Ohio’s Sales Tax Holiday Starts Friday: Here’s What You Can Buy

Customer making a contactless payment at a cafe — Source: Noko LTD / Getty

Ohio’s annual sales tax holiday kicks off Friday, and this year, shoppers get double the time to save.

Running from midnight on August 1st through 11:59 p.m. on August 14th, the expanded tax break gives Ohioans 14 days to shop without sales tax on most items priced $500 or less. That includes electronics, clothes, books, home goods, food, and more.

Basically, if it’s a tangible item and under the price cap, you’re likely good. However, the state’s Department of Taxation does list a few things that won’t qualify for the exemption:

What’s not included:

Cars, boats, and outboard motors
Alcohol, tobacco, and vape products
Anything containing marijuana

What is included:

Electronics – laptops, tablets, TVs, headphones
Clothing – all apparel items, no category limit
Books – including novels, textbooks, and children’s books
Home goods – furniture, cookware, and décor
Food – including dine-in meals, snacks, soft drinks, and supplements
Sporting goods – both equipment and athletic wear
Plants – both indoor and outdoor

There’s no cap on how much you can spend overall, but each item must be $500 or less to be tax-free. If an item comes in a set that costs more than $500, like snow skis, it won’t qualify.

Discounts also count: if a store coupon drops an item’s price to $500 or under, it qualifies. The same goes for online, mail, or phone orders placed during the two-week window, and layaway purchases made or picked up during the holiday.

Ohio’s tax-free weekend became a permanent thing back in 2019, but this is the first time it’s stretched to two full weeks.

Happy saving, Ohio.