Illinois’ Sales Tax Holiday Starts Today: What You Need To Know

Parents looking to save some money on restocking their kids' school supplies are getting a break in the form of a limited time "sales tax holiday" that begins today, Friday, August 5th--but it's a very short break that you'll want to take advantage of before it completely disappears.

The sales tax holiday here in Illinois runs through August 14th, giving you 10 days to pay a reduced state sales tax on school supplies by 5%. Shoppers will only pay 1.25% plus the local sales tax.

Just remember to familiarize yourself with the details of this sales tax holiday before you hit the back-to-school sales.

Keep In Mind That Not All “Back-To-School” Items Qualify For Illinois' Reduced Sales Tax, And You'll Find Restrictions On Some Clothing And Footwear Items

According to the State of Illinois' tax-holiday information website, this tax holiday move includes "qualifying clothing and footwear with a retail selling price of less than $125 per item and certain school supplies used by students in the course of study. School supplies are not subject to the $125 threshold."

Here's a rundown on the "qualified" clothing and footwear eligible for the tax holiday, according to Illinois' tax-holiday information site:

Clothing:

• athletic supporters
• bathing suits and caps
• belts and suspenders
• coats and jackets
• gloves and mittens
• hats, caps, and ear muffs
• lab coats
• neckties
• rainwear
• rubber pants (covers for cloth
diapers)
• scarves
• underwear
• school uniforms
• shorts and pants
• skirts and dresses
• hosiery and pantyhose
• shirts and blouses

Footwear:

((Retail selling price must be less
than $125 per item))
• shoes, sneakers, and shoe laces
• sandals
• slippers
• socks and stockings
• footlets
• boots and overshoes
• insoles for shoes
• steel-toed shoes

For the full list of school supplies that qualify, along with a listing of clothing and school supplies that don't meet the criteria, click here.