Ohio’s sales tax holiday for August 2026 will run from 12:00 a.m. Friday, August 7, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 9, 2026.
For 2026, Ohio has returned to its standard three-day back-to-school holiday. During this period, qualifying purchases are exempt from Ohio sales tax only if they fall within the following categories and per-item price limits:
- Clothing priced at $75 or less per item
- School supplies priced at $20 or less per item
- School instructional materials priced at $20 or less per item
This is a narrower exemption than Ohio’s expanded 2025 holiday. In 2025, the state temporarily allowed a broader exemption for many items priced at $500 or less over a longer holiday period. That expanded treatment was not continued for 2026.
The exemption applies only to qualifying items within the statutory definitions. In general, clothing does not include items such as protective equipment, sports or recreational equipment, or items purchased for use in a trade or business. School supplies and school instructional materials are also limited to specifically qualifying student-use items and do not include items purchased for business use.
Please keep this narrower 2026 framework in mind when planning promotions, purchases, and sales tax compliance for the August holiday weekend.
RUDLER, PSC CPAs and Business Advisors
This e-Tip is presented by The Team at Rudler, PSC.
If you would like to discuss your particular situation, contact us at 859-331-1717.
Evan Kandra, CPA
As part of Rudler PSC’s commitment to true proactive client partnerships, we have encouraged our professionals to specialize in their areas of interest, providing clients with specialized knowledge and strategic relationships. Be sure to receive future Rudler articles for advice from our experts, sign up today !