This weekend is the time to stock up on school supplies, clothing and emergency supplies at stores in Alexandria and across the state.
Virginia will hold its annual three-day sales tax holiday, from Friday, Aug. 7 to Sunday, Aug. 9. During the three days, state and local option sales taxes are temporarily lifted on qualifying clothing, footwear and school supplies, as well as emergency preparedness products and some appliances. The tax exemption applies to in-store and online shopping.
Alexandria’s sales tax is typically 6%, which includes a 4.3% state tax, 1% local tax and 0.7% regional tax for transportation funding.
Sales tax will be waived for qualifying school supplies priced at $20 each, such as binders, book bags, textbooks, notebooks, calculators and more.
Certain clothing and footwear priced at $100 per item — shirts, jeans, sneakers and much more — are also exempt. However, items considered accessories — like cosmetics, briefcases and handbags — will not be tax exempt. Protective equipment like face shields and helmets and sports equipment like cleated athletic shoes and mouth guards also do not qualify.
Other items with no sales tax this weekend are portable generators priced at $1,000 or less, gas-powered chainsaws priced at $350 or less, chainsaw accessories at $60 or less and other hurricane or emergency preparedness items at $60 or less each. Energy Star and WaterSense products priced at $2,500 or less for noncommercial use are also exempt.
The state held its first sales tax holiday in August 2006. The General Assembly must approve extensions to allow the sales tax holiday to continue each first Friday of August through the following Sunday. The latest extension guarantees the three-day sales tax holiday will continue through at least August 2029.
Along with the statewide sales tax holiday, a number of Old Town boutiques will offer a tax-free weekend at their stores from Aug. 7-9.
Image via Tim Gouw/Unsplash
