Illinois · IL · Money & taxes
Illinois: Does the state have a sales-tax-free weekend?
Has a tax-free period
Illinois held a one-time back-to-school sales tax holiday from August 7 to 16, 2026, cutting the state rate to 1.25%.
During the 10 days, the state portion of the tax on qualifying clothing and footwear under $125 per item, and on school supplies with no price cap, fell from 6.25% to 1.25%. The Department described it as a cut to the state portion of the tax. Public Act 104-0468 created the holiday, and the Department's bulletin doesn't say it will recur. Illinois held a similar holiday in August 2022.
Conditions
- Clothing and footwear under $125 per item
- School supplies qualify with no price cap
- Reduced rate of 1.25%, not a full exemption
What the law says
Public Act 104-0468 creates a State sales tax holiday on qualifying items effective August 7, 2026, through August 16, 2026.
Sources
- Illinois Department of Revenue, Informational Bulletin FY 2026-30 (Public Act 104-0468) Official · tax.illinois.gov
- Illinois Department of Revenue bulletin on the 2022 holiday (GovDelivery) Official · content.govdelivery.com
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Illinois Department of Revenue
- Website
- tax.illinois.gov
How bordering states compare
- Indiana No tax-free periodIndiana has a 7% sales tax and no sales tax holiday.
- Iowa Has a tax-free periodIowa holds a yearly sales tax holiday on the first Friday and Saturday of August for clothing and footwear under $100.
- Kentucky No tax-free periodKentucky has a 6% sales tax and no sales tax holiday.
- Missouri Has a tax-free periodYes. Missouri holds a back-to-school holiday each August and a Show Me Green holiday for Energy Star appliances each April.
- Wisconsin No tax-free periodWisconsin has no sales tax holiday now; its only one was a five-day back-to-school holiday in August 2018.