The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday in Alabama is one of the two sales tax holidays observed in the state, the other being the Severe Weather Preparedness holiday. 

The Tax Holiday always begins at 12:01 a.m. on the third Friday in July and ends at midnight on the following Sunday. This year it runs from Friday, July 21st - Sunday, July 23rd.

During this holiday, participating counties and municipalities provide exemptions for certain items from county or municipal sales or use taxes. These exemptions are under the same terms, conditions, and definitions as provided for the state sales tax holiday. Retailers are required to participate and may not charge tax on items that are legally tax-exempt during the sales tax holiday. This holiday is a great opportunity for families to purchase back-to-school items and save on the sales tax.

The City of Orange Beach, other local municipalities and Baldwin County are participating. It’s a great time to save money and support local businesses in our area. 

The Alabama Department of Revenue website has a quick reference sheet of exempt and non-exempt items.

Items included on the tax-free weekend include the following:

CLOTHING - $100 or Less, per article of clothing - Includes all human-wearing apparel suitable for general use, such as: 

• Belts 
• Boots 
• Caps 
• Coats 
• Diapers 
• Dresses 
• Gloves 
• Gym Suits 
• Hats 
• Hosiery 
• Jackets 
• Jeans 
• Neckties 
• Pajamas 
• Pants 
• Raincoats 
• Robes 
• Sandals
• Scarves 
• School Uniforms 
• Shirts 
• Shoes 
• Shorts 
• Socks 
• Sneakers 
• Underwear

Computers

From 2006 to 2008, a computer may include a laptop, desktop, or tower computer system. These systems consist of a central processing unit (CPU), and devices such as a display monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers sold as a computer package. Computer parts and devices not sold as part of a package with the CPU, will not qualify for the exemption.

School Computer Supplies – An item commonly used by a student in a course of study in which a computer is used. All-inclusive list includes:

• Computer Storage Media; diskettes, compact disks 
• Handheld electronic schedulers, except devices that are cellular phones 
• Personal digital assistants, except devices that are cellular phones 
• Computer printers
• Printer supplies for computers (printer paper, printer ink)

Non-Eligible Computer Related Items Include: Furniture; any systems, devices, software, peripherals designed or intended primarily for recreational use; and video games of a non-educational nature.

School Supplies, School Art Supplies & School Instructional Material - Sales Price of $50 or less, per item (Noncommercial Purchases):

• Binders 
• Blackboard chalk 
• Book Bags 
• Calculators 
• Cellophane tape 
• Compasses 
• Composition books 
• Crayons 
• Erasers 
• Folders (expandable, pocket, plastic & manila) 
• Glue, paste, and paste sticks 
• Highlighters 
• Index cards 
• Index card boxes 
• Legal pads 
• Lunch boxes 
• Markers 
• Notebooks 
• Paper (colored, construction, copy, graph, loose-leaf ruled notebook, manila, and tracing papers and poster board) 
• Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes 
• Pencil sharpeners 
• Pencils 
• Pens 
• Protractors 
• Rulers 
• Scissors 
• Writing tablets

School Art Supplies:

• Clay and glazes 
• Paints (acrylic, tempera, oil, and watercolors) 
• Paintbrushes for artwork 
• Sketch and drawing pads 

School Instructional Material -  (Written material commonly used in a course of study as a reference and to learn the subject being taught. This is an all-inclusive list.) :

• Reference maps and globes 
• Required textbooks on an official schoolbook list with a sales price of more than $30 and less than $50

Books - Sales Price of $30 or Less, per book (Noncommercial Purchases):

• The term book is defined as a set of printed sheets bound together and published in a volume with an ISBN.
• NON-ELIGIBLE: Magazines, newspapers, periodicals and any other document printed or offered for sale in a non-bound form.

More information can be found on the Alabama Department of Revenue website.