RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia’s sales tax holiday will return this weekend! Here’s what you need to know before you start shopping…
Previously, the three-day holiday weekend would be held during the first weekend of August but legislative hurdles have resulted in a later appearance than usual.
The sales tax holiday was actually set to expire on July 1, 2023, but state legislators later announced that it would be included in the state budget bill which passed in September.
From Friday, Oct. 20, to Sunday, Oct. 22, Virginians will receive tax exemptions on certain school supplies, clothing, footwear and hurricane preparedness equipment along with ENERGY STAR and WaterSense products.
Guadalupe Ramirez, the owner of AlterNatives Boutique in Carytown, said the tax holiday is always a busy, but welcome time for her store.
“We have received more merchandise that is ready for the cold weather, so we’re going to get ready for that,” said Ramirez. “For us, it’s a good way also to clear a little bit of the inventory we have for the summer, so I think it’s a win-win situation for us as merchants and also win for the customers.”
What items are eligible?
There will be certain price caps for eligible tax-exempt products. Here’s the breakdown, according to the Virginia Department of Taxation:
- School supplies, clothing, and footwear
- Qualified school supplies – $20 or less per item
- Qualified 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 purchased for noncommercial home or personal use – $2,500 or less per item
For more information — and a detailed list of qualifying items — visit the Virginia Department of Taxation website.
