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It’s that time of year again. As we get ready for schools to reopen, parents catch a break the next few days on some expenses thanks to Virginia’s tax-free weekend. But not every purchase you make this weekend is free of the state sales tax. As for what does (or doesn’t) qualify, let’s take a look. 

How long does the tax-free weekend last? 

Yes, state officials say that’s one of the first questions they get asked each year. The tax-free weekend started Friday, Aug. 2 at 12:01 a.m. It’ll last through Sunday, Aug. 4 at 11:59 p.m. Now to be clear, this doesn’t just involve in-person shopping. If you shop at a Virginia store online or call in an order through the phone, the tax-free part still applies. If anyone still sends orders by mail, that qualifies as well, as long as you postmark it by Sunday night. 

What can I buy? 

Here’s where it gets specific. We all think of school supplies, clothes and appliances when tax-free weekend comes around. But not everything makes the cut. The Dispatch reached out to state tax officials and got a breakdown of what can be bought tax-free in Virginia over the next few days. 

Now before rolling out the list, we do have to go over a couple rules. First, while some older computer storage equipment is allowed, you can’t actually buy a computer or laptop tax-free this weekend. 

There’s one more rule when it comes to the school supplies mentioned below. If any of the individual items are priced above $20, you’ll have to pay tax on it. It’s just those school supplies $20 and under that go tax-free this time. 

Eligible school supplies

This is the only section that has a list of what is (and isn’t) eligible, as the state assembly was very specific about what’s allowed. 

• Binder pockets
• Binders
• Blackboard chalk
• Book bags, messenger bags, and totes
• Calculators
• Cellophane tape
• Clay and glazes
• Compasses
• Composition books
• Computer storage media; diskettes; recordable compact discs & flash drives
• Crayons
• Dictionaries and thesauruses
• Disinfectant wipes
• Dividers
• Erasers (including dry erase marker erasers and dry erase marker cleaning solution)
• Folders (expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila)
• Glue, paste, and paste sticks
• Hand sanitizer soap
• Highlighters
• Index card boxes
• Index cards
• Legal pads
• Lunch boxes and lunch bags (including disposable lunch bags)
• Markers (including dry erase markers and dry erase marker kits)
• Musical instruments, musical instrument accessories, and replacement items for musical instruments 
• Notebooks 
• Paintbrushes for artwork 
• Paints (acrylic, tempera, and oil) 
• Paper (loose leaf ruled notebook paper, copy and printer paper, graph paper, tracing paper, manila paper, colored paper, poster board, and construction paper) 
• Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes 
• Pencil sharpeners 
• Pencils 
• Pens 
• Protractors 
• Reference books 
• Reference maps and globes 
• Rulers 
• Scissors 
• Sheet music 
• Sketch and drawing pads 
• Textbooks 
• Tissues 
• Watercolors 
• Workbooks 
• Writing tablets

What about clothes and shoes? 

Yes, clothes fall under the tax-free weekend rules this year. The same goes for footwear. Everything from jerseys to jeans, sandals to dresses makes the list. Suspenders, hats, aprons and coveralls are also on there. There’s just one catch. Each individual piece of clothes or set of shoes must be $100 or less to qualify. If it’s over $100, then you’ll have to pay state sales tax. 

Are appliances included for tax-free weekend? 

Yes, you can buy some appliances like refrigerators and freezers, depending on the brand. Only Energy Star and WaterSense products that cost $2,500 or less qualify. That includes: 

• Air Conditioners 
• Ceiling Fans 
• Dehumidifiers 
• Washing Machines/Clothes Washers 
• Dishwashers 
• Light Bulbs 
• Refrigerators 
• Bath Sink Faucets
• Faucet Accessories
• Showerheads
• Toilets
• Urinals
• Landscape Irrigation Controllers

What are the rules for emergency products?

The final items on the list are emergency products. That includes: 

• Portable generators – $1,000 or less per item
• Gas-powered chainsaws – $350 or less per item
• Chainsaw accessories – $60 or less per item
• Other hurricane preparedness items – $60 or less per item