Sales Tax Free Week Changes
Key Takeaways
- Sales Tax Free Week runs August 16–22, 2026
- Eligible items under $300 qualify for the exemption
- Backpacks and cleated shoes are newly eligible
- Online and in-person purchases receive the tax break
Connecticut's annual Sales Tax Free Week begins on the third Sunday of August and runs until the following Saturday. This year it’s August 16 through August 22, 2026. This is timed in the run up to the start of the new school year when families are shopping for back-to-school clothing.
There are some changes to the program, starting this year. Under a bill I voted for, we've increased the price cap per item and added new items qualified as sales tax free. Now, backpacks and cleated shoes will be sales tax free during this upcoming event.
This tax holiday applies to in-person purchases and purchases made online. The exemption applies to each eligible item costing under $300, up from $100, regardless of how many of those items are sold to a customer on the same invoice. Tax is calculated on the final sales price, after all reductions and coupons have been calculated, of each item.
You can find answers to frequently asked questions about the program on the Department of Revenue Services website.