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Families preparing to send their kids back to school can save a little bit of money this weekend.
The state’s annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday begins at midnight, Friday, July 31, and runs through Monday, August 3, 2026.
During this window, West Virginians will be exempt from the state’s 6% sales tax on qualifying back-to-school essentials including:
- clothing and footwear priced at $125 or less per item
- school supplies priced at $50 or less per item
- instructional materials priced at $20 or less per item
- sports equipment priced at $150 or less per item
- laptops or tablets priced at $500 or less per device.
According to Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s office, during last year’s sales tax holiday, West Virginia taxpayers saved more than $3.5 million. Administration officials expect to surpass that mark this year as families take advantage of the direct savings on critical school gear.
At a press conference in Greenbrier County, the governor also floated the possibility of further savings this weekend.
“I’m asking every vendor if you have a chance to do some additional discounts for our citizens. That would be terrific. That’s a great combination,” he said.
Passed in 2019, House Bill 206 established the tax holiday for school supplies and instructional materials beginning in 2021.
In a press release, Morrisey said the tax holiday aligns with broader efforts to lower taxes and address affordability for West Virginians. Recent initiatives include a 5% across-the-board personal income tax cut and $230 million in overall annual tax relief for citizens.