Floridians, you might want to wait until July 1 to buy that kayak, new grill, or Broadway series pass. The state of Florida has a new sales tax holiday to encourage us to a) get outside and b) get back to sharing space with strangers.
The holiday lasts from July 1 to July 7, 2021. Depending on the county in which you live, that could mean a 6% to 8% savings.
Two Exemption Categories
The savings cover two main categories: a) outdoor activity supplies and b) events. “Outdoor activity supplies” include everything from bug spray to gas grills (the first $500 – sorry, gourmet grillers). Reading the list of exempted items makes me want to spend the rest of the summer in the water (many of these do have limits ranging from $500 down to $10): canoes and kayaks, water skis and wakeboards, paddleboards and surfboards, coolers, goggles, snorkels, masks, hydration packs, sunglasses, sunscreen, rods and reels, as well as bait and tackle.
For woodsy type landlubbers, exempt (also with limits) are binoculars, bicycles, bug spray, camping supplies (stoves, tents, collapsible chairs, lanterns, flashlights, sleeping bags), and outdoor gas or charcoal grills. (Gee, this also reads like my hurricane preparedness list.)
Events and Annual Passes
For even more fun, “events” include tickets to any concert, movie, game, fair, festival, cultural event, or gym with attendance dates through December 31, 2021.
Events also include annual passes to museums, state parks (which I didn’t know they charged sales tax on in the first place?), and theaters. Despite their property-tax-free status, Disney does not count as a state park.
No limits on the cost for the passes. So if you’re considering venturing out for the Broadway series, purchasing the pass between July 1 and July 7 might save you enough to cover dinners before the shows.
For a complete description, see the state of Florida’s TIP sheet at:https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/tips/Documents/TIP_21A01-05.pdf
How will you take advantage of the sales tax holiday??
