By Sarah Richardson
Gov. Jim Justice has announced that West Virginians in need of materials for the upcoming school year will be able to save money this weekend during the state’s back-to-school Sales Tax Holiday.
During the holiday, certain back-to-school items are exempt from sales tax, such as clothing, school supplies, school instructional materials, laptops and tablets, and sports equipment.
The Sales Tax Holiday will begin at midnight on Friday, July 30, and will continue through Monday, Aug. 2, at 11:59 p.m.
The average customer will save at least 6% on every qualified purchase and up to 7% if they purchase the item in a municipality that has imposed a local sales tax.
During the Sales Tax Holiday, qualifying items can be purchased tax-free online or by telephone, mail, custom order, or any other means (including in-store purchases) when either:
- The item is both delivered to, and paid for by, the customer during the exemption period; or
- The customer orders and pays for the item, and the seller accepts the order during the exemption period for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period ends.
This is West Virginia’s first back-to-school Sales Tax Holiday since 2004.
When is the Sales Tax Holiday?
The West Virginia State Sales Tax Holiday will begin this year at 12 midnight on Friday, July 30, and will end at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 2.
The West Virginia State Sales Tax Holiday begins each year on the Friday before the first Sunday in August and ends the following Monday.
What items qualify for the sales tax holiday?
During the holiday, the following items are exempt from Sales and Use tax:
- Certain clothing with a purchase price of $125 or less
- Certain school supplies with a purchase price of $50 or less
- Certain school instruction material with a purchase price of $20 or less
- Certain laptop and tablet computers with a purchase price of $500 or less; and
- Certain sports equipment with a purchase price of $150 or less.
Items purchased for use in a trade or business are not exempt under the sales tax holiday.
Can multiple qualifying items be purchased in a single tax-exempt transaction?
There is no limit on the amount of the total purchase. The qualification is determined by each individual item.
What item of clothing qualify?
“Clothing” includes, but is not limited to, shirts; blouses; sweaters; pants; shorts; skirts; dresses; uniforms (athletic and nonathletic); shoes and shoe laces; insoles for shoes; sneakers; sandals; boots; overshoes; slippers; steel-toed shoes; underwear; socks and stockings; hosiery; pantyhose; footlets; coats and jackets; rainwear; gloves and mittens for general use; hats and caps; ear muffs; belts and suspenders; neckties; scarves; aprons (household and shop); lab coats; athletic supporters; bathing suits and caps; beach capes and coats; costumes; baby receiving blankets; diapers, children and adult, including disposable diapers; rubber pants; garters and garter belts; girdles; formal wear; and wedding apparel.
What is not included in the definition of clothing?
While clothing is eligible for the holiday, the following items are not eligible for the holiday and are subject to tax during the holiday period:
- Items purchased for use in a trade or business.
- Clothing accessories or equipment. Clothing accessories or equipment include briefcases; cosmetics; hair notions, including, but not limited to, barrettes, hair bows, and hair nets; handbags; handkerchiefs; jewelry; sunglasses (non-prescription); umbrellas; wallets; watches; and wigs and hair pieces.
- Protective equipment. Protective equipment includes breathing masks; clean room apparel and equipment; ear and hearing protectors; face shields; hard hats; helmets; paint or dust respirators; protective gloves; safety glasses and goggles; safety belts; tool belts; and welder’s gloves and masks.
- Sewing equipment and supplies including, but not limited to, knitting needles, patterns, pins, scissors, sewing machines, sewing needles, tape measures, and thimbles; and sewing materials that become part of “clothing” including, but not limited to, buttons, fabric, lace, thread, yarn, and zippers.
- Sports or recreational equipment. Sport or recreational equipment includes ballet and tap shoes; cleated or spiked athletic shoes; gloves, including, but not limited to, baseball, bowling, boxing, hockey, and golf; goggles; hand and elbow guards; life preservers and vests; mouth guards; roller and ice skates; shin guards; shoulder pads; ski boots; waders; and wetsuits and fins.
- Belt buckles sold separately.
- Costume masks sold separately.
- Patches and emblems sold separately.
Does the $125 exemption apply to the first $125 of an item of clothing?
No. The exemption applies to items selling for $125 or less. If an item of clothing sells for more than $125, tax is due on the entire selling price.
Can a retailer split items that are normally sold together for the item to fall below the threshold?
No. For example, the retailer may not sell a pair of $150 shoes as two individual $75 items for the purchase to qualify for the exemption.
What types of items qualify as school supplies?
School supplies include only the following items: binders; book bags; calculators; cellophane tape; blackboard chalk; compasses; composition books; crayons; erasers; folders (expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila); glue, paste, and paste sticks; highlighters; index cards; index card boxes; legal pads; lunch boxes; markers; notebooks; paper; loose leaf ruled notebook paper, copy paper, graph paper, tracing paper, manila paper, colored paper, poster board, and construction paper; pencil boxes and other school supply boxes; pencil sharpeners; pencils; pens; protractors; rulers; scissors; and writing tablets.
Items not included in this list are taxable.
“School supplies” does not include any item purchased for use in a trade or business.
What types of items qualify as school instructional material?
School instructional material includes only the following items: reference books, reference maps and globes, textbooks, and workbooks.
Items not included in this list are taxable. “School instructional material” does not include any material purchased for use in a trade or business.
Will items purchased for my business be eligible for the tax exemption during the sales tax holiday?
No. The exemption does not apply to items used in a trade or business. If a consumer purchases an item that is to be used in a trade or business and the retailer does not collect sales tax, the consumer is obligated to report the purchase and pay consumer’s use tax on the item. The consumer may report and pay the tax on the regularly filed return, or if the consumer does not have a use tax account, may report, and pay the tax on his or her personal income tax return.
What about buy one, get one free or for a reduced price?
The total price of items advertised as “buy one, get one free” or “buy one for a reduced price” cannot be averaged to qualify both items for the exemption. For example: a retailer advertises pants as “buy one, get one free.” The first pair of pants is priced at $150; the second pair of pants is free. Tax is due on $150. The store cannot sell each pair at $75 in order for the items to qualify for the exemption. However, the retailer may advertise and sell the items for 50 percent off, selling each pair of $150 pants for $75, making each pair eligible for the exemption.
The exemption depends on the actual price paid for each item. For example: A retailer advertises shoes as “buy one pair at the regular price, get a second pair for half price.” The first pair of shoes is sold for $140; the second pair is sold for $70 (half price). Tax is due on the $140 shoes, but not on the $70 shoes. The store cannot sell each pair of shoes for $105 in order for the items to qualify for the exemption. However, a retailer may advertise each pair for 25 percent off, thereby selling each pair of $140 shoes for $105, making each pair eligible for the exemption.
