Virginia Tax Free Weekend 2018: Dates, Times & What Qualifies

Tax Free Weekend

Getty Tax Free Weekend

Virginia’s Tax Free Weekend is this weekend. Tax Free Weekend began Friday, August 3 at 12:01 a.m. and will last through Sunday, August 5 at 11:59 p.m. The time zone of the seller’s location determines the authorized time period for the sales tax holiday, if the purchaser is in one time zone and the seller is in another. Here are more details about what does and does not qualify in Virginia this week. Find a complete list, visit here.


Items that Qualify for Tax-Free Status in Virginia

In Virginia, clothing and footwear up to $100 per item and school supplies of up to $20 per item qualify for tax free status. 

In addition, hurricane preparedness and emergency items are also tax-free this weekend. That includes portable generators of $1,000 or less per item, gas-powered chainsaws of $350 or less per item, chainsaw accessories of $60 or less per item, and other specified hurricane preparedness items of $60 or less per item.

Qualifying Energy Star or WaterSense products bought for noncommercial home or personal use of $2,500 or less per item also qualify for tax-free status this weekend.

Since 2015, Virginia’s hurricane preparedness, back-to-school, and Energy Star/WaterSense tax-free holidays have been combined into one weekend. Find a complete list, visit here.

Here are examples of clothing and accessory items that qualify for tax free status.

  • Aprons
  • Baby clothes, diapers, bibs, but NOT diaper bags
  • Bathing suits, coverups, swim trunks
  • Belts
  • Boots
  • Clothing in general: shirts, blouses, pants, skirts, coveralls, dresses, jeans, shorts, etc.
  • Coats, jackets
  • Costumes
  • Formal wear for men or women (sold, not rented)
  • Gloves (general use, not sports gloves), ear muffs
  • Golf clothing (caps, dresses, shirts, skirts, pants)
  • Gym suits and uniforms
  • Hats, caps
  • Insoles
  • Lab coats
  • Legwarmers, leotards, tights
  • Lingerie: bras, garter belts, corsets, hosiery, jogging bras, underwear etc.
  • Neckwear: ties, bow ties, scarves
  • Pajamas
  • Religious clothing: Choir & altar clothing, clerical vestments, etc.
  • Raincoats, rain hats, ponchos
  • Robes
  • Rubber pants
  • Shoes, boots (when general purpose), sandals, shoe laces, steel-toed shoes
  • Socks (including athletic socks)
  • Uniforms, athletic and non-athletic
  • Wedding apparel that’s purchased not rented (bridal gowns, veils, etc.)

The following are examples of tax-free school supplies.

  • Binder pockets
  • Binders
  • Blackboard chalk
  • Book bags, messenger bags, and totes
  • Calculators
  • Cellophane tape
  • Clay and glazes
  • Compasses
  • Composition books
  • Computer storage media; diskettes; recordable compact discs; and flash
    drives
  • Crayons
  • Dictionaries and thesauruses
  • Disinfectant wipes
  • Dividers
  • Erasers (including dry erase marker erasers and dry erase marker
    cleaning solution)
  • Folders (expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila)
  • Glue, paste, and paste sticks
  • Hand sanitizer soap
  • Highlighters
  • Index card boxes
  • Index cards
  • Legal pads
  • Lunch boxes and lunch bags (including disposable lunch bags)
  • Markers (including dry erase markers and dry erase marker kits)
  • Musical instruments, musical instrument accessories, and replacement
    items for musical instruments
  • Notebooks
  • Paintbrushes for artwork
  • Paints (acrylic, tempera, and oil)
  • Paper (loose leaf ruled notebook paper, copy and printer paper, graph
    paper, tracing paper, manila paper, colored paper, poster board, and
    construction paper)
  • Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes
  • Pencil sharpeners
  • Pencils
  • Pens
  • Protractors
  • Reference books
  • Reference maps and globes
  • Rulers
  • Scissors
  • Sheet music
  • Sketch and drawing pads
  • Textbooks
  • Tissues
  • Watercolors
  • Workbooks
  • Writing tablets

Items that Do NOT Qualify for Tax-Free Status in Virginia

In Virginia, clothing that costs more than $100 per item and school supplies that cost more than $20 per item do NOT qualify for tax free status. Find a complete list, visit here.

Here are examples of clothing and accessories that do not qualify for tax free status:

  • Briefcases
  • Cosmetics
  • Fabric, thread, buttons, yarn for making clothings
  • Gloves that are protective or sports gloves (not general dress gloves)
  • Hair accessories (barrettes, bobby pins, ponytail holders, bows, hair nets, etc.)
  • Handbags
  • Handkerchiefs
  • Jewelry
  • Protective equipment
  • Sports and recreational equipment
  • Sunglasses
  • Umbrellas
  • Wallets
  • Watches
  • Wigs, hair pieces

If you buy an item during the exemption and have to exchange it for a similar item after the holiday, you don’t have to pay a tax. However, if you buy an item during the holiday and return it for credit after the holiday, you’ll have to pay tax on your new purchase.

Discounts and coupons can be used to help an item fit in the tax-free status, if the discount lowers its price enough to qualify. But a gift certificate can’t be used to do the same thing.

An order for a custom-made item that is delivered after the holiday and thus not available for immediate shipment is not eligible to be tax-free. But buying an item during the tax-free holiday and opting for immediate shipment is eligible, even if the item isn’t actually shipped until after the holiday.