SC’s tax-free weekend is coming up. Here’s what you can buy – and what’s not included

Andrew Caplan
·1 min read

South Carolina’s tax-free weekend holiday is upon us and is one of the best times of the year to save money for back-to-school items, among other household necessities.

The tax-free holiday has been a tradition since 2000 and runs from Aug. 6 to 8, beginning at 12:01 a.m. this Friday. Shoppers who purchase eligible items within the 72-hour period will bypass the state’s 6% sales tax, regardless of whether they are a state resident.

But before hitting the stores to fill those carts, shoppers should know which items are eligible for the tax break and which ones aren’t.

Eligible items include:

  • School supplies, including books, lunchboxes and calculators

  • Clothes

  • Face masks made of cloth

  • Clothing accessories, such as hats, scarves and handbags

  • Footwear

  • Computers

  • Printers and printing supplies

  • Earbuds

  • Flash drives

  • Musical instruments

  • Blankets

  • Bed sheets and comforter sets

  • Towels

  • Rugs

  • Pillows

Items excluded from the sales tax include:

  • Items on layaway or similarly deferred payments

  • Vehicle rentals

  • Gaming consoles

  • Smartphones

  • Toys

  • Bicycles

  • Phone chargers

  • Media players

  • Clothing and footwear rentals, such as bowling shoes or tuxedos

  • Mattresses and box springs

  • Jewelry

  • Eyewear

  • Sports equipment, such as helmets and pads

  • Watches

Note: There is no special exemption for food during the tax-free holiday, as unprepared foods are already exempt from state taxes but subject to some local taxes. Some forms of personal protective equipment are exempt from the sales tax if they meet the footwear and clothing exception.