The first annual Sales Tax Holiday in Tennessee was in 2006.
Today, the popular tax-free days in Tennessee always start on the first Friday in August and end the following Sunday night.
Timed with the start of the school year, Tennessee Tax Free Weekend is a great opportunity to purchase a wide variety of items tax-free — everything from back-to-school items and office supplies to computers and clothing for the entire family!
The Tennessee General Assembly passed Public Chapter 398 (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 67-6-393) which established an annual Sales Tax Holiday beginning in August 2006. The holiday starts each year at 12:01 a.m. on the first Friday in August and ends at 11:59 p.m. on the following Sunday. Source
What’s Included & What’s Not
Some items are not eligible as tax-free purchases including:
- Cosmetics
- Clothing priced $100 or more
- Jewelry
- Sewing equipment & supplies
- Personal sundries like sunglasses, umbrellas, wallets
- Most sports & recreational equipment
- Paints & paintbrushes
- CD’s
- Computer printers & printing supplies
- Handheld electronic schedulers & PDA’s
- Computer parts, accessories & software
Computers with a purchase price of $1,500 or less, not for use in a trade or business, are exempt from sales tax. For purposes of this exemption, a computer is defined as a central processing unit (CPU), along with various other components including monitor, keyboard, mouse, cables to connect components, and preloaded software. Source
Good news: There is no limit to the total number of items that may be purchased tax-free during this period. So you can shop ’til you drop, without having to add things up along the way!
Get all of the details about Tennessee Tax Free Weekend from the Tennessee Department of Revenue.
Shop Online & Save Too!
If you’re like me, and you’re more likely to shop online rather than to brave the crowds in the malls and stores around town. If so, then you’ll appreciate the fact that Amazon is offering FREE SHIPPING as part of their back-to-school promotion. This has nothing to do with the Tennessee tax free weekend, but it’s yet another way to receive comparable savings since shipping costs are often the biggest drawback to buying items online.
And in case you’re wondering if online shopping qualifies for Tennessee Tax Free Weekend…
Yes. Internet sales — as well as sales over the telephone, by email or by mail — are exempt from the sales tax if you make the purchase during the sales tax holiday and the retailer accepts the order during the 3-day window. All the same exemptions apply for Internet purchases. — Tennessean
That’s super good news!
More Back To School Shopping Tips
- 5 Unique Ways To Save On Back To School Shopping
- The Ultimate Guide To Eco-Friendly School Supplies
- 7 Thrift Store Shopping Tips For Back To School Clothing
- 5 Things You Should Know About Tennessee Tax Free Weekend
I like to help people find unique ways to do things in order to save time & money — so I write about “outside the box” ideas that most wouldn’t think of. As a lifelong dog owner, I often share my best tips for living with and training dogs. I worked in Higher Ed over 10 years before switching gears to pursue activities that I’m truly passionate about. I’ve worked at a vet, in a photo lab, and at a zoo — to name a few. I enjoy the outdoors via bicycle, motorcycle, Jeep, or RV. You can always find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
