LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Tax-free weekend has arrived in Arkansas. From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, August 7 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 8, you can buy all kinds of items without paying any sales tax. That includes some big additions for 2021.
"We're one of 17 states that have a holiday from sales tax," Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration, said.
The holiday comes as most Arkansas students prepare for a new school year.
"We've had 10 years of Arkansans going to the stores. ordering online, and having this wide range of products that are tax-free," Hardin said.
That list of tax-free products includes school supplies, art supplies, clothing items under $100 — and new this year — computers, cell phones, and tablets.
"I think we knew that these items played a role in education," Hardin said. "But as we all know now, over the last year, if you watched a student in school, whether they were in-person or virtual — to get through the day to in some capacity, they had to have one of these items."
According to Hardin, Arkansas shoppers save a projected five to six million dollars each tax-free weekend. It's money that would otherwise end up in the state treasury.
"It's money that the state loses, but it's a good reason to lose money at the end of the day if there are several million dollars that are in the pockets of Arkansans on Sunday night," he said.
The tax exemptions apply to brick and mortar stores and online retailers, so long as the items are shipped to Arkansas.
As shoppers prepare for a weekend of savings, Hardin offers one big piece of advice: "My message would be look at the list," he said. "Because if you assume your item is not on the list it very well maybe. Again, it's such an interesting wide range of items."