Loretto-area families will soon have an opportunity to save on clothing, school supplies and computers during Tennessee’s annual sales tax holiday.

The 2026 tax-free weekend begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 31, and continues through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 2. During that period, shoppers will not pay state or local sales tax on qualifying purchases. Tennessee’s annual sales tax holiday began in 2006 and is celebrating its 20th year.

What qualifies?
The following items may be purchased tax-free:

Clothing costing $100 or less per item
School and art supplies costing $100 or less per item
Computers costing $1,500 or less per item

Qualifying clothing includes shirts, pants, dresses, coats, shoes, sneakers, hats, belts, uniforms, gloves and other apparel intended for general use.

Eligible school supplies include backpacks, binders, calculators, crayons, folders, glue, lunch boxes, notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, rulers and scissors. Art supplies such as paint, paintbrushes, sketch pads, clay and watercolors may also qualify.

Computers priced at $1,500 or less qualify, including tablets and bundled computer packages. However, separately purchased monitors, keyboards, printers, printer ink, software, video game consoles and e-readers are generally not included.

What does not qualify?
Jewelry, handbags, sports and recreational equipment, protective equipment, household appliances, separately purchased computer accessories and extended warranties remain taxable.

Shoppers should also remember that the price limit applies to each individual item. For example, several shirts may be purchased tax-free as long as each shirt costs $100 or less. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items that may be purchased. However, an item priced above the limit is taxed on its entire purchase price—not just the amount above the limit.

Online purchases also qualify
Qualifying items purchased online, by telephone or through mail order may also be tax-free. The order must be placed, paid for and accepted by the retailer during the holiday period for immediate shipment. Delivery may occur after the weekend.

The exemption is intended for items purchased for personal use. Purchases made for use by a business or trade do not qualify.

Families preparing for the upcoming school year are encouraged to review their supply lists, compare prices and consider shopping with local businesses whenever possible. With Tennessee sales taxes approaching 10 percent in many communities, the weekend can provide meaningful savings—especially on larger purchases such as computers.

A complete list of eligible and taxable items is available through the Tennessee Department of Revenue’s sales tax holiday website.

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