Alabama’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday will, for the first time in its 12-year existence, be observed in July instead of August. The three-day tax moratorium will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 21, and continue until, midnight Sunday, July 23.
The change was made during the Alabama Legislature’s 2017 regular session, when state lawmakers decided to change the date for the annual tax-free period from the first weekend in August to the third weekend in July to ensure that it will occur before the start of school each year.
Neither the county nor Atmore or East Brewton are participating in the sales tax holiday. Brewton is the only taxing entity in Escambia County that will waive local taxes during the three-day period, although stores there will still collect the one-cent county tax.
Shoppers will pay sales taxes of 10 percent on sales transacted in Atmore and Brewton, 11 percent on those conducted in East Brewton.
During the tax holiday, the state waives its four percent sales tax on school-related supplies and clothing. Exempt items include
* clothing priced at $100 or less per article;
* school supplies valued at $50 or less per item;
* books that cost $30 or less each; and
* tablets, laptops, computers and printers with a selling price of $750 or less.
For more information on the sales tax holiday, visit www.revenue.alabama.gov/salestax.