Senator Outlines Sales Tax-Exempt Weekend Details

Sales tax-exempt weekend for back-to-school shopping is fast approaching for Aug. 5-7, as in Eureka-Wildwood Patch.

Missouri Sen. Brian Nieves (R-District 26), in his column this week, encourages caretakers and educators to take advantage of this "great opportunity to purchase everything children and students need to thrive academically, without stretching your pocketbook."

However, Nieves said it is important to remember only certain items will be exempt from sales tax. Those items include:

• Clothing and footwear (not including watches, jewelry, handbags, belt buckles, scarves, ties, headbands or umbrellas).
• School supplies, such as notebooks, paper, writing tools, crayons, backpacks, maps, and globes (not including radios, CD players, sporting equipment, radios, headphones, portable or desktop telephones, copiers or other office equipment, furniture, or fixtures).
• Personal computers and devices (laptops, desktops, or tower computer systems).

Computer software costing more than $350 is not included. For personal computers to qualify, the cost cannot exceed $3,500. The tax-exempt weekend covers computer peripheral devices that do not exceed $3,500 in costs.

Nieves said it is also necessary to know that there are price limits on items that qualify for sales tax exemption. "To be eligible for this exemption, an article of clothing can’t exceed a taxable value of $100, school supplies can’t surpass $50 per purchase, computer software can’t exceed a taxable value of $350, and personal computers can’t surpass $3,500."

"I’m happy to say that much of our area has elected to participate in the sales tax holiday, but each city and county in Missouri has the right to decline," said Nieves.

For more information about the sales tax holiday, visit the state's website.

Nieves covers west St. Louis County, as well as Franklin and Warren counties.