The 2020 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday kicks off this weekend ahead of Monday's official start of the Hurricane Season.
The sales tax holiday will take place from Friday until June 4. During the holiday, qualifying items related to disaster preparedness are exempt from sales tax. However, the sales tax exemption does not apply to the rental or repair of any of those items.
The 2020 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday was passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis.
This year, NOAA predicted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. They are forecasting for 13 to 19 named storms, where six to 10 could become hurricanes with three to six major hurricanes.
Some items that qualify for the sales tax holiday are:
- Flashlights
- Lanterns
- Ice packs
- Batteries
- Generators
- Tarps
- Reusable ice (reusable ice packs)
- Bungee cords
- Radios (powered by battery, solar, or handcrank)
- Weather band
- Any gas or diesel fuel container, including LP gas and kerosene containers
- Ratchet straps
- Any portable self-powered light source such as candles, flashlights and lanterns
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