Tax Holiday

Florida's second Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday of the year runs from Aug. 24 to Sept. 6.

A Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday in Florida began Monday and run for two weeks, ending on Sunday, August 11.The third such tax holiday this year will help families to save money on items students need for the new school year.

Retailers hope outdoor enthusiasts planning to buy canoes, fishing gear or tickets to ball games have become more aware of an upcoming tax-free shopping period that lawmakers have dubbed “Freedom Month.”The tax “holiday” will allow shoppers to avoid paying sales taxes on a wide range of recreational items and activities throughout July. It was part of a tax package (HB 7073) that the Legislature passed in March and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed in May.

The Florida disaster preparedness tax-free holiday will run from June 1 through June 14.

Retailers hope Floridians will heed multiple forecasts that the upcoming hurricane season will be more active than normal.With the start of a 14-day sales tax “holiday” on storm-related items a little more than a week away, Florida Retail Federation President Scott Shalley said Wednesday it is important that residents are ready as “we’ve already seen some pretty severe weather in the state.”

Emphasizing a sales-tax “holiday” for hurricane preparedness supplies, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed an annual package of tax breaks.The package (HB 7073), passed by lawmakers during the legislative session that ended in March, is expected overall to trim state and local revenue by $439.6 million during the upcoming 2024-2025 fiscal year.

A top retail-industry official is optimistic businesses will get a boost when Florida for the first time offers a back-to-school tax “holiday” as students return from the winter break.At the same time, Florida Retail Federation President and CEO Scott Shalley acknowledges being somewhat apprehensive that the tax-free shopping period on clothes, school supplies and personal computers could get lost in the crowd of holidays as the calendar turns to 2024.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management has been ordered to prepare for a storm that could affect Florida next week and the Lee County Emergency Management and partners are monitoring conditions.

Florida retailers hope for a boost to summer sales with the start Monday of a back-to-school sales tax “holiday.”