Tax free

While the sales tax holiday on back-to-school items in Alabama has come and gone, Tennessee is hosting its tax-free holiday event this weekend.

The holiday will run from 12:01 a.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Sunday. The event is statewide, meaning stores in Ardmore, Tennessee, will be participating.

“We want to remind everyone about these opportunities for tax relief,” said Tennessee Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano. “It’s a good opportunity to save money during these difficult times.”

Much like the Alabama tax-free holiday, items related to back-to-school shopping like clothing, school supplies and computers and other electronics will be exempt from sales tax during the holiday. General apparel that costs $200 or less per item like shirts, pants and dresses are included, though jewelry, handbags and sports equipment are not.

School supplies, including binders, books, backpacks, crayons, pencils, pens, paper and art supplies with a purchase price of $200 or less per item, are among the exempt items. Computers for personal use, tablets, smartphones, televisions and game consoles with a purchase price of $3,000 or less are exempt, while flash drives, printer supplies and individually purchased software are not.

According to the Tennessee Department of Revenue, exempt items sold online are also eligible, though items must be purchased for personal use, not business or trade. There is a second tax-free holiday in Tennessee the following weekend, during which food and drink sold by restaurants will be exempt.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense economic strain on Tennessee families,” said Gov. Bill Lee. “These sales tax holidays will allow them to keep more of their hard-earned money and support Tennessee businesses.”

Visit www.tntaxholiday.com for more information about the sales tax holiday weekends and to find a full list of exempt items.