Virginia’s first Sales Tax Holiday begins today! For three full days, Friday, Aug. 4, through Sunday, Aug. 6, shoppers in Virginia will not have to pay the 5-percent sales tax on school supplies priced at $20 or less per item, and on clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less per article of clothing or pair of footwear. In addition, retailers may also voluntarily “absorb” the sales tax on any other items in their stores for these three days. Retailers who “absorb” the sales tax on non-exempt items must pay the sales tax themselves to the Tax Department.
“As a parent, I know how expensive getting ready for school can be,” said David. “This is a small measure of help — especially to families struggling to make ends meet in our high cost of living area — and I was proud to support it in the General Assembly.”
The Virginia Department of Taxation is extending its customer service hours to answer questions. Customer service representatives will be prepared to answer questions about the sales tax holiday until 9 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday. The number to call is 804-367-8037. The department will be closed on Sunday. For further details about the “holiday,” check the agency’s special sales tax holiday Web site, http://www.tax.virginia.gov/salestaxholiday, which includes an all-inclusive list of school supplies and a representative list of clothing qualifying for the exemption.
The “holiday” is expected to save shoppers about $3.6 million in retail sales tax. The three-day “holiday” will take place each year beginning on the first Friday in August and ending at midnight on the following Sunday.
