Need a new laptop or clothes? What you need to know about SC’s Sales Tax Holiday

Shoppers in South Carolina can soon hit the stores to get a variety of back-to-school products without having to pay state and local sales taxes.

The state’s Sales Tax Holiday weekend will go from 12:01 a.m. Aug. 3 to midnight Aug. 5, according to the S.C. Department of Revenue. Throughout that weekend — which brings some of the busiest shopping days to Palmetto State retailers besides Black Friday — shoppers can buy products ranging from clothing and accessories to school supplies, book bags and computers without having to pay the state’s 6-percent sales tax and any applicable local taxes.

Items exempt from tax include clothing, clothing accessories, footwear and school supplies. For those heading to college or looking to furnish a dorm room, items like blankets, bed linens, bath towels, shower curtains and bath mats are also exempt from sales tax.

Some items are not exempt, though, including jewelery, cosmetics, wallets, watches, furniture, any item placed on layaway, rentals of clothing or footwear or the sale or lease of an item for use in a trade or business.

South Carolina shoppers have saved between $2 million and $3 million during the holiday weekend in recent years, according to the Department of Revenue.

For a complete listing of exempt and nonexempt items, visit the Department of Revenue’s website.

This story was originally published July 24, 2018 at 11:40 AM.