Virginia combines back-to-school, emergency-preparedness, and efficient-home-product exemptions into one three-day holiday.
What qualifies
- Clothing and footwear: $100 or less per item
- School supplies: $20 or less per item
- Portable generators: $1,000 or less per item
- Gas-powered chainsaws: $350 or less per item
- Other specified emergency supplies: $60 or less per item
- Energy Star and WaterSense products: $2,500 or less per item for personal use
Do online purchases count?
Qualifying remote purchases can receive the exemption when the sale satisfies Virginia’s transaction rules.
State and local tax treatment
The exemption applies to state and local sales tax. Retailer participation is mandatory.
Important limitation
Virginia’s official page may display prior-year dates before its annual update; the holiday is fixed by law to the first Friday through Sunday in August, making the 2026 dates August 7–9.
Primary source: Virginia Tax — Sales Tax Holiday. Source checked July 13, 2026.