by Kenya Smith
kenya.smith@tidewaternews.com

Virginia’s tax -free holiday starts today, Aug. 3, and ends on Sunday, Aug. 5. Consumers will have an opportunity to shop without paying the sales tax on eligible items. The list of eligible items are as follows:

• School supplies – $20 or less per item

• Clothing and footwear – $100 or less per item

• Portable generators – $1,000 or less per item

• Gas-powered chainsaws – $350 or less per item

• Chainsaw accessories –  $60 or less per item

• Other specified hurricane preparedness items – $60 or less per item

• EnergyStar or WaterSense products for noncommercial home or personal use – $2,500 or less per item

Retail stores will also be using the tax-free weekend to offer their own deals and discounts. For example, Walmart participates in offering tax-free items such as book bags, school uniforms and school supplies, and some those items such as pencils, pens, folders, notebooks and paper have rollback prices.

At Rite Aid, there are deals that will go along with tax-free school supplies such as 50 percent off on backpacks and lunch kits, buy 1 get 2 free on assorted back to school stationary items, and Mead composition notebooks priced at 79 cents.

If shopping for new clothes for school or for any occasion, Belk will offer clothing and footwear that are eligible for the holiday.

Along with those tax-free items, customers can check out the department store’s biggest stock up sale, which is in effect until Tuesday, Aug. 7.

For more information on this year’s sales tax holiday, and for more details on what specific items qualify during the weekend, visit tax.virginia.gov/virginia-sales-tax-holiday.