What you need to know when it starts

It's every shopper's favorite weekend of the year – tax-free weekend begins this Saturday, August 10, in Massachusetts.

This year, Sales Tax Free Day is Saturday, August 10th and Sunday, August 11th. On these two days, retail items under $2,500 purchased for personal use are exempt from Massachusetts state sales tax. The sales tax in Massachusetts is 6.25%.

Find out how to make the most of the weekend below.

How to Participate in Massachusetts Tax-Free Weekend

All businesses in MA that are open on August 10 and 11 and generate taxable sales must participate in the sales tax-free period.

Shop! All MA businesses that are open on August 10 and 11 and have taxable sales must participate in the sales tax-free period. If a retailer collects sales tax, the business is responsible for the refund.

Does Massachusetts tax-free weekend work online?

Can't go to stores in person? You can still take advantage of the tax-free weekend online. Purchases of eligible items made online during the holiday (i.e., during the tax-free holiday in the Eastern Standard Time Zone) will not be subject to sales tax, even if those items are delivered after the holiday.

This means your Amazon purchases qualify for the Massachusetts tax-free weekend.

What is included in the Massachusetts tax-free weekend?

The tax-free weekend in Massachusetts includes most retail items valued at up to $2,500, but there are some exceptions.

What items are excluded from the Massachusetts tax-free weekend?

The most important thing to note is that the VAT exemption only applies to personal Purchases. This means that items purchased by or for a business are still subject to tax.

However, there are some exceptions when it comes to personal purchases. According to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue website, the following retail items are exempt from sales tax:

Catering
Motor vehicles
Motorboats
Telecommunications services
gas
steam
Electricity
Tobacco products
Marijuana and related products
Alcoholic beverages
Any single item over $2,500
Every single item of clothing over $175