Virginia's annual sales tax holiday for Back to School shopping- helps a little more this year.
SPRINGFIELD, Va. — Virginia’s annual sales tax holiday is in full swing, giving shoppers across the Commonwealth a break at the register during one of the busiest shopping weekends of the summer.
From clothing and school supplies to emergency preparedness equipment, qualifying items are exempt from Virginia's state and local sales tax—saving buyers anywhere from 5% to 7%, depending on the region.
Residents flock to local stores
At major retail hubs in Northern Virginia, including Target and Springfield Town Center, families packed stores Saturday to check items off their back-to-school lists.
While some shoppers set out specifically to catch the savings, others stumbled onto the tax relief accidentally.
"Someone told me about it, but that's not why we came," said shopper Joseph Green, who was out shopping with his son. "My son is heading back out of town, and we wanted to get him some school shoes, and it definitely motivated us to buy more."
For local college student Kennedy Marshall, the annual event was an opportunity for a full-day shopping excursion across Northern Virginia.
"It's a good opportunity. I went to two malls today, actually," Marshall said. "Like back-to-school time, it's a good opportunity to get your back-to-school shopping out of the way for the moms, the parents and everything. Get all your school supplies, all your uniforms, all your shoes, everything that you need."
What qualifies for Virginia’s sales tax holiday?
The three-day exemption covers several specific categories, provided individual items fall under state-mandated price caps:
While shoppers expressed gratitude for the weekend discount, many noted that rising household expenses make temporary tax breaks feel all the more critical—leaving several to question why the Commonwealth doesn't offer sales tax relief more frequently.
"Prices are what they are — it's difficult for all families of any size," Green said. "So any reprieve is nice, but it'd be nicer if it were more of a regular thing."
"I love tax-free weekend," Marshall added. "I wish they did it more often, actually."
When does Virginia tax-free weekend end?
If you haven't made it out to stores yet, there is still time to save. The sales tax holiday applies to both in-store and qualifying online purchases until 11:59 p.m. Sunday night.