hammocks, camping stoves and camping chairs selling for $50 or less, and camping lanterns and flashlights selling for $30 or less.
- Fishing Supplies: Fishing rods and reels selling for $75 or less, or $150 or less for those sold as a pair. Tackle boxes selling for $30 or less and bait and tackle selling for $5 or less.
- Boating and Water Safety Supplies: Life jackets and coolers selling for $75 or less, recreation pool toys and floats selling for $35 or less, ; first $50 for safety flares; water skis, wakeboards, kneeboards, and inflatable/towable water tubes or floats selling for $150 or less; paddle boards and surfboards selling for $300 or less; canoes and kayaks selling for $500 or less; and snorkels, goggles and swimming masks selling for $25 or less.
- General Outdoor Supplies: Sunscreen or insect repellant selling for $15 or less, sunglasses selling for $100 or less, water bottles selling for $30 or less, hydration packs selling for $50 or less, bike helmets selling for $50 or less, bicycles selling for $500 or less, and more.
- Electric Scooters: Electric scooters weighing less than 75 pounds, less than two feet wide, with a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour selling for $500 or less.
- Florida’s Freedom Summer Sales Tax Holiday FAQs coming once official.
You can read Florida’s Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday FAQs here.
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PROPOSED Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday: July 29 – August 11, 2024
If approved this sales tax break will be on clothing items, backpacks, and footwear that are $100 or less, school supplies $50 or less, and the first $1,500 of personal computers and personal computer-related items.
See what else qualifies for the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays here.
A second back-to-school sales tax holiday for the school year, which was in place for the 2023-2024 school year, is not part of the proposal for 2024.
PROPOSED Skilled Worker Sales Tax Holiday: September 1 – 7, 2024
This seven-day sales tax holiday usually applies to certain tools used by skilled trade workers. Proposed tax-free items include certain hand tools costing $50 or less and power tools costing $300 or less, work boots costing $175 or less, and many other pieces of safety equipment, as well as certain shop lights, toolboxes and belts, and plumbing and electrical equipment.
Once again, these Florida sales tax holidays are PENDING approval in the governor’s office. We will update our stories once further details are available.
