The Illinois tax holiday 2026 runs from Aug. 7 through Aug. 16, reducing the state sales tax portion by five percentage points on qualifying clothing, footwear and school supplies. Apparel and shoes must cost under $125 per item, while eligible student supplies have no price cap.
Illinois tax holiday begins August 7
Compare Tax Holidays Across the United States
Illinois is one of several states offering back-to-school tax savings in 2026. Review the complete 2026 back-to-school tax holiday guide, including state-by-state dates, spending limits and eligible purchases .
Illinois will hold a 10-day back-to-school sales tax holiday from Friday, August 7, 2026, through Sunday, August 16, 2026. During the period, the state portion of sales tax on qualifying purchases will fall by five percentage points, from 6.25% to 1.25%.
See how much families can save during the Illinois tax holiday 2026, with examples based on different eligible shopping totals
Local taxes will still apply, meaning the final rate will vary by location. A store with a normal combined rate of 9.75%, for example, would charge 4.75% on eligible purchases.
Clothing and footwear under $125 qualify
Qualifying clothing and footwear must have a retail price of less than $125 per item. Covered products include school uniforms, shirts, pants, dresses, coats, jackets, underwear, hats, gloves and rainwear.
Eligible footwear includes shoes, sneakers, sandals, slippers, socks, boots, overshoes, insoles and steel-toed shoes.
The limit applies to each item. Retailers cannot divide a product normally sold as one unit to bring it below the threshold. A $140 pair of shoes, for example, cannot be split into two separate sales to qualify.
Eligible school supplies have no price cap
Shoppers can review the complete Illinois tax holiday eligible and excluded items checklist before buying clothing, footwear, school supplies, computers or books
School supplies do not face the $125 limit, but they must be used by students in the course of study.
Qualifying products include binders, bookbags, calculators, notebooks, paper, crayons, pencils, pens, markers, erasers, folders, glue, rulers, compasses, scissors and lunch boxes.
Computers, textbooks and accessories are excluded
Computers, printers, ink cartridges, flash drives, cellphones, cameras, textbooks, workbooks, reference books and many art supplies do not qualify.
Handbags, wallets, jewelry, watches, umbrellas and nonprescription sunglasses are also excluded.
Families shopping near state borders can also compare the Illinois tax holiday with Iowa, Missouri and neighboring states in 2026
Retailers must use the reduced rate for qualifying items paid for in full during the holiday, even when delivery occurs later. Shoppers should review their receipts because the holiday reduces the applicable sales tax by five percentage points rather than eliminating the tax entirely.
