Shop Tax-Free in Tennessee August 1-3, 2014

The Department of Revenue reminds Tennesseans they can buy certain items without paying sales tax August 1 through August 3.

During these three days, Tennessee shoppers can save nearly 10 percent on clothing, school supplies and computers.

“This holiday offers Tennesseans great savings on important back-to-school items, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity,” Gov. Bill Haslam said.

The sales tax holiday begins Friday, August 1 at 12:01 a.m. and ends Sunday, August 3 at 11:59 p.m. During this weekend, consumers will not pay state or local sales tax on clothing, school and art supplies that cost less than $100 per item and computers that cost $1,500 or less.

“We hope Tennessee shoppers will take advantage of the tax relief offered by this year’s sales tax holiday,” Revenue Commissioner Richard Roberts said.

Examples of items that can be bought tax-free during the holiday include:

Clothing: Shirts, dresses, pants, coats, gloves and mittens, hats and caps, hosiery, neckties, belts, sneakers, shoes, uniforms 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.)  iPads and other tablet computers are eligible for tax exemption, but smart phones and video game consoles are not.

For more information, please visit www.tntaxholiday.com . You can also email the Department of Revenue at salestax.holiday@tn.gov or call (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.)

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2013 fiscal year, it collected $11.7 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $2.2 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.  To learn more about the Department, visitwww.tn.gov/revenue.