Massachusetts Sales Tax Holiday 2025: What to Know

The Massachusetts sales tax holiday, or "Tax Free Weekend" as many people refer to it, is an opportunity to get some items you've been meaning to buy without having to worry about paying the sales tax on those items. It doesn't matter where in Massachusetts you live or shop, whether it's Boston, Worcester, Springfield, etc., as long as the retailer is in Massachusetts, you can enjoy the benefits of purchasing items without the sales tax.

Get our free mobile app

The Massachusetts sales tax holiday has come in handy for me a few times. I bought a snowblower about 10 years ago on the holiday, and I ended up getting a great deal as the sales tax was omitted from my purchase. In addition, I have purchased other items over the years during the sales tax holiday, like dehumidifiers, DVD players, and other household items. If you can wait until that special weekend to make that next big purchase, you might as well and save some cash.

What to Know About the 2025 Massachusetts Sales Tax Holiday: Exceptions and Eligible Items

There are some things you need to know about the Massachusetts sales tax holiday, including the fact that the sales tax will be removed on tangible personal property items costing $2,500 or less. In addition, some items and services won't be eligible as part of the tax-free weekend. Items like meals, motor vehicles, gas, electricity, marijuana, and alcohol will be taxed like normal. You can view the complete list of item exceptions here.

Items like electronics, furniture, lawnmowers, kitchen items, and books for example, will all be tax-free. There are some limitations on clothing. According to mass.gov, an item of clothing is generally exempt from the sales tax unless the item costs more than $175. More details regarding clothing purchases on the Massachusetts sales tax holiday can be found here.

When Does the Massachusetts Sales Tax Holiday Occur This Year? 

While dates haven't been officially confirmed for this year's Massachusetts sales tax holiday, it's likely the holiday will fall on the weekend of Saturday, August 9, and Sunday, August 10. Looking at previous years, the sales tax holiday consistently fell on the second weekend in August. This year's dates should be released by June 15 by the Massachusetts Legislature. If that doesn't occur for some reason, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue will set the dates by July 1. More to come.