Virginia’s annual sales tax holiday is ringing in back-to-school season.
The three-day holiday starts Friday and ends at midnight Sunday. Shoppers can buy qualifying school supplies, clothing, footwear and other specialty items tax-free.
Items eligible for the deal include:
School supplies
- that cost $20 or less per item.
Clothing and footwear
- at $100 or less per item.
Hurricane and emergency preparedness
- products, including portable generators, gas-powered chainsaws, chainsaw accessories and other preparedness items.
Energy Star and WaterSense
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- products purchased for home or personal use.
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Those items are exempt from Virginia’s sales tax — a 4.3% state tax plus a 1% local option tax.
A full list of qualifying items is available on the Virginia Department of Taxation website.
Virginia has offered a sales tax break in time for back-to-school shopping since 2006. The holiday was combined with other tax-free events into an annual holiday in 2015.
North Carolina halted its annual sales tax holiday in 2013, but nearby states — including Maryland, West Virginia and South Carolina — also hold tax-free weekends ahead of the school year.
Through Sunday, state sales tax is waived on qualifying school supplies, clothes and shoes, hurricane and emergency preparedness items, and Energy Star and WaterSense products.
PHOTOS: 2021 Virginia sales tax holiday
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Patricia Trader, manager of the Shoe Dept. Encore store at Chesterfield Town Center in Chesterfield County, VA, said that sales were brisk Friday, August 6, 2021. Lots of families were buying back to school supplies and clothing during the tax-free weekend.
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Aiyanah Spotts, 9, walks down an aisle while shopping for school supplies inside the Walmart store on Forest Avenue in Henrico County VA Friday, August 6, 2021. Lots of families were buying back to school supplies and clothing during the tax-free weekend.
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LEFT: Kiersten Doak, 4, looked at items in a back-to-school aisle of the Walmart on Forest Avenue in Henrico County on Friday.
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Kiersten Doak, 4, shows off the notebook cover she wants as she stands in the aisle of the Walmart store on Forest Avenue in Henrico County VA Friday, August 6, 2021. Lots of families were buying back to school supplies and clothing during the tax-free weekend.
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Jason Weaver, manager of the Walmart store on Forest Avenue in Henrico County VA, checks on some of the back-to-school items on sale Friday, August 6, 2021. Lots of families were buying back to school supplies and clothing during the tax-free weekend.
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Chelsea Huntley, 7, checks out some back-to school specials inside the Shoe Dept. Encore store at Chesterfield Town Center in Chesterfield County, VA Friday, August 6, 2021. Lots of families were buying back to school supplies and clothing during the tax-free weekend.
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Maria Lopez looked as her daughter Sophia, 8, signaled that she liked her new boots at Shoe Dept. Encore at Chesterfield Towne Center on Friday.
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Brenda Huntley and her granddaughter Chelsea Huntley, 7, check out some back-to school specials inside the Shoe Dept. Encore store at Chesterfield Town Center in Chesterfield County, VA Friday, August 6, 2021. Lots of families were buying back to school supplies and clothing during the tax-free weekend.
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Aiyanah Spotts, 9, reviewed her shopping list with her mother, Gabrielle Spotts, while looking for school supplies at the Walmart on Forest Avenue in Henrico County on Friday. Many other families were also back-to-school shopping.
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Aiyanah Spotts, 9, left, grabs an item as her mother Gabrielle Spotts, right, looks on while shopping for school supplies inside the Walmart store on Forest Avenue in Henrico County Friday, August 6, 2021. Lots of families were buying back to school supplies and clothing during the tax-free weekend.
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Maria Lopez, right, and daughter Sophia, 8, check out boots inside the Shoe Dept. Encore store at Chesterfield Town Center in Chesterfield County, VA Friday, August 6, 2021. Lots of families were buying back to school supplies and clothing during the tax-free weekend.
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A employee makes their way down the store on Friday, August 6, 2021 at the Short Pump Town Center in Richmond, Virginia.
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A young child makes his way through the mall on Friday, August 6, 2021 at the Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County Virginia.
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Old Navy on Friday, August 6, 2021 at the Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County Virginia.
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Old Navy on Friday, August 6, 2021 at the Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County Virginia.
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Jenna Wright went back-to-school shopping for new clothes with her daughter, Lilyan, 12, at the Old Navy at Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County on Friday.
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ABOVE: Karli Schott rrestocked clothes at the Old Navy store at Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County on Friday. Lots of families are buying clothing during the tax-free weekend.
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Royal Coakley shops at Old Navy on Friday, August 6, 2021 at the Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County Virginia.
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A person shops at Old Navy on Friday, August 6, 2021 at the Short Pump Town Center in Henrico County Virginia.
