Gov. Ron DeSantis announces new Florida tax holidays and exemptions

OCALA, Fla. - Florida residents will soon see some relief in their wallets. 

During a news conference Friday in Ocala, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law $1.24 billion in tax relief – what he says is the largest tax relief package in the state's history.

In front of a crowd of mothers, children, and reporters, the governor announced nine sales tax holidays/temporary exemptions, as well as a motor fuel tax exemption. 

Like Florida's annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday – items such as appliances, tools, outdoor activity supplies, children's books, diapers, and more, will now be exempt from tax during certain dates.

"The tax relief you're going to see are going to be breaks for really critical needs," DeSantis said. "And, so, families are going to be able to save for things that really matter for them."

A sales-tax exemption on children’s books will run from May 14 to Aug. 14. Also, a tax holiday will start May 28 on disaster preparedness and hurricane supplies. Another tax holiday, billed as "Freedom Week," will run from July 1 through July 7. Shoppers will be able to avoid paying sales taxes on such things as tickets for concerts, movies, ballgames, and museum visits, as well as on certain gear for outdoor activities.  A back-to-school tax holiday will start July 25 and last through Aug. 7.

A new tax holiday, called the "Tool Time" holiday, will run from Sept. 3 through Sept. 9. During the period, people will be able to avoid paying sales taxes on certain tools and other work equipment. 

For a breakdown of what items qualify for tax exemption within the above categories, residents can visit: www.floridarevenue.com/salestaxholidays.  See the complete schedule below: