DeSantis signs bill renewing sales tax holidays, relief totaling around $1.5 billion
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Tuesday renewing the state’s popular sales tax holidays, as well as implementing other forms of tax relief, totaling around $1.5 billion.
The bill, HB 7073, was sponsored by Rep. Stan McClain, R-Ocala.
The tax holidays remove sales tax on certain products at various points throughout the upcoming fiscal year in order to relieve financial burden on Floridians in times of need.
In addition to the holidays, the relief includes a year-long exemption for property insurance premium taxes, and the same for flood insurance policies – written from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sep. 30, 2025.
- Back-to-school sales tax holiday: 14 days, from July 29 to Aug. 11.
- Clothing, footwear, and backpacks costing $100 or less
- School supplies costing $50 or less
- Learning aids costing $30 or less
- Personal computers or computer accessories, and software, costing $1,500 or less
- Disaster preparedness sales tax holiday: 14 days, twice during hurricane season, from June 1-14, and Aug. 24-Sep. 6. Hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 1.
- Flashlights and lanterns $40 or less
- Reusable ice $20 or less
- Radios $50 or less
- Tarps, ground anchors, tie-down kits $100 or less
- Coolers, portable power banks $60 or less
- Batteries, fuel tanks $50 or less
- Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors $70 or less
- Generators $3,000 or less
- Additional items related to evacuating pets
- “Freedom Month” summer sales tax holiday: Month-long tax relief holiday spanning all of July.
- Admissions to music, sporting, cultural events
- Tickets to movies, museums
- Tickets to theater and dance performances
- State park passes
- Use of fitness facilities
- Water and boating equipment and supplies
- Camping products
- Fishing products
- Electric scooters
- Outdoor supplies like sunglasses, sunscreen, grills, pool chemicals, supplies and parts
- “Tool Time” tools sales tax holiday: week-long tax relief spanning Sep. 1-7.
- Hand tools $50 or less
- Power tools $300 or less
- Work boots $175 or less
- Other safety equipment
- Shop lights, toolboxes, belts
- Plumbing, electric equipment
“Before I became governor, we never even came close as a state to doing even a billion in tax relief,” DeSantis said during a press conference.
“We’ve done, just since I’ve been governor, close to $7 billion in tax relief for taxpayers,” he said.
The governor emphasized how the state, on top of the tax holidays, is doing “child-focused tax credits.”
“We are now doubling the state’s investment in the Strong Families Tax Credit from $20 million to $40 million. So this provides tax credits for companies that make charitable contributions to child welfare organizations,” he said.
DeSantis added how the bill contains another tax credit for employers who operate or support a childcare program for their employees.
“So childcare has been really, really difficult,” he said. “It’s expensive and there’s not enough options for parents who are working. So now you can have an employer get a tax credit if they’re providing childcare on the site or if they’re doing a program where they’re helping their employees get the childcare that they need.”
Another tax credit he pointed out was the corporate tax credit given to businesses who hire Floridians with disabilities.
“If you look at some companies who have done this, like Publix, they’re providing opportunities for all these great people that have unique abilities and have certain challenges,” he said.
The director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, Kevin Guthrie, thanked the governor for his cooperation with the division and emergency managers across the state.
He emphasized the importance of the two “Disaster Preparedness” sales tax holidays that will cut costs for Floridians when they purchase disaster prep material and supplies in the lead-up to potential events like hurricanes.
