Shop Tax-free August 1-3
NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Tennessee’s third annual
August Sales Tax Holiday, which gives
back-to-school shoppers the opportunity to
purchase certain clothing, school and art
supplies, and computers free of Tennessee
sales tax, will begin on Friday, August 1.
“Getting ready to go back to school is a
busy, important time for families to prepare
their children for success,” said Governor
Phil Bredesen. “This Sales Tax Holiday is an
opportunity for families to enjoy savings on
those items that kids need to be ready for a
successful school year.”
The long weekend of savings begins at 12:01
a.m. on Friday, August 1 and ends on Sunday,
August 3, at 11:59 p.m. The state’s
dedicated Sales Tax Holiday Web site,
www.tntaxholiday.com, has been updated with
new materials, including information about
exempt items, frequently asked questions and
more.
During the designated three-day weekend,
consumers may purchase select clothing with
a price of $100 or less per item, school and
art supplies with a price of $100 or less
per item, and computers with a price of
$1,500 or less without paying Tennessee's
state and local sales tax on the items. The
tax holiday also includes purchases of
qualified items sold via mail, telephone,
e-mail or Internet if the customer orders
and pays for the item and the retailer
accepts the order during the exemption
period for immediate shipment, even if
delivery is made after the exemption period.
“During the 2008 August Sales Tax Holiday,
Tennesseans can purchase qualified items
free of sales tax as they prepare for the
upcoming school year,” said Revenue
Commissioner Reagan Farr. “This annual Sales
Tax Holiday, which Governor Bredesen
established in 2005, has provided an
excellent tax savings opportunity for all
Tennessee shoppers and we are pleased to
help further his tax-saving initiative.”
Please visit the Sales Tax Holiday Web site
at www.tntaxholiday.com to learn more about
the items exempt from sales tax. The
Tennessee Department of Revenue also offers
assistance to consumers via e-mail, Salestax.
Holiday@state.tn.us, and through its
toll-free statewide telephone hot line,
(800) 342-1003. Staff is available to answer
questions Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 5
p.m. Central Time. (Out-of-state and
Nashville-area callers, please dial (615)
253-0600.)
Examples of exempt items include: Clothing:
Shirts, dresses, pants, coats, gloves and
mittens, hats and caps, hosiery, neckties,
belts, sneakers, shoes, uniforms whether
athletic or non-athletic and scarves School
Supplies: Binders, book bags, calculators,
tape, chalk, crayons, erasers, folders,
glue, pens, pencils, lunch boxes, notebooks,
paper, rulers and scissors Art Supplies:
Clay and glazes; acrylic, tempera and oil
paints; paintbrushes for artwork; sketch and
drawing pads; and watercolors Computers:
Central processing unit (CPU), along with
various other components including monitor,
keyboard, mouse, cables to connect
components and preloaded software (Note:
While the CPU may be purchased separately,
other items must be part of a bundled
computer package in order to be eligible)
The Sales Tax Holiday is an ideal way to
prepare your children for a successful
school year, but school supplies are not all
that is needed.Ensure a healthy school
year for your children by enrolling them in
CoverKids, Tennessee’s free health insurance
program for children 18 and under. Please
visit www.covertn.gov to learn more or
enroll.
The Department of Revenue is responsible
for the administration of state tax laws and
motor vehicle title and registration laws
established by the legislature and the
collection of taxes and fees associated with
those laws. The Department of Revenue
collects approximately 92 percent of total
state tax revenue. During the 2006-2007
fiscal year, the department collected $11
billion in state taxes and fees. In addition
to collecting state taxes, $1.9 billion of
local sales tax was collected by the
department for local governments during the
2006-2007 fiscal year.
Besides collecting taxes, the department
enforces the revenue laws fairly and
impartially in an effort to encourage
voluntary taxpayercompliance. The department
also apportions revenue collections for
distribution to the various state funds and
local units of government.
To learn more, log on to
www.Tennessee.gov/revenue. |
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