Mia Moda
At clothing stores such as Mia Moda at the Park South Shopping Center on Montgomery Highway, parents will be able to buy back-to-school clothing for their kids at a discounted price over the tax-free weekend. Photo by Olivia Burton.
Alabama’s annual Back-to-School tax-free weekend will take place from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 7, to midnight on Sunday, Aug. 9. Mountain Brook, Hoover, Vestavia, Homewood and Shelby County will be participating in the sales tax holiday.
In addition to the sales tax exemption, many stores will feature special sales over the weekend. According to Vestavia Chamber of Commerce President Karen Odle, even some stores whose items are not exempt under the law will offer discounts over the weekend.
“Parents use the tax-free weekend to stock up and get ready to go back to school, since school starts about two weeks afterwards,” said Odle.
General-use apparel such as dresses, jackets, pants, shirts, shoes and underwear will be exempt from Alabama’s sales tax over the weekend. All clothing items must be under $100. Clothing accessories such as jewelry, wallets and watches, protective equipment such as tool belts and hard hats, and sport or recreational equipment such as goggles and shoulder pads will not be exempt from sales tax.
The exemption also applies to computers and other electronics under $750, school supplies under $50, educational books under $30 and required textbooks between $30 and $50. Furniture, video games, magazines and newspapers will remain taxable.
“We encourage all of our residents to shop local,” said Odle. “This is a great time to support our local businesses.”
For more information, visit revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/salestaxhol.cfm.