Shoppers in Illinois looking to stock up on school supplies, clothing and other back-to-school gear can look forward to saving a bit on sales tax starting Friday.
The state’s sales-tax holiday on certain school-related items will run until Aug. 14, giving a break to those looking to get their kids ready to head back into classrooms.
The holiday applies to all retailers in Illinois.
It will cut the state’s portion of sales tax from 6.25% to 1.25% on qualified items. Other sales taxes, such as those from a city or county, still apply, depending on where you’re shopping. Non-qualifying items will continue to have the normal sales tax.
The state has provided a lengthy list of items that qualify for the reduced sales tax, including clothing, footwear and standard school supplies. The retail selling price on each item must be less than $125, and there are exceptions if, for example, you’re looking to buy sports gear or art supplies like paintbrushes or watercolors.
Here’s a full list of qualifying items from the Illinois Department of Revenue:
Here’s a look at what the state says will not qualify for reduced sales tax:
For more information on the tax holiday, check out the state’s announcement here.
