The Woodward News

Local News

July 28, 2012

Shoppers can save during Tax Free Holiday

Gary Engel Woodward News

Woodward, Okla. — Just in time for back-to-school shopping, Oklahoma's Tax Free Holiday returns Aug. 3 through 5.

Created by the state legislature in 2007, the holiday provides an opportunity for consumers to take advantage of savings on a number of items, and in so doing, stimulate activity at merchants.

The Oklahoma Tax Commission's (OTC) Communications Dir-ector Paula Ross said the tax free shopping, "As a general rule, applies to all clothing and footwear priced less than $100."

A nonexclusive list of clothing that is exempt from sales tax during the holiday may be found on the OTC's website at http://www.tax.ok.gov/stholiday.html.  For example, in addition to the obvious exemptions for clothing like shirts and pants, other eligible items include athletic supporters, diapers, costumes, hosiery, belts, scarves, underwear, ear muffs, bathing suits, and wedding apparel.

However, Ross said there are a number of clothing items that are not exempt, even when priced under $100.  Buyers will still have to pay tax on things such as special athletic clothing and footwear that is limited to use on the field or court, she said, as well as on rental clothing and shoes.  In addition, accessories such as jewelry, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches and other similar items are still taxable.

However, Ross said that shoppers can still take advantage of sales tax exemptions on eligible items purchased via layaway and online, as long as the items are paid for during the sales tax holiday.  

But no matter where or how you purchase the items, even eligible articles of clothing will be taxed if they are individually priced over $100.

Ross explained that shoppers can make several purchases during the holiday, but the items must each be less than $100 to get the tax break on that item.  In other words, if 6 items were bought and 2 were more than $100, the tax exemption would not apply to those 2 items.

For more information about the sales tax holiday, including answers to some frequently asked questions, visit http://www.tax.ok.gov/stholiday.html.  Or shoppers may ask questions by phone at (800) 522-8165 or by e-mailing otcmaster@tax.ok.gov.



LOCAL GOVERNMENT NOT LEFT OUT

While consumers are saving sales taxes, that doesn't mean communities lose out on local sales tax revenues, Ross said.  To help ensure that municipalities still receive the tax revenue they need to keep their local government running, the state reimburses communities for the tax they would have collected from the purchases made over the sales tax holiday, she said.

"Last year, the state remitted more than $6.9 million back to the local entities, based on their local tax rates," Ross said. "So that means consumers saved that amount on their purchases."

 

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