The annual statewide Back to School Sales Tax Holiday started today (Aug. 7) and runs through midnight Sunday (Aug. 9).
During the sales tax holiday, shoppers don’t have to pay the state’s 4.225 percent sales tax on school-related purchases, like clothing, school supplies and computers.
Counties, cities and other local taxing entities have the option of participating in the sales tax holiday.
Jefferson County is participating, too, so it won’t charge its 1.625 percent sales tax.
The cities of Arnold, Herculaneum, Hillsboro and Kimmswick also are participating, so they will forego collecting their local sales taxes. Their sales tax rates are: Arnold, 1.25 percent; Herculaneum, 2.5 percent, Hillsboro, 1.375 percent; and Kimmswick, 1.5 percent.
However, some taxing districts within those cities, like the Arnold Retail Corridor that includes the Arnold Commons, Arnold Crossroads and Water Tower developments still will charge its 1 percent sales tax.
The city of Fenton, which is in St. Louis County, also is participating.
Five of Jefferson County’s eight major municipalities – Byrnes Mill, Crystal City, De Soto, Festus and Pevely – will not participate, so they still will collect their sales taxes.
Back-to-school items that are exempt from the sales tax include any article of clothing or pair of shoes that costs $100 or less; $50 worth of school supplies; personal computers that cost no more than $1,500; other computer equipment not exceeding $1,500; computer software that costs $350 or less; and graphing calculators that cost no more than $150.
For more information or to see the list of taxing entities in the state “opting out” of the tax holiday, visit dor.mo.gov/business/sales/taxholiday/school.
