(Disclaimer – the sign above is from 2005.)
UPDATE: For Oct. 2007 Sales Tax Holiday, please visit this post.
I’ve had a lot of hits recently on last year’s post about the Georgia Sales Tax holiday and decided I needed to find out when this year’s holiday was scheduled. In case you weren’t aware of it, for the last several years, the State of Georgia has had at least one regularly scheduled sales tax holiday for parents, grandparents, friends, and family to purchase needed school supplies without having to pay the required sales tax. In previous years, this also included computers and laptops as well as school clothes.
This year, the 2007 school sales tax holiday has been proposed by the State Legislature and approved by Governor Sonny Perdue to take place August 2 – 5th, 2007. Per the most recent legislation, no limit is placed on how many clothing items a consumer can purchase during the sales tax free holiday. You just have to remember that individual clothing items over $100 are not exempt from sales tax, and clothing accessories are still taxed.
Clothing and footwear are exempt up to $100 per item, with no limit on how many pairs of shoes and clothing items a person can buy. In other words, you can buy 10 pairs of shoes at $10 each without paying any sales tax, or buy one (1) single pair for $101 and pay another $6 or $7 in sales tax. Clothing accessories, such as handbags, eyewear, jewelry, umbrellas, and watches, are not exempt.
The 4-day Georgia Sales Tax Holiday weekend draws shoppers from surrounding states in addition to many metro Atlantans, to take advantage of the sales tax exemption on certain items. School supplies are sales tax exempt up to $20 per item, including pens, pencils, notebooks, paper, book bags, calculators, dictionaries, thesauruses, children’s books and books listed on school district approved reading lists for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Again, there are no limits on the number of school supply purchases – simply a ceiling price of $20 per item.
For a full list of approved items as well as restrictions, visit the Georgia Department of Revenue website. Keep in mind that this is last year’s listing from the Governor’s office. This year’s has not yet been released, but expected in the next two weeks or so.
Computers and computer accessories are exempt up to $1500 per transaction. If the purchase exceeds $1500, the entire price is taxable, not just the amount that exceeds $1500. Items included in the personal computer category include monitors, personal computer base units, keyboards, handheld computers, printers, modems, nonrecreational software, and other peripheral devices.
A second sales tax holiday for energy-efficient appliances is slated for October 4 – October 7, 2007. There is a limit of $1500 on the energy-efficient appliances to qualify for the sales tax exemption, and appliances can include everything from dishwashers, to refrigerators, to air conditioners. For a complete listing of approved appliances from last year’s list, please visit the Georgia General Assembly website. Each year, it is updated around the first of July. This year’s complete listing (for 2007) has not yet been released.
So, for those of you who like to plan ahead, put August 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th on your calendar right now, and make sure you’re prepared with your lists of sizes and required school supplies, cash, checkbook, or credit card, and comfortable shoes for all those checkout lines!
UPDATE: For the latest information from the state about this year’s sales tax holiday, please visit our post of July 9th here.
For 2008 Sales Tax Holiday dates, please visit my blog here: http://masterworks.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/georgia-sales-tax-holidays-for-2008/
Hi Mary, I’m writing a story for the AJC on tips for wringing the most out of the sales tax holiday. Would you like to be one of my “experts”? If so, shoot me an e-mail at pattighezzi@hotmail.com
Thanks!
ARE HEAT PUMP THERMOSTATS AND STORM DOORS TAX FREE ITEMS ON THE OCTOBER TAX FREE LIST?
Dale,
According to the GA Dept. of Revenue site, more specific information regarding the October Energy Efficient Taxfree Holiday will be available at a later date. You can read about that here:
http://www.etax.dor.ga.gov/salestax/holiday/index.aspx
You can also read the specific legislation, House Bill 128, at this web address:
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/pdf/hb128.pdf
Hope this helps!
For the life of me, I can’t remember…..does the sales tax holiday apply to online purchases? For instance, i want to buy a Mac computer during this year’s holiday, but I’m going to want to customize it a little bit, which procludes walking to an apple store to get it. Do you know?
Thanks!!
Robert
Robert,
I don’t honestly know the answer to your question. I did purchase a laptop myself last August, but it was an instore purchase. I’m not sure what the status of an online purchase would be. I understand exactly the situation that you’re describing, having previously purchased a customized desktop computer myself.
I have already written to the DOR asking for new information for any sales tax holidays in 2008, but I have not yet heard back from them. I would suggest that you contact the Taxpayer Services Division at 404-417-6601 or by email at taxpayer.services@dor.ga.gov.
You also might try contacting the DOR Public Information office. The Georgia Department of Revenue website lists Charles Willey as the Director of Public Information. He may be contacted by phone at 404-417-2106 or by email at charles.willey@dor.ga.gov.
Good luck! I hope you find the information you’re looking for. As soon as I hear any new information, it will be up on my blog.
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*UPDATE* – I just received a *very* quick reply from Charles Willey of the DOR Public Information office. Here is his response:
“The legislature will have to pass a bill authorizing a tax holiday for this year. I’m sure there will be something in the media if a bill bet passed authorizing the holiday. You can also keep checking back with me for any update.”
For more specific information about purchasing online vs. an in-store purchase, I’d still suggest you contact them directly. Hope this helps!
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FURTHER UPDATE:
I received additional information from the DOR late this morning that I’ve posted on my blog. Please visit this page:
http://masterworks.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/georgia-sales-tax-holidays-for-2008/.