While “going back to school” may look different this year, the Missouri Back to School Sales Tax Holiday is a great time to stock up on supplies needed for remote or in-school learning. In Missouri, the tax-free holiday starts at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 7th and lasts through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 9th. During this period, qualified purchases are exempt from sales tax. Be aware not all cities and counties in Missouri observe this holiday.
What items are exempt from sales tax?
In Missouri, items such as clothing, personal computers and school supplies are exempt from sales tax. Below is a list of popular items that normally qualify as fitting into one of these categories.
Clothing – any article having a taxable value of $100 or less:
- Belts
- Coats
- Dresses
- Gloves
- Hats
- Jackets
- Leggings
- Pants
- Shirts
- Shorts
- Shoes or Boots
- Socks
- Tights
Personal Computers – not to exceed $1,500:
- Desktop computers
- Laptop computers
- Tower computer systems
- Keyboards
- Motherboards
- Mouses
- Multimedia Speakers
- Storage Drives
- Tablet Computers
- iPads
- Monitors
- Computer peripheral devices
School Supplies – not to exceed $50 per purchase:
- Art supplies
- Backpacks
- Crayons
- Calculators
- Glue
- Lunch boxes
- Notebooks
- Textbooks
- Paper
- Rulers
- Scissors
- Staplers and staples
- Tape
- USB flash drives
- Writing instruments
- Graphing calculators (not to exceed $150)
What items do not qualify?
- Batteries
- Facial tissues
- Umbrellas
- CD players
- Furniture
- Copiers/office equipment
- Headphones
- Watches
- Sporting equipment
- Fixtures
- Envelopes
- Power strips
- Watchbands
- Telephones
Which states does this apply to?
This holiday is recognized in Missouri, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin. However, you do not have to be a resident of one of these states to benefit from the sales tax holiday. Other states listed above may be on different dates and may include other items and not include some items listed above for Missouri. Be sure to check each state’s date and qualifications.
Do items purchased online qualify for the sales tax exemption?
Yes, if the purchase is made of the qualifying items during the holiday then online purchases qualify. Delivery can occur after the holiday if the purchaser pays in full during the sales tax holiday.
The Back to School Sales Tax Holiday is a great way for people to stock up on school supplies while avoiding to pay sales tax. For more information on this holiday visit the DOR’s website.
