Maryland: Does the state have a sales-tax-free weekend?
Maryland has two yearly holidays: a tax-free week for clothing in August and an Energy Star weekend in February.
Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week runs from the second Sunday in August through the following Saturday (August 9 to 15 in 2026). It exempts clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less per item, plus the first $40 of a backpack or bookbag; accessories are excluded. The Energy Star weekend, from the Saturday before the third Monday in February through that Monday (February 14 to 16 in 2026), exempts qualifying Energy Star products such as air conditioners, washers, dryers and refrigerators.
Conditions
- Clothing and footwear $100 or less per item (August week)
- First $40 of a backpack or bookbag (August week)
- Qualifying Energy Star products only (February weekend)
What the law says
The second Sunday of August through the following Saturday is designated as Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week each year. During this week, qualifying apparel and footwear priced at $100 or less per item are exempt from the state sales tax.
Sources
- Comptroller of Maryland, Programs (Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week and Energy Tax-Free Weekend) Official · marylandcomptroller.gov
- Md. Code, Tax-General § 11-228 Official · mgaleg.maryland.gov
- Md. Code, Tax-General § 11-226 Official · mgaleg.maryland.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Comptroller of Maryland
- Website
- marylandcomptroller.gov
How bordering states compare
- Delaware No state sales taxDelaware has no state or local sales tax, so there is no sales tax holiday.
- Pennsylvania No tax-free periodPennsylvania has a 6% sales tax but no sales tax holiday. Most clothing is exempt all year.
- Virginia Has a tax-free periodVirginia holds a three-day sales tax holiday every August, starting the first Friday, for school, clothing, hurricane, and energy-saving items.
- West Virginia Has a tax-free periodWest Virginia holds a yearly four-day back-to-school sales tax holiday around the first weekend of August.