Contributed by the Alabama Retail Association
With schools and colleges back to in-person learning in the fall, more Alabama parents are expected to take advantage of the savings associated with the state’s upcoming back-to-school sales tax holiday.
Alabama’s 16th annual sales tax holiday for school-related items is July 16-18. This marks the fifth time the annual tax holiday will take place on the third weekend of July.
From 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 16, until midnight, Sunday, July 18, the state waives its 4% sales tax on school-related supplies and clothing. More than 325 cities and counties throughout Alabama will waive their local taxes as well. Check the 2021 Participating Cities and Counties list to determine if your local communities are participating.
Exempt items include:
• Clothing priced at $100 or less per article
• School supplies valued at $50 or less per item
• Books that cost $30 or less per book and
• Tablets, laptops, computers and printers with a selling price of $750 or less.
Learn more at www. alabamaretail.org/alabamasalestaxholidays
ShopAlabama to Save Money and Stimulate Sales
The sales tax holiday provides shoppers a way to save money and support their local economies, especially those local businesses that sell the covered items exclusively, like shoes, children’s apparel, school supply, book and computer stores.
“This year’s sales tax holiday will provide momentum for Alabama’s continued economic recovery,” said Alabama Retail Association President Rick Brown.
“Saving money for consumers while stimulating sales for stores is what this weekend is all about.”
For many retailers across the state, the back-to-school sales tax holiday is one of the biggest sale weekends of the year.
Reason for
Everyone to Shop
Although the sales tax holiday targets back-to-school shoppers, any consumer can benefit from the savings offered during the weekend. A wide range of items are exempt during the holiday, so there is a reason for everyone to shop.
Some of the widely needed items include diapers, printer ink, thumb or flash drives, printer paper and art supplies.
As always, the Alabama Retail Association encourages shoppers to buy from local retailers by promoting the use of the #ShopAlabama hashtag. “Shopping with businesses that have a physical presence in your local area keeps businesses open and your neighbors employed,” Brown said.