Taxes on Iowa During Sales Tax Holiday on Some - But Not All – Back-to-School Must-Haves

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Original reporting by Deb Belt:

Get your shopping grove on. Iowa’s sales tax holiday starts at a minute after midnight Friday and continues through midnight Saturday.

That means places like Jordan Creek Town Center, Valley West Mall and big-box stores like Target, Walmart Supercenter, Kohl’s and others will be brimming with people.

DISCUSS: What do you — or your kids — absolutely have to have hanging in their closets before school starts? Tell us below in the comments.

What it means is that during the tax-free holiday, sales tax will not be collected on essential back-to-school clothing and footwear needs,

In Polk County, that’s a savings of up to 6 percent on everything from shoes, socks and shirts to pants, pajamas and shoes.

During the holiday, no sales tax will be collected on clothing or footwear sold for less than $100 per item.

All businesses open on Aug. 2 and 3 are required to participate, though the holiday does not extend to Sunday.

The sales tax exemption doesn't include: watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, handkerchiefs, sporting equipment, skis, swim fins, roller blades, skates, and any special clothing or footwear designed primarily for athletic activity or protective use and not usually considered appropriate for everyday wear, says KCCI.com.

Sadly backpacks, a staple of back-to-school, are taxable, as are book bags.

The Iowa Department of Revenue says that if any item bought on the sales tax holiday is exchanged later, the buyer will not have to pay taxes on the new item.