TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For nearly a decade, Florida residents have been able to depend on an annual sales tax holiday to help prepare for hurricane season.
However, that may not be the case this year.
Since 2017, the state has enacted the tax holiday every year as a way to help residents better afford goods like batteries, radios, generators, fuel containers, flashlights, and more — all tools that can come in handy during a severe storm.
This year, lawmakers drafted plans for another sales tax holiday as part of a proposed budget (SPB 7034), which would have spanned May 15 through May 31.
However, budget talks have stalled as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state leaders differ on economic issues like property tax reform. As a result, no tax holiday for this year has yet been approved.
But under that proposal, the following items would have been eligible for the sales tax holiday:
| Eligible Items | Sales Price |
|---|---|
| Cans/pouches of wet dog food or cat food | $10 or less |
| Manual can openers | $15 or less |
| Travel-sized food or water bowls | $15 or less |
| Cat litter pans | $15 or less |
| Packages of hamster or rabbit substrate | $15 or less |
| Packages of pet waste disposal bags | $15 or less |
| Pet pads | $20 or less |
| Leashes, collars, muzzles | $20 or less |
| Reusable ice | $20 or less |
| Cat litter weighing up to 25 lbs. | $25 or less |
| Flashlights, candles, lanterns | $40 or less |
| Pet beds | $40 or less |
| Radios | $50 or less |
| Fuel tanks | $50 or less |
| Batteries (AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt and 9-volt) | $50 or less |
| Nonelectric food storage cooler | $60 or less |
| Portable power bank | $60 or less |
| Smoke detector or smoke alarm | $70 or less |
| Carbon monoxide detector | $70 or less |
| Over-the-counter pet medication | $100 or less |
| Portable kennels or pet carriers | $100 or less |
| Bags of dry dog food or cat food weighing up to 50 lbs. | $100 or less |
| Tarps and waterproof sheets | $100 or less |
| Ground anchor system or tie-down kit | $100 or less |
| Portable generator | $3,000 or less |
Aside from disaster preparation, the proposal also called for other sales tax holidays in the state throughout the year.
These additional holidays would have been as follows:
- Freedom Month (June 1 - July 31) — Eligible items would include tickets for events like concerts or movies, outdoor supplies, electric scooters, and home pool equipment.
- Back-to-School (Aug. 1 - 10) — Eligible items would include school supplies, backpacks, learning aids, computers and educational software.
- Skilled Worker (Aug. 29 - Sept. 7) — Eligible items would include certain hand tools, power tools, work boots, toolboxes and plumbing/electrical equipment.
- Hunting Season (Sept. 8 - Dec. 31) — Eligible items would include ammunition, firearms, crossbows and related accessories.
Under the state’s constitution, lawmakers are required to pass a balanced budget by July 1, as that marks the start of the new fiscal year.
While no budget has yet been passed, the trend across prior years means that lawmakers may yet still approve sales tax holidays for later this year.
In 2024, Florida lawmakers approved a second two-week disaster preparation sales tax holiday that kicked off in August. As a result, there’s a chance that a similar tax holiday may still be approved in this year’s budget.
In the meantime, hurricane season in Florida is set to begin on June 1.
You can check out the early predictions about how the 2025 season could shake up in the video below.