Need to buy school supplies for your children or a portable generator in preparation for the next hurricane?
This weekend is time to do so.
Virginia’s annual tax holiday began at 12:01 a.m. Friday (Aug. 3) and runs through 11:59 p.m. Sunday (Aug. 5). During that period, sales tax won’t be tacked onto purchases of eligible items.
According to the National Retail Federation, back-to-school shoppers are expected to spend $82.8 billion nationally, compared to last year’s $83.6 billion.
Families with students in kindergarten through 12th grade are expected to spend an average of $625 each, according to a federation survey, with $237 of that going toward clothing, the survey said.
Shoppers also plan to spend an average of $187 on electronics, $139 on shoes and $122 on supplies such as notebooks, pencils, backpacks, and lunchboxes, the survey said.
In addition to school supplies and generators, certain appliances and other hurricane preparedness items also won’t be subject to sales tax this weekend.
What items are eligible? Here’s the list from the Virginia Department of Taxation:
School supplies, clothing and footwear
- School supplies: $20 or less per item.
- Clothing and footwear: $100 or less per item.
Hurricane and emergency preparedness products
- Portable generators: $1,000 or less per item.
- Gas-powered chainsaws: $350 or less per item.
- Chainsaw accessories: $60 or less per item.
- Other specified hurricane preparedness items: $60 or less per item.
Energy Star and WaterSense products
- Qualifying Energy Star or WaterSense products (must be purchased for noncommercial or personal use): $2,500 or less per item.
