Apple Lists Products Eligible for Upcoming Sales Tax Holidays in Nine U.S. States

[MacRumors]

Apple has detailed which of its products are eligible for upcoming sales tax holidays in select U.S. states, including Arkansas, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Sales tax holidays provide a limited-time opportunity to purchase select Apple products online or in store without paying sales tax. Eligible products and price limits vary from state to state, with complete details outlined on Apple's website. Apple says tax savings may not appear during checkout, but will be reflected on the final receipt.

Depending on the state, eligible Apple products may include Macs, iPads, iPhones, and/or peripherals like the Apple Pencil and Studio Display.

Florida's sales tax holiday begins this Monday and runs through August 7, while many other states offer sales tax holidays in the first week of August. Apple's website provides a complete list of dates for each state's sales tax holiday.

Sales tax holidays are especially beneficial to students, as the tax savings can be combined with Apple's ongoing Back to School promotion, which offers students up to a $150 Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad, as well as 20% off AppleCare+ plans. Apple also offers students an educational discount on select purchases.

(Thanks, Juanchi Roca-Paisley!)

Article Link: Apple Lists Products Eligible for Upcoming Sales Tax Holidays in Nine U.S. States

 

[jooish]

Of course CA wouldn't be on that list...

 

[MacLC]

Sales tax holidays on select products in select states on select days?

Sounds like a bingo gimmick.

So who's eating the tax here? Is it Apple or the states?

As an outsider I'm not aware of what goes on in US politics.

 

[Nykwil]

Sales tax holidays on select products in select states on select days?

Sounds like a bingo gimmick.

So who's eating the tax here? Is it Apple or the states?

As an outsider I'm not aware of what goes on in US politics.

We the people, who buy the product pay the sales tax. That sales tax goes to the state. They (apple) just have to collect the sales tax and give it back to the state. That sales tax goes to maintaining the state we live in so I am paying for it with every sales purchase. The state I live, allows a tax free purchase on anything up to $XXXX bucks, including ANY apple product UP to that price. For one weekend, it just means our state doesn't collect tax from us on any sales, not just at apple.

Not a gimmick, a lot of people save their big purchases on tax free holidays. And the limit applies to every transactional purchase. So you can buy up to $XXXX PER TRANSACTION TAX FREE (ie multiple macs up to $XXXX if you wanted, you just have to ring it up separately, but this only applies to my state)

 

[barkomatic]

Sales tax holidays on select products in select states on select days?

Sounds like a bingo gimmick.

So who's eating the tax here? Is it Apple or the states?

As an outsider I'm not aware of what goes on in US politics.

The state eats the tax. My state used to do a tax holiday for clothing under a certain dollar amount during a short time frame. It can be significant savings depending on how much you get. Sadly, they haven't done it in awhile.

 

[akfgpuppet]

Of course CA wouldn't be on that list...

Looking at the website and the information that it links to, some of these are done for back to school. Weird that a state like CA doesn't have something like this in play.

 

[erikkfi]

Why would a state choose to forego revenue on a certain set of days per year?

 

[villein]

Why would a state choose to forego revenue on a certain set of days per year?

It's to help families afford back-to-school necessities.

 

[zorinlynx]

Does this apply to items ordered from the Education store? I can't find any information about it. I qualify for edu since I work at a university and it turns out this would save me more money than the educational discount on the purchase I'm considering.

Would be amazing to get BOTH discounts.

 

[Freeangel1]

now that you let everyone know an iPad M2 is on its way I think most people are gonna wait for the M2 Model.

Thats what I would do. Tax or no tax.

 

[JosephAW]

It would make more sense if all the products purchased were manufactured in the USA.

 

[RMo]

It would make more sense if all the products purchased were manufactured in the USA.

How, exactly? This is a collection of states choosing to forego sales tax on certain days of the year during typical "back to school" shopping season. Apple per se has nothing to do with it. The tax is collected for the state (or sometimes local level), and further, where the product itself may have been manufactured does not come into play--it's generally applied to anything considered a retail sale, with some exceptions and further additions in some areas.

I understand that maybe you wish the manufacturing part were different, at least for Apple--it's just not relevant here.

 

[tuc]

Yes, Virginia does have a sales tax holiday August 5–7, but I'm not sure if any Apple products qualify.

It works for school supplies ($20 or less per item), clothing and footwear ($100 or less per item), hurricane preparedness products, and some energy-efficient or water-efficient appliances or fixtures. That's it.

Virginia Sales Tax Holiday | Virginia Tax

Virginia's 3-Day Sales Tax Holiday | August 1-3, 2025 When is it? August 1-3, 2025. The 3-day sales tax holiday starts the first Friday in August at 12:01 am and ends the following Sunday at 11:59 pm.

www.tax.virginia.gov

 

[arkmannj]

aaah bugger, my State of course is not on the list.

 

[SpotOnT]

Why would a state choose to forego revenue on a certain set of days per year?

My understanding is that back when online orders were tax free, it was created as a way to boost sales at local businesses. Now that pretty much all online orders have taxes collected though (at least in my state), I am not sure there is much of a point.

Edit: I see that some people say in their state it only applies to some specific items. Here it applies to everything under a few thousand dollars. No exceptions.

 

[Juanchi007]

Does this apply to items ordered from the Education store? I can't find any information about it. I qualify for edu since I work at a university and it turns out this would save me more money than the educational discount on the purchase I'm considering.

Would be amazing to get BOTH discounts.

Though the size of the tax exemption may depend on your state (Florida, for example, says that only the first $1,500 are tax free), all should be combinable with the education discount.

When combining the year-round education discount, the seasonal Back to School promotional gift cards, and the upcoming tax holidays, it’s hands down the best time for educators or students to buy through Apple.

 

[Realityck]

Why would a state choose to forego revenue on a certain set of days per year?

August is usually a month people don’t buy that much, so the industry and in this instance these states use these tax free holidays to entice consumers to buy items before the Labor Day sales start.

 

[ian87w]

Looking at the website and the information that it links to, some of these are done for back to school. Weird that a state like CA doesn't have something like this in play.

Why is it weird? I think people living in CA are happy to pay their fair share of taxes.

 

[nicho]

Yes, Virginia does have a sales tax holiday August 5–7, but I'm not sure if any Apple products qualify.

It works for school supplies ($20 or less per item), clothing and footwear ($100 or less per item), hurricane preparedness products, and some energy-efficient or water-efficient appliances or fixtures. That's it.

Virginia Sales Tax Holiday | Virginia Tax

Virginia's 3-Day Sales Tax Holiday | August 1-3, 2025 When is it? August 1-3, 2025. The 3-day sales tax holiday starts the first Friday in August at 12:01 am and ends the following Sunday at 11:59 pm.

www.tax.virginia.gov

Time for Apple to relaunch the iPod socks!

 

[ponzicoinbro]

As an outsider I'm not aware of what goes on in US politics.

Insiders are clueless too.

 

[sherwinzadeh]

Of course CA wouldn't be on that list...

You'd think with a $97 Billion surplus this year...

 

[shinigamii]

Here in India, the tax is so high and now it is even worse!

 

[ProfessionalFan]

I wish I lived in one of those states this week. I have friends in some of them but the shipping cost would negate most of the savings.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Does this apply to items ordered from the Education store? I can't find any information about it. I qualify for edu since I work at a university and it turns out this would save me more money than the educational discount on the purchase I'm considering.

Would be amazing to get BOTH discounts.

Yes. I'm looking at getting an iPad Air with the educational discount, $100 Apple gift card, and no tax. $450 effective cost because I will use the $100 promo card on my Apple One subscription.

 

[OS-SEX]

No tax holiday for those of us in the Garden State. Ever. 😣