Ohio Sales Tax Holiday | August 1

The Ohio Sales Tax Holiday is August 1 through August 14, 2025. Enjoy two weeks of tax-free shopping on clothes and school supplies!

The Ohio Sales Tax Holiday is an event where Ohio sets aside at least three days each year (including the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in August) for consumers to buy specific items without sales tax. This holiday helps families purchase clothing, supplies, and other items their children may need to be successful in the coming school year. Below, residents can find pointers to help them navigate the rules and save money.

Learn More

Back to School with PBS offers printable checklists and planners to get in the back-to-school mindset, tips for creating daily routines, and more for back-to-school.

The Better Business Bureau offers plenty of tips to help with back-to-school shopping.

Shop Cincinnati Black-owned clothing stores to shop during the Ohio Sales Tax Holiday.

Cincinnati residents can shop at plenty of Black-owned retail stores during the Sales Tax Holiday. Shop now at these Black-owned apparel retail businesses. Find tops, workwear, denim, outerwear, hoodies/sweatshirts, and more.

Dine-in restaurants are also included in the Ohio tax-free holiday. Visit Cincinnati Black-owned restaurants to celebrate.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Ohio Sales Tax Holiday?

Starting in 2024, Am. Sub. HB 33 provides for a sales tax holiday of at least three days, including the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of August each year, if a budget surplus exists. For 2025, Ohio’s sales tax holiday is from midnight Friday, August 1, until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, August 14.

What items are exempt (free from sales and tax)?

The sales tax holiday will apply to all tangible personal property worth $500 or less, including restaurant dine-in food sales.

What clothing items are exempt (free from sales and tax)?

Shirts, blouses, sweaters
Pants, shorts, skirts
Dresses
Uniforms (athletic and nonathletic)
Shoes and shoelaces, insoles, sneakers, sandals, boots, overshoes, slippers, steel-toed shoes
Underwear
Socks
Stockings, hosiery, pantyhose, foot lets
Coats and jackets, rainwear, gloves and mittens for typical use, hats and caps, earmuffs
Belts and suspenders, neckties
Scarves
Aprons (household and shop)
Lab coats
Athletic supporters
Bathing suits and caps, beach capes and coats
Costumes
Baby receiving blankets and diapers for children and adults, including disposable diapers and rubber pants.
Garters and garter belts, girdles, formal wear, and wedding apparel.

What school items are exempt (free from sales and tax)?

Binders
Bookbags
Calculators
Cellophane tape
Blackboard chalk
Compasses
Composition books
Crayons
Erasers
Folders (expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila)
Glue, paste, and paste sticks
Highlighters
Index cards and index card boxes
Legal pads
Lunchboxes
Markers
Notebooks, paper, loose leaf ruled notebook paper, copy 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
Rulers
Scissors
Writing tablets
*School supplies do not include any item purchased for use in a trade or business.

Can businesses choose not to participate?

No. Participation is required by law.

Can multiple items be purchased simultaneously and still be tax-exempt during the Ohio Sales Tax Holiday?

Multiple items can be purchased simultaneously and still be exempt from sales and the use of tax. For example, buying two shirts, two pairs of pants, shoes, and a jacket (each item costing $100, total purchase $600) would be tax-exempt. Therefore, tax exemption is determined item by item. Not by the total purchase.

What items DO NOT qualify for the Ohio Sales Tax Holiday?

There is no sales tax exemption on any purchase of watercraft, outboard motors, motor vehicles, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vapor products, or any marijuana item.

Young Black Man working on a laptop — Cincinnati community members can explore deals from local stores during the tax holiday.

Can “Buy One, Get One Free” items qualify for the Ohio Sales Tax Holiday?

The total price of items advertised as “buy one, get one free” or “buy one for a reduced price” cannot be averaged to qualify both items for the exemption. The exemption depends on the actual price paid for each item. For example, if a consumer buys one item at $800 and receives another for free, the purchase would be subject to sales tax.

During the Ohio Sales Tax Holiday, are online, mail, and telephone items/orders exempt (free from sales and tax)?

Qualified items sold to consumers by mail, telephone, email, or Internet shall qualify for the sales tax exemption if the consumer orders and pays for the item. The retailer accepts the order during the exemption period for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period. However, if the order and payment were made before the sales tax holiday, it would not qualify for the exemption even if the item was delivered during the sales tax holiday. Additionally, if an item is back-ordered and payment does not occur until a later shipment, the item would not qualify for the exemption.

The intention of the sales tax holiday, recently made permanent by the Ohio legislature, is to boost sales while also giving taxpayers a break on back-to-school items such as pens, notebooks, jeans, and shoes. For more information, tips, questions, and a list of non-qualifying items, visit Ohio Sales Tax Holiday Frequently Asked Questions. In addition, you can also request more information through email or call 888-405-4039.

If any Black-owned retail companies sell clothing or school supplies we missed, please inform us at The Voice of Black Cincinnati.

Article Information provided by the Ohio Department of Taxation.

The Voice of Black Cincinnati is a media company designed to educate, recognize, and create opportunities for African Americans. Want to find local news, events, job postings, scholarships, and a database of local Black-owned businesses? Visit our homepage, explore other articles, subscribe to our newsletter, like our Facebook page, join our Facebook group, and text VOBC to 513-966-3328.

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