VIRGINIA, USA — Virginia's annual 3-day retail sales tax holiday is underway until August 4.
In 2023, the Virginia General Assembly reinstated the annual 3-day retail sales tax holiday to run during the first Friday in August ahead of the new school.
This year's sales tax-exempt items are hurricane preparedness items, school supplies, clothing, footwear, and Energy Star and WaterSense products. However, every item category has a specific cut-off on price.
Price cut-off requirements for Virginia Sales Tax Holiday
Clothing items and shoes have to be $100 or less and school supply items $20 or less to qualify for the tax break. This restriction is per item, not per purchase.
Hurricane preparedness items also have specific cut-offs. Portable generators must be $1,000 or less, gas-powered chainsaws must be $350 or less, chainsaw accessories must be $60 or less and other specified hurricane preparedness items must be $60 or less to qualify.
For Energy Star and WaterSense items, they must be $2,500 or less per item and can only be purchased for non-commercial home or personal use. They also must have an Energy Star or WaterSense label.
What items are eligible for Virginia Tax-Free Weekend?
Here's a look at the main categories of items that are eligible for tax-free savings.
School and office supplies: Up to $20 per item, like binders, art supplies, book bags, calculators, dictionaries, hand sanitizer, lunch boxes, paper, and rulers.
For purposes of the sales tax holiday, computers are not considered a "school supply."
Clothing and footwear: Up to $100 per item, including athletic apparel, baby clothes, bathing suits, belts, coats, costumes, diapers, dresses, gloves, hats, pants, shirts, shoes, nightwear and socks.
However, if you're planning on shopping for clothes, it's important to know that accessories like cosmetics, hair clips, handbags, jewelry, sunglasses, and umbrellas are not eligible for the sales tax exemption. Protective equipment and sports or recreational equipment are also ineligible, so you can't purchase things such as breathing masks, helmets, ballet shoes, roller skates, waders, etc.
Energy Star or WaterSense products: Up to $2,500. That includes air conditioners, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, washing machines, dishwashers, light bulbs, refrigerators and faucets.
Hurricane preparedness equipment: Up to $1,000 per item. These are items like portable generators, chainsaws, ice packs, batteries, radios, portable light sources, waterproof sheeting, first aid kits, and more.
Is online shopping included in the Virginia Sales Tax Holiday?
If online shopping is your go-to way to shop, items purchased online, by mail order or by telephone are eligible for the tax break. Items just have to be delivered to or paid for by the customer during the sales tax exemption period.
Online purchases can also be eligible for the tax break if the seller accepts an order during the exemption period for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period.
Items that have to be custom-made for future delivery are not exempt from sales tax. Neither are rental items.
Shipping costs do not add to the base price of the item. So, if you purchase a dress for $95 and the retailer adds a $10 shipping fee, the item would still qualify for a tax break because its base price is under $100.
You can find more information on the Virginia Sales Tax Holiday by visiting the Virginia Department of Taxation's website.