Tax-Free Sales Holiday for Hurricane Season Begins May 28.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

Florida shoppers have 10-days this year to stock up on qualifying disaster preparedness items without paying sales tax. The annual tax-free holiday is traditionally a seven-day event, but House Bill 7061 incentivizes advanced planning for hurricane season and lengthened the tax relief.

The tax-free holiday will run from May 28 through June 6.

According to a release from the county on Wednesday, May 26, Hurricane season officially begins June 1, which means now is the time to check your supply kit and ensure your family has a disaster plan in place. And for those who need to restock on supplies, purchasing items between May 28 and June 6 will result in extra savings. 

During the holiday, qualifying items related to disaster preparedness are exempt from sales tax. Items include reusable ice packs, batteries, flashlights, bungee cords, coolers, tarps, and generators. 

A complete list of the tax-free items can be found at http://www.floridarevenue.com/disasterprep.

Disaster supply kits should include a two-week supply of medications and enough drinking water and nonperishable food to last five to seven days, among other essentials. For a detailed list of recommended items, visit www.volusia.org/emergency.

Volusia County Government is also making preparations for the 2021 hurricane season.

“Each year, we encourage residents to have a hurricane plan in place that includes evacuating to a safe location with family or friends if at all possible. While the county opens up shelters when necessary, they should be considered a last resort,” said Helene Wetherington, Volusia County’s Emergency Management Director. “If, after accessing their options, individuals determine they will evacuate to a shelter, they must plan to bring all necessary items with them.”

Additionally, those residents with no other evacuation option should determine if they would seek shelter at a general population or pet-friendly shelter, if they need assistance at a special needs shelter, or will need to seek shelter at a medical facility that can manage their medical needs. 

Residents can prepare and stay informed by downloading the Volusia County EM app, available for free on Google Play or App Store. The app features weather alerts and current conditions, preparedness checklists, links to county sites, locations of the nearest open shelter and sandbag locations, evacuation information, push notifications, and more.