SC Sales Tax Free Weekend is Aug. 6-8

It started in 2000 and it happens again this weekend when South Carolinians can enjoy tax-free shopping for 72 hours.

From 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 6 until midnight on Aug. 8, a variety of items will be exempt from the state’s 6% sales tax and applicable local taxes during SC Sales Tax Free Weekend 2021. Tax-free items range from clothing and shoes to school supplies and computer hardware and software. And eligible items are tax-free whether they are purchased in-store or online.

Since the sales tax holiday began two decades ago, state residents have saved between $2 million and $3 million, state officials say.

Exempt items include clothing and accessories, footwear, school supplies used for school assignments, computers, software, printers, and certain bed and bath supplies.

According to the SC Department of Revenue, school supplies include, but are not limited to, pens, pencils, paper, binders, notebooks, books, backpacks, lunch boxes and calculators.

Books and musical instruments also are tax-exempt during tax free weekend if they are used for school assignments. Textbooks are already exempt from sales tax, but other books used for school such as dictionaries and books used for book reports and reading assignments are exempt during the sales tax holiday.

While computers are tax free over the weekend, cell phones, smartphones or other handheld devices that make phone calls are not exempt. Neither are handheld devices that are primarily used to download and listen to music, download and watch videos, or download and read books.

Items such as refrigerators and toiletries purchased by college students are not used for school assignments and are not exempt.

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Tax Free Weekend in South Carolina, visit the SC Department of Revenue website.