08/06/2026
Just an FYI for all you shopping this wknd. for School items!
Ohio's 2026 Sales Tax Holiday begins at 12:00 a.m. on Friday, August 7, and runs through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August. Unlike the massive, expanded two-week holiday in 2025 that covered almost all items under $500, the state has changed that to a narrower back-to-school format for this year.
Itβs drastically scaled backed and moving away from the "shopping spree" format to a strict, limited back-to-school weekend.
Here is exactly what completely changed compared to last year:
π The Timeframe is Much Shorter
* Last Year (2025): The holiday lasted for a massive two full weeks (14 days).
* This Year (2026): It has been slashed down to just three days (Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9).
πΈ The Price Cap Decreased Significantly
* Last Year (2025): You could buy items worth up to $500 each tax-free.
* This Year (2026): The maximum cap dropped to $75 for clothing and $20 for school supplies. Anything over these limits is fully taxed.
π« Major Items No Longer Allowed Tax-Free
According to updates from the Ohio Department of Taxation, the expansion for "tangible personal property" was canceled. This means items that were tax-exempt before is now taxed. Such as these school suppliesβ
* Electronics & Tech: Laptops, iPads, tablets, computers, other electronics .
* Home & Dorm Goods: Furniture, blankets, bookshelves, curtains, or other needs.
* High-quality Clothes & Shoes: Any designer clothing or athletic shoes priced over $75 (like $120 Nikes, which easily fit under last year's $500 cap). This one really is crazy because itβs difficult to find decent gym shoe or athletic shoes under $75 today
State lawmakers shortened the holiday. A longer holiday with expensive eligible items means the state loses more money. By shrinking the event, the state avoids losing that revenue, keeping those millions of dollars in the state treasury.
Ultimately, this hurts retail small business owners, οΏΌand local businesses and reduces additional resources for families with school or college expenses.
What are your thoughts? They say that it will help property taxes. Do you agree that it will help with rising property taxes? Do you find it fair to local businesses and families with school-expenses?