Iowa's tax-free weekend is short and narrow: two days at the start of August — Friday and Saturday only, no Sunday — covering clothing and shoes under $100 and nothing else.
August 7–8, 2026
Friday, August 7 through Saturday, August 8
Iowa law fixes the holiday at the first Friday in August plus the Saturday after, so it moves with the calendar rather than being announced — 2027 should fall on August 6 and 7. Revenue posts its item list ahead of each one.
Do online orders count?
Yes — mail order, catalog and internet purchases qualify as long as you order and pay during the two days, even if delivery comes after the weekend ends.
| Item | Price cap | Tax status |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing under $100 per item — a $100 coat misses it by a penny | $100 | Exempt |
| Everyday footwear shoes, sneakers, boots and sandals you'd wear day to day | $100 | Exempt |
| Backpacks, school supplies, books & electronics Iowa's holiday is clothing and shoes only — pencils, notebooks and laptops stay taxed | — | Not exempt |
| Watches, watchbands & jewelry | — | Not exempt |
| Umbrellas & handkerchiefs | — | Not exempt |
| Sporting equipment, skis, swim fins, skates & rollerblades | — | Not exempt |
| Cleats and other footwear made for athletics or protection if it isn't something you'd wear day to day, Iowa taxes it | — | Not exempt |
| Alterations, repairs & rentals buy $99 pants tax-free and you still pay tax on the $5 to hem them | — | Not exempt |
Source: Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa's Annual Sales Tax Holiday — the place to check any edge case.
Because the law says so. Iowa's holiday is written as the first Friday in August through midnight the following day, and the state spells out that Sunday isn't included. It's the shortest back-to-school holiday of any state that runs one.
No. Iowa's holiday covers clothing and everyday footwear under $100 and nothing else — backpacks, notebooks, pencils, calculators and laptops are all taxed as usual, even during the two days.
Yes. Mail order, catalog and online purchases qualify if you order and pay during the holiday, even when the package shows up the following week.
No cart limit. The $100 line applies to each item on its own, so a whole wardrobe of $80 pieces comes off tax-free. But a single $100 item is taxed on its full price — the exemption doesn't shave off the first $99.
Yes. Neither state sales tax nor local option sales tax is collected on qualifying clothing and footwear during the two days.
Checked against Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa's Annual Sales Tax Holiday on 2026-08-14. See the national calendar for every state's holidays.