Are you prepared if a hurricane comes our way this year? If not, now is your chance to get caught up before the official start of hurricane season on June 1 and you can save some money shopping for the supplies you need.
CHECK OUR LIST:Hurricane season: Here are the supplies you need to prepare for a storm
Floridians may save up to $25.6 million during the tax holiday, more than double of 2021’s $10.5 million in savings, according to estimates by the Governor’s Office.
When is the sales tax holiday this year?
The 2022 Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday started Saturday (May 28) and goes until June 10.
What new items were added to sales tax holiday list for 2022?
- Smoke detectors and smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors. All must cost $70 or less.
- Also new this year are items for your pet, including cans or pouches of wet food that cost $2 or less per can or pouch, and collapsible or travel-sized food or water bowls that sell for $15 or less, some cat litter and bags of dry pet food that weight 15 pounds or less.
PET PREP:How do you prepare your pets for hurricane season and how do you evacuate with animals?
Here are some more frequently asked questions:
What is the Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday?
Established by the Legislature, the tax holiday was created so residents can purchase hurricane supplies on certain items without paying sales tax.
What items are tax exempt during the sales tax holiday?
Items exempt from sales tax are targeted to those that help residents prepare themselves and their households for a disaster. Eligible items are specific according to price and sometimes, in the case of pet food or cat litter, by weight.
Items included range from reusable ice packs that sell for $20 or less to flashlights and lanterns that cost $40 or less.
Batteries are a big item when it comes to hurricane supplies and all the common battery packs that sell for $50 or less are exempt.
Need a cooler? Non-electric food storage coolers that sell for $60 or less would be tax exempt.
Tarps, bungee cords and rachet straps — costing $100 or less — continue to be on the list of tax-exempt items.
Portable generators that cost less than $1,000 also are on the list.
BE PREPARED!:NOAA predicting above-average hurricane season, with up to 21 storms. Here’s what we know
Is there a limit on the number of items you can buy?
No.
Are online purchases of eligible items tax free?
Yes, as long as the order is accepted by the company during the sales tax holiday for immediate shipment.
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What’s the outlook for the 2022 hurricane season?
Officials are saying an active hurricane season is ahead, which would mark the seventh consecutive year of an above-average hurricane season.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, although the National Hurricane Center begins to issue regular tropical outlooks beginning May 15.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said 14 to 21 named storms will develop this season.
Those numbers include tropical storms, which contain wind speeds of 39 mph or higher. Storms become hurricanes when winds reach 74 mph.
More info: Florida Department of Revenue
More details on this year’s sale tax holiday can be found here.
