Tax-Free School Supplies Days 2026: Which States Offer Them & What Qualifies

Back-to-school shopping adds up fast. Factor in laptops and tablets, and your wallet starts begging for a break. In 2026, 16 states are offering a back-to-school sales tax holiday to help give families a window to buy clothing, school supplies, and in some states, computers, without paying state sales tax.

Timing your purchases around these dates can add up to real savings, particularly on bigger-ticket items like laptops, where a single tax-exemption can be worth more than a whole cart of notebooks and pencils. This guide covers all of the participating states, confirmed 2026 dates, what qualifies, and the computer and device price caps to help families plan and set up a connected home before the school year starts.

One more thing to think about while you're shopping tax-free: a new laptop or tablet is only as good as the Internet connection it runs on. If back-to-school season has you looking at your household's device count and wondering if your current plan can keep up or not, SmartMove has a special back-to-school resource hub that can help you digitally prepare for the shool year and compare what Internet providers are available at your address.

What Is A Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday?

A sales tax holiday is a state-designated period during which sales tax is waived on certain categories of items, usually clothing, school supplies, and in some states, computers. Keep in mind that not every state has a sales tax holiday, but among the states that do, the details of which items qualify, what the per-item price caps are, and whether local sales taxes are waived along with the state tax, or only the state portion vary widely.

That last distinction matters more than it sounds. In a handful of states, cities and counties can opt out of participating, which means the same purchase might be fully tax-free in one town and only partly tax-free a few miles away.

Which States Have A Back-To-School Tax Holiday In 2026?

Sixteen states are confirmed to hold a back-to-school sales tax holiday in 2026.

Price caps apply per item, not per receipt, unless a state's rules say otherwise. A few more things worth checking before you hit the stores:

• Alabama: Local jurisdictions opt in separately, and not every city or county participates. Check with the retailer or the Alabama Department of Revenue before assuming your purchase is fully tax-free.
• Mississippi: Municipalities may opt out, so local sales tax can still apply depending on where you shop.
• New Mexico: Retailer participation is optional. Confirm with the store before you buy.

States With The Best Computer And Device Exemptions

If you’re buying a laptop, tablet, or desktop before the school year starts, the computer price cap is the number that matters most. Here's where the exemption goes furthest:

• Florida: Up to $1,500 per item, with the longest holiday window of any state, a full month running July 20 through Aug. 20. That gives families the most time to shop around for the right deal. Florida made this holiday permanent in 2026 under H.B. 7031, so it no longer requires annual legislative approval.
• Missouri: Up to $1,500 for computers and peripherals, plus computer software exempt up to $350 and graphing calculators up to $150.
• Tennessee: Up to $1,500, covering laptops and tablets along with desktops.
• New Mexico: Up to $1,000 for computers and tablets, plus $500 for computer accessories, one of the broader device exemptions on the list, though retailer participation is optional, so confirm before you buy.
• Alabama: Up to $1,173 for a single computer purchase, with software and school computer supplies also included. This cap rose for 2026 under a state law that ties the threshold to the Consumer Price Index.
• West Virginia: Up to $500, but only for laptops and tablets specifically. Desktop computers don't qualify.
• South Carolina: No price cap on computers, printers, or software, the most open-ended device exemption of any state, though items bought for business use are excluded.

Most other participating states don't include computers in their exemption at all. In Iowa, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, and Connecticut, the holiday is best used for clothing, school supplies (pens, pencils, binders, erasers, notebooks, folders, rulers, scissors, crayons, etc.), and backpacks rather than devices.

State-By-State Details

The table above covers the basics, but each state has its own rules about what qualifies, especially when it comes to accessories, athletic clothing, and online orders. Here's the breakdown for all 16 states, in calendar order.

Mississippi (July 10–12)

Mississippi's holiday keeps things simple, with no computer exemption and one caveat on local tax to watch for:

• Clothing and footwear under $100 per item.
• School supplies under $100 per item.
• No computer exemption.
• Municipalities may opt out, so local sales tax can still apply depending on location; verify before shopping.

Alabama (July 17–19)

Alabama offers one of the higher computer caps on the list, with caps that adjust periodically for inflation:

• Clothing up to $156 per item.
• School supplies up to $78 per item.
• Computers, software, and school computer supplies up to $1,173 for a single purchase.
• Textbooks on an official schoolbook list priced between $47 and $78.
• Caps rose for 2026 under a 2025 law that adjusts the thresholds to the Consumer Price Index every five years.
• Local opt-in caveat: not every county and city participates, so check the Alabama Department of Revenue's list of participating jurisdictions before shopping.

Tennessee (July 31–Aug. 2)

Tennessee's exemption covers a broad range of school and art supplies alongside a generous computer cap:

• Clothing up to $100 per item
• School and art supplies up to $100 per item
• Computers, laptops, and tablets up to $1,500
• Business-use items and rentals don't qualify
• Begins at 12:01 a.m. on the last Friday in July and ends at 11:59 p.m. the following Sunday

New Mexico (July 31–Aug. 2)

New Mexico's list of qualifying categories is longer than most, but retailer participation is optional, so confirm before shopping:

• Clothing and shoes under $100 per item; athletic and protective clothing is excluded.
• School supplies under $30.
• Computers, tablets, and e-readers with computing functions up to $1,000.
• Computer-related accessories up to $500.
• Handheld calculators under $200.
• Backpacks, bookbags, maps, and globes under $100.

West Virginia (July 31–Aug. 3)

West Virginia pairs the highest clothing cap on the list with a device exemption limited to laptops and tablets:

• Clothing up to $125 per item, the highest clothing cap of any participating state.
• School supplies up to $50.
• School instructional materials up to $20.
• Laptops and tablets up to $500; desktop computers aren't included.
• Sports equipment up to $150.
• Business-use items are excluded.
• Begins at 12 a.m. on the Friday before the first Sunday in August and ends Monday at 11:59 p.m.

Arkansas (Aug. 1–2)

Arkansas is one of the few states with no price cap at all on school and art supplies:

• Clothing under $100 per item.
• Clothing accessories and equipment under $50.
• School supplies, art supplies, instructional materials, and electronic devices have no price cap.
• Applies to both state and local tax.
• Begins at 12:01 a.m. on the first Saturday of August and ends at 11:59 p.m. the following Sunday.

Florida (July 20–Aug. 20)

Florida's monthlong window and permanent status make it the most flexible state on the list:

• Clothing, footwear, and accessories up to $100.
• School supplies up to $50.
• Learning aids and puzzles up to $30.
• Personal computers and accessories up to $1,500, non-commercial use only.
• Made permanent in 2026 under H.B. 7031, so it no longer requires annual legislative approval; lawmakers also moved the dates earlier this year to better align with the start of the school year.
• Exemptions don't apply at theme parks, entertainment complexes, hotels, or airports.
• At a full month long, this is the most flexible window on the list for timing a purchase.

Iowa (Aug. 7–8)

Iowa keeps its holiday focused on clothing only, with no exemption for supplies or devices:

• Clothing and footwear under $100 per item.
• No exemption for computers or school supplies.
• Applies to state and local tax.
• Exemption applies to each qualifying item regardless of how many are purchased together.
• Begins at 12:01 a.m. on the first Friday of August and ends the next day at midnight; doesn't extend into Sunday.

Missouri (Aug. 7–9)

Missouri rounds out its computer exemption with software and calculators, a rare combination:

• Clothing up to $100
• School supplies up to $50
• Computers and peripherals up to $1,500
• Computer software up to $350
• Graphing calculators up to $150
• Business-use items don't qualify
• Applies to state and local tax; begins at 12:01 a.m. and ends at midnight

Ohio (Aug. 7–9)

Ohio's holiday is narrower in 2026 after the state rolled back its expanded exemption from prior years:

• Clothing up to $75 per item
• School supplies up to $20 per item
• School instructional materials up to $20 per item
• No exemption for computers or general merchandise this year
• Applies to state and local tax; participation is mandatory for Ohio retailers

Oklahoma (Aug. 7–9)

Oklahoma's exemption is the most limited on the list, covering clothing only:

• Clothing and footwear under $100 per item
• Athletic gear, accessories, and rentals are excluded
• No exemption for school supplies or computers
• Applies to state and local tax; participation is mandatory

South Carolina (Aug. 7–9)

South Carolina stands out for having no price cap at all across its qualifying categories:

• No price caps on any qualifying category.
• Qualifying items include clothing and certain accessories, footwear, school supplies, computers, printers and printer supplies, software, and select bed and bath items.
• Business-use items, cell phones, smartphones, and handheld devices used primarily for music, video, or reading are excluded.
• Applies to state and local tax; participation is mandatory.
• Begins at 12:01 a.m. on the first Friday in August and ends midnight the following Sunday.

Texas (Aug. 7–9)

Texas pairs its clothing exemption with an equally generous cap on school supplies and backpacks:

• Clothing and footwear under $100 per item.
• School supplies and backpacks under $100 per item.
• No computer exemption.
• Applies to state and local tax; participation is mandatory.
• Online orders qualify if placed and paid for during the holiday window, or placed and accepted during the window for immediate shipment.

Virginia (Aug. 7–9)

Virginia bundles its school supplies exemption with hurricane prep and energy-efficient product categories in the same window:

• Clothing and footwear up to $100 per item.
• School supplies up to $20 per item.
• No computer exemption under the back-to-school category.
• Also covers hurricane preparedness items (portable generators up to $1,000, chainsaws up to $350, other items up to $60) and Energy Star and WaterSense products up to $2,500 under the same three-day window.
• Applies to state and local tax; participation is mandatory.
• Currently scheduled through July 1, 2030.

Maryland (Aug. 9–15)

Maryland runs one of the longer windows on the list, with a small carve-out specifically for backpacks:

• Clothing and footwear up to $100 per item.
• First $40 of a backpack or bookbag purchase is tax-free.
• Accessories other than backpacks aren't included.
• No computer exemption.
• State sales tax only; Maryland has no local sales tax.
• Begins at 12:01 a.m. on the second Sunday in August and ends midnight the following Saturday.

Connecticut (Aug. 16–22)

At seven days long, Connecticut closes out the calendar with the longest single-state window outside Florida:

• Clothing and footwear under $100 per item
• Athletic gear, jewelry, and accessories are excluded
• State sales tax only; Connecticut has no local sales tax
• Items purchased online qualify if paid in full during the holiday window

Tips For Getting The Most Out Of A Tax Holiday

Here’s how to make the most out of your tax holiday shopping:

• Know your state's price caps before you shop. Caps apply per item, and going even a dollar over usually disqualifies the whole item, not just the difference.
• Check whether local tax is waived too. Some states only waive the state portion, meaning you could still owe a smaller local tax on the same purchase.
• Confirm retailer participation. In Alabama, Mississippi, and New Mexico, participation isn't automatic for every city, county, or store. A quick check before you shop can save a surprise at checkout.
• Online purchases usually qualify, but only if the order is placed and paid for during the holiday window. Delivery can happen later in most states.
• Stack savings where you can. Many retailers run back-to-school sales during the same window, so a tax exemption on top of a discount can add up to meaningful savings on higher-priced items like laptops.

Don't Forget The Internet Connection Behind The Devices

A new laptop, tablet, or desktop bought tax-free still needs a reliable back-to-school Internet connection to actually work at home. Back-to-school season is one of the most common times for households to realize their current plan can't keep up: more devices streaming, video calling, and running schoolwork at the same time than the household had a year ago.

If shopping for tax-free devices has you rethinking your home setup, SmartMove makes it easy to compare Internet plans available at your address, so the connection can keep up with everything you just bought.