Updated: The 2025 sales tax holiday in Tennessee has ended.
Did you know that Tennessee's sales tax is one of the highest in the nation? Well, that changed for one weekend in July, but only on select items.
Tennessee’s 20th annual back-to-school tax holiday made certain clothing items, school supplies, and computers exempt from sales tax, which was particularly impactful since this state also has no income tax.
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Let’s dive deep into what items were included in the Tennessee back-to-school sale.
When did tax-free weekend start in Tennessee?
The back-to-school holiday is currently the only tax-free holiday that Tennessee holds. It began at 12:01 AM on Friday, July 25, and ended at 11:59 PM on Sunday, July 27.
For 2025, Tennessee shoppers could save about 9.61% in sales tax on eligible purchases during the tax-free holiday; nearly $10 for every $100 spent. That could add up if shoppers purchased equipment like computers or tablets, or purchased many items for multiple children.
What was included in 'TN' tax free weekend?
There were specific rules for Tennessee’s tax-free weekend. Each article of clothing purchased must have cost $100 or less. Individual school supplies must not have exceeded $100, either.
Computers and tablets exceeding $1,500 did not qualify for the tax holiday, nor could you purchase any item tax-free “for business or trade.”
However, here are a few items you could purchase tax-free in Tennessee during the sales tax holiday:
- Baby supplies (diapers, clothing, receiving blankets)
- Backpacks, lunch boxes, and folders
- Calculators and computers
- Shirts, pants, skirts, and shorts
- Pens, pencils, notebooks, and binders
- Socks, undergarments, and pajamas
- Shoes (sneakers, boots, slippers, running shoes)
What wasn't included in Tennessee’s sales tax holiday?
While many items were eligible for the Tennessee tax-free holiday, many items were ineligible.
Below are a few other items you were not taxed on in Tennessee during the sales tax holiday:
- Computer software and flash drives
- Printers, printer ink, and printer paper
- Goggles (safety and sports)
- Paints and paintbrushes
- Accessories (including sunglasses, wallets and jewelry)
- Wetsuits and cleated or spiked footwear
Tennessee tax-free weekend applied to online purchases
Purchases made online at retailers like Amazon or Office Depot might have qualified for Tennessee’s back-to-school holiday. To qualify, purchases must have been ordered and paid for during the sales tax holiday.
Orders placed before or after the weekend would've still been taxable. Additionally, orders must've been delivered to a Tennessee address to qualify. These rules also applied to orders made via telephone, mail, and email.
For more information on the Tennessee tax-free holiday, visit the state’s website.
Note: Food and Food Ingredients. Food items were not included in the 2025 sales tax holiday. So if you were looking to save on groceries, you may have stuck with coupons and loyalty programs for now. For a list of all back-to-school tax holidays, check out Kiplinger's report Summer 2025 Back-to-School Tax-Free Weekends Are Starting Now.
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