Tax-Free Hurricane Supplies: Get What You Need for a Natural Disaster

Virginia is offering a sales-tax holiday on certain goods that can be used during natural disasters such as hurricanes.

Virginia’s hurricane preparedness sales tax holiday runs Saturday, May 25 through Friday, May 31.

The holiday exempts 22 categories of smaller items, including batteries, flashlights, bottled water, tarps, duct tape, cell-phone chargers, smoke detectors, and first aid kits. As long as each item costs $60 or less, it is exempt from sales and use tax. 

Portable generators and inverters priced at $1,000 or less are also exempt during the holiday.  

For a full list of tax-exempt products, answers to frequently asked questions, and guidelines for consumers and retailers, visit www.tax.virginia.gov.

“I hope people pay attention to this sales tax holiday and take the time to prepare their homes and themselves for whatever may come our way, while saving some money,” said Gov. Bob McDonnell in a news release.  “In recent years, we’ve seen hurricanes, earthquakes, tropical storms and tornadoes in Virginia.  Stocking up on water, flashlights, batteries, first aid kits and other essentials can make a big difference in an emergency.”

The commonwealth’s 2013 General Assembly agreed that, beginning with the 2014 hurricane sales tax holiday, chainsaws selling for $350 or less, and chainsaw accessories selling for $60 or less per item would be included in the list of tax-exempt items.