Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins this weekend
DORAL, FL – This year, Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is scheduled to begin on Saturday, May 28, and will be extended through Friday, June 10.
HB 7071, the largest tax relief package in Florida’s history, was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis and extended the Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday from 10 days to 14 days.
Eligible items related to disaster preparedness during these two weeks will be exempted from tax at checkout, which could benefit the pocket of millions of Floridians as the hurricane season fast approaches.
According to NOAA, this hurricane season, that will go from June 1 until Nov.30, will be above-average. Approximately, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes occur each year.
“Hurricane season can be a trying time, but preparing in advance for disasters is the best way to stay safe,” Executive Director of the Florida Department of Revenue Jim Zingale said in a press release. “The 2022 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday helps families stock up on essentials while saving money.”
Eligible items on the list include candles, flashlights, lanters, batteries, fuel containers, fire extinguishers and even portable generators. It should be noted that this year, household pet supplies such as pet food, leashes, collars, beds and portable kennels will also be included although the sales tax holiday does not apply to rentals or repairs of the qualifying items on the list.
Floridians are expected to save $25.6 million on the purchase of tax-free items which is more than double compared to the $10.5 million Floridians saved during the 2021 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, according to a press release from Governor Ron DeSantis.
“Preparing for hurricanes and other natural disasters can be costly, especially with ongoing inflation continuing to impact our nation,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “This year, the Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday has been extended to a full two weeks to ensure Floridians are receiving the maximum amount of savings and have enough time to prepare for hurricane season.”
“Keeping a fully stocked disaster supply kit with at least 7 days of supplies for each family member, including pets, is an essential component of disaster preparedness,” said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie.
Qualifying disaster preparedness supplies include:
– Pet leashes, collars, muzzles and pads costing $20 or less;
– Flashlights, lanterns and pet beds costing $40 or less;
– Batteries and weather radios costing $50 or less;
– Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers costing $70 or less;
– Tarps and portable pet kennels costing $100 or less; and
– Generators costing $1,000 or less.
A full list of eligible tax-free items is available here.
Photo by: Unsplash.com