2023 List of Items for Florida’s Back To School Sales Tax Holiday

Florida's Back to School sales tax free holiday starts Monday (July 24, 2023) and runs through August 6. As you get ready to hit the stores, keep this list handy of items that are and are NOT tax-free during the next 2 weeks. Generally speaking, you can narrow down what IS tax-free in these 4 categories.

• Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles selling for $30 or less
• Most school supplies selling for $50 or less
• Clothing, footwear and accessories selling for $100 or less
• Computers and related accessories selling for $1,500 or less (when purchased for non-commercial and personal use)

More specifically, tax free items include...
➢ Electronic book readers
➢ Laptops
➢ Desktops
➢ Handhelds
➢ Tablets
➢ Tower computers
➢ Keyboards
➢ Mice
➢ Personal digital assistants
➢ Monitors
➢ Other peripheral devices
➢ Modems
➢ Routers
➢ Nonrecreational software, regardless of whether the accessories are used in association with a personal computer base unit
➢ Handbags
➢ Backpacks
➢ Fanny packs
➢ Diaper bags
o Clothing
➢ Footwear, excluding skis, swim fins, roller blades, and skates
o Pens
o Pencils
o Erasers
o Crayons
o Notebooks
o Notebook filler paper
o Legal pads
o Binders
o Lunch boxes
o Construction paper
o Markers
o Folders
o Poster board
o Composition books
o Poster paper
o Scissors
o Cellophane tape
o Glue or paste
o Rulers
o Computer disks
o Staplers
o Staples used to secure paper products
o Protractors
o Compasses
o Calculators
o Flashcards or other learning cards
o Matching or other memory games
o Puzzle books and search-and-find books
o Interactive or electronic books and toys intended to teach reading or math skills
o Stacking or nesting blocks or sets

Items that are NOT tax free:
o Watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, and handkerchiefs
o Cellular telephones, video game consoles, digital media receivers, or devices that are not primarily designed to process data.
o Furniture or systems, devices, software, monitors with a television tuner, or peripherals that are designed or intended primarily for recreational use.
o Briefcases, suitcases, and other garment bags

The sales tax holiday does not apply to the rental or repair of any of the qualifying items. Additionally, the sales tax holiday does not apply to sales in a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment or airport. There is no limit as to how many of the tax-free items you can buy. But do keep in mind those individual item price limits.

We all know how great it is to live in the Sunshine State. Between no income tax, sunshine year-round and so many things to explore, it's no wonder why so many are flocking down here. In fact, several Florida cities have been named the best place to live in the South by U.S. News. It should be no surprise that Tampa is one of the cities, but who else joined them on the list?

The U.S. Census Bureau defines the south as the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Which means Florida has a lot of competition. When comparing cities in this study, U.S. News compared the population, median home price, and average annual salary. We'll spoil it and let you know the number one city to live in the South is Huntsville, Alabama. The main reason why this city made number 1 is because they have a high average annual salary and low cost of living. Click here to see the full list. 

We get these metrics are important to consider when making these rankings. But we think U.S. News could have included a couple other factors when making this list. For example, if they had included recreational opportunities, weather, and traffic trends. Perhaps if they included more factors in this ranking, we might see Tampa or more Florida cities as the number 1 spot.

There's been a lot of love for Sarasota recently, they've also been named the best place to retire and Siesta Key beach was named one of the prettiest white sand beaches in the country! They were the highest rated Florida city for this ranking and came in at number 3. It seems that people appear willing to exchange the higher cost of living for the warm weather, photogenic beaches and active population.

This southwest Florida city has also been named one of the best Florida cities to live in by other rankings. U.S. News says this metro area has the lowest crime rates out of the 150 metro areas on the list.

Melbourne is known to be one of the more popular retirement spots in Florida. Located along the "Space Coast", you'll see your fair share of rocket launches at this city, which is pretty cool! Between 2020 and 2021, Melbourne’s population increased by 2.05% due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

We're surprised to see Jacksonville rank above Tampa, it could be because they have a healthy tourism industry with fewer visitors than Tampa and Miami. However, Jacksonville’s population grew by 1.6% due to net migration.

Tampa was ranked number 11 on U.S. News' list, but it's number 1 in our hearts. No wonder it's one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. The Tampa metro area grew by more than 1.43% between 2020 and 2021 due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

This panhandle city has been getting a lot of love thanks to their soft white sand and clear blue water beaches, making it a popular destination for beach lovers and fishing enthusiasts. With many military and engineering career opportunities', many people would call this a desirable place to live.

Daytona Beach came in at number 25 on U.S. News' list. Daytona is known to be famous for the Daytona International Speedway, among their spring-break beaches. U.S. News says it’s also the 8th-fastest growing metro area out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.