Florida’s hurricane season starts June 1, and Ron DeSantis enacted into law a formal tax holiday exempting certain items from sales tax.
The Florida Department of Revenue posted a list of items ranging from flashlights to food coolers that Floridians can buy between May 31 and June 6 without paying sales tax.
Items like bungee cords and ground anchor systems are exempt from sales tax, as long as they’re under $50. Other exempt items below $50 include ratchet straps, tarps, tie-down kits, waterproof sheeting (like Visqueen, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths, etc.) and radios — either two-way or weather band — that are battery, hand-crank or solar powered. Reusable ice packs are tax-exempt, as long as they’re priced below $10.
Flashlights, or “any portable self-powered light source,” including candles and lanterns, are exempt if they are $20 or less. Fuel containers for gasoline, diesel, LP (propane) gas and kerosene that are $25 or cheaper are exempt. Nonelectrical coolers for food storage and batteries, including rechargeable batteries but not car and boat batteries, are exempt if they’re $30 or less. FDR lists these types of acceptable batteries:
– AAA-cell
– AA-cell
– C-cell
– D-cell
– 6-volt
– 9-volt
Finally, any portable generators $750 or less are also tax-exempt. The Department of Revenue says rentals or the cost of repairs for any of the exempt items are not included in the exemptions, as well as any “sales in a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment, or airport.”
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This article appears in May 15-21, 2019.