Florida sales tax holidays offer big savings for shoppers—and a major compliance challenge for businesses. In 2025, the state expanded its tax-free events into longer and even year-round exemptions, making it more important than ever to understand the rules, deadlines, and eligible items. Whether you’re a parent buying school supplies, a camper restocking outdoor gear, or a retailer preparing your point-of-sale system, knowing what qualifies—and when—can make all the difference.
For retailers and e-commerce sellers, staying compliant means tracking changing exemption lists, adjusting systems in time, and keeping audit-proof records. That’s where Hands Off Sales Tax (HOST) comes in—by helping businesses apply tax holidays correctly across platforms and avoid costly filing errors. This guide breaks down everything you need to know.
Florida Sales Tax Holiday Overview
Here’s a clear snapshot of Florida’s 2025 sales tax holidays—both extended and newly permanent exemptions that shoppers and businesses must know:
Holiday Windows & Key Dates
- Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday
Runs August 1–31, 2025, allowing tax-free purchases of qualifying school-related items. This holiday is now an annual event. - Hunting, Fishing & Camping Sales Tax Holiday
Operates from September 8 through December 31, 2025—a new, extended tax-free period for outdoor gear, firearms, and related supplies.
Shift Toward Permanent & Extended Exemptions
In previous years, Florida offered brief, seasonal tax holidays (e.g., two-week “Back-to-School” events). For 2025, the state consolidated and expanded these into:
- A month-long August holiday, now recurring every year.
- A multi-month outdoor gear holiday, enabling sustained tax relief.
These changes reflect a move toward more consumer-friendly, extended tax relief and are part of a broader tax reform under HB 7031.
Why This Matters
A longer Back-to-School window and a prolonged outdoor gear holiday mean:
- Easier planning for both consumers and retailers
- Smarter promotion strategies for businesses preparing their inventory and systems
- A simplified, more consistent approach to tax relief across the calendar
What’s Tax‑Exempt: Purchases and Price Limits
Florida’s 2025 sales tax holidays bring big savings—but only on specific items within set price thresholds. Here’s a breakdown of what qualifies during each of the two key holiday periods.
Back‑to‑School Sales Tax Holiday (August 1–31, 2025)
During this month‑long, annual tax break, the following items are tax-exempt only if each item stays within the price limit:
- Clothing, footwear, wallets, bags, backpacks, diaper bags, fanny packs — $100 or less each
- School supplies — $50 or less each
- Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles — $30 or less each
- Personal computers and certain computer accessories — $1,500 or less, for noncommercial personal use
Exclusions include: briefcases, books (not otherwise exempt), watches, jewelry, luggage, electronic games, and sales at theme parks, airports, or lodging establishments.
Hunting, Fishing & Camping Sales Tax Holiday (September 8 – December 31, 2025)
This extended tax holiday covers a range of outdoor items, provided each item falls within specified price limits:
- Camping supplies:
- Lanterns & flashlights — $30 or less
- Camping stoves, hammocks, collapsible chairs, sleeping bags — $50 or less
- Tents — $200 or less
- Fishing gear:
- Bait & tackle — $5 or less (individual) or $10 or less (multiple)
- Tackle bags & boxes — $30 or less
- Reels & rods — $75 or less individually, $150 or less per set
- Hunting equipment: Includes firearms, ammunition, bows, crossbows, and accessories like optics, grips, and quivers.
Why These Details Matter
- Businesses need to adjust POS systems, verify prices, and identify qualifying products.
- Consumers benefit from planning shopping lists and stacking discounts.
- HOST offers tools and guidance to ensure accurate setup and make your tax holiday strategy both seamless and compliant.
Permanent Exemptions & Year-Round Relief
Florida has dramatically expanded its tax relief framework in 2025. Beyond traditional short-term sales tax holidays, the state has now added permanent, year-round exemptions for essential goods—providing ongoing relief to residents and simplifying planning for businesses.
What’s Now Exempt All Year
Effective August 1, 2025, the following items are permanently exempt from Florida sales and use tax (per TIP 25A01‑05):
- Batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 6‑volt, 9‑volt)
- All bicycle helmets (not just youth helmets)
- Smoke detection devices, carbon monoxide and smoke alarms
- Fire extinguishers
- Ground anchor and tie-down kits
- Insect repellent (EPA‑registered)
- Life jackets (USCG-approved)
- Portable gas cans (5 gallons or less)
- Portable generators (10,000 running watts or less)
- Sunscreen (UV-only, not cosmetic types)
- Waterproof tarps or sheeting (up to 1,000 sq ft)
Why It Matters
This shift offers significant clarity:
- For consumers: You can now stock hurricane-prep or outdoor essentials any time—without waiting for tax holidays.
- For retailers: Point-of-sale systems can be configured once for consistent tax treatment year-round.
Florida’s move aligns with its broader 2025 tax policy overhaul, which also includes permanent Back-to-School and Hunting, Fishing & Camping holidays.
Business Action Items
- Update inventory tax codes to mark these items as non-taxable.
- Train staff to differentiate exempt items from similar taxable products.
- Ensure promotional materials and signage reflect these year-round benefits.
With these permanent exemptions in place, both consumers and retailers benefit from dependable, consistent tax savings—no flash sales, just long-term planning.
Compliance Checklist for Retailers
Sales tax holidays—and permanent exemptions—require proactive compliance to avoid under- or over-collection errors. Florida retailers must ensure both in-store and online systems are aligned before and during the exemption windows.
Key Steps to Stay Compliant
- Update POS and Inventory Systems
- Reprogram point-of-sale software to exempt eligible items by price threshold and category.
- Flag newly permanently exempt items (e.g., batteries, insect repellent) as non-taxable year-round.
- Train Cashiers and Sales Staff
- Ensure frontline employees understand item-specific limits (e.g., $100 for clothing, $1,500 for laptops).
- Provide cheat sheets or reference guides for each exemption period.
- Update Signage and Marketing Materials
- Avoid advertising ineligible items as tax-free—especially bundles that may cross price thresholds.
- Ensure online product pages reflect correct exemption status and pricing.
- Coordinate E-Commerce and Fulfillment Timing
- Tax exemption is based on the date of purchase, not delivery.
- For online sales, ensure systems apply the correct tax logic based on order date and Florida destination sourcing.
- Conduct Pre-Holiday Audits
- Spot-check high-volume SKUs for pricing accuracy.
- Run simulations to validate system readiness across store locations and digital platforms.
By handling these items in advance, businesses can capture customer goodwill, avoid costly audit risks, and streamline operations across both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce channels.
Local Surtaxes & Limitations
Even during Florida’s statewide sales tax holidays, local discretionary sales surtaxes may still apply. These surtaxes are county-level add-ons to the 6% state sales tax and can range up to 2.5%, depending on jurisdiction.
When Surtaxes Still Apply
While many purchases are exempt from the 6% state tax during holidays, local surtaxes are not always waived. For example:
- During the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, qualifying clothing, school supplies, and electronics are fully exempt from both state and local surtaxes only if the Florida legislature explicitly includes that exemption.
- In some past holidays, the surtax still applied to the portion of the price above the exempt threshold. For example, if a computer is priced at $1,600, the first $1,500 may be exempt but surtax might apply to the excess $100 depending on county rules and state guidance.
Retailer Implications
- Check county-specific surtax rates.
- Update POS systems to apply or exempt surtax correctly based on item eligibility and local laws.
- Clarify surtax treatment in customer receipts, especially for higher-ticket items like computers or sports equipment.
Failing to apply surtax when required can result in undercollection penalties, while overcollecting on exempt items can erode customer trust—making surtax accuracy a key part of sales tax holiday compliance.
Stress-Free Sales Tax Holidays with HOST’s Compliance Support
Navigating Florida’s evolving sales tax holidays—from seasonal events to year-round exemptions—requires retailers to stay agile, accurate, and audit-ready. That’s where HOST (Hands Off Sales Tax) comes in.
We specialize in end-to-end sales tax compliance, helping businesses of all sizes confidently manage changing rules, price limits, surtax applications, and documentation requirements during tax holidays and beyond.
Key Ways HOST Supports Retailers:
- Sales Tax Holiday Readiness:
HOST monitors state legislation and DOR notices to ensure your business is ready ahead of every holiday. We help update POS systems, train staff, and identify tax-exempt SKUs based on the latest rules. - Filing & Reporting Accuracy:
Our team handles precise filings—ensuring that exempt and taxable sales are properly separated, surtaxes are applied where required, and no penalties or interest are triggered. - Inventory & Product Mapping:
We assist in mapping your catalog to eligible price thresholds and exemption rules (e.g., $1,500 limit for computers), so nothing falls through the cracks. - Marketplace & Multi-State Retail Support:
Whether you’re a Shopify seller or Amazon retailer, HOST configures your platform for multi-channel tax compliance, even when states overlap holidays.
Let HOST simplify your sales tax holiday obligations—so you can focus on selling, not scrambling.
Conclusion: Stay Compliant, Sell Confidently
Florida’s expanding sales tax holidays offer exciting opportunities for both consumers and retailers—but only if compliance is handled correctly. From short-term events like Back-to-School to long-running exemptions on outdoor gear and essentials, the rules are constantly evolving.
For businesses, this means one thing: you need reliable, up-to-date sales tax support to avoid costly errors or missed exemptions. That’s where HOST comes in. With expert services covering taxability mapping, POS readiness, accurate filings, and multi-channel support, HOST ensures your business stays compliant through every holiday window.
Reach out to HOST today for seamless, stress-free sales tax compliance all year round.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do I need to collect tax during Florida’s sales tax holidays?
If you sell eligible items during the designated dates, you are not required to collect sales tax on those items, provided they fall within the specified price limits.
2. Do sales tax holidays apply to online purchases?
Yes, online purchases qualify as long as the order is placed and payment is accepted within the holiday window—even if shipping occurs later. This includes eligible items shipped to a Florida address.
3. Can I charge local surtax during the holiday?
In most cases, county discretionary sales surtaxes still apply unless the item is fully exempt at the state level. Retailers should double-check their location’s rules.
4. Are business purchases covered under the exemption?
No. Florida’s sales tax holidays apply only to purchases made for personal, noncommercial use. Items bought for business use remain taxable even if they fall under the qualifying category.
5. What if I mistakenly collect tax on an exempt item?
You must refund the tax to the customer or remit it to the state. Florida doesn’t allow sellers to retain mistakenly collected tax. Maintaining updated POS systems helps prevent this.
