New Jersey Sales Tax Holiday 2023: Dates, Savings, Eligible Items

NEW JERSEY — Aug. 26 through Sept. 6 is the time to save money on back-to-school items during the Garden State’s sales tax holiday.

New Jersey established the sales tax holiday to help families save money on school essentials. During the holiday, the state sales tax of 7 percent will be suspended on school supplies, art supplies, computers and instruction materials.

The 10 day event has a maximum cost of $3,000.

Consumers are expected to spend a record $41.5 billion on back-to-school shopping this year, up from $36.9 billion last year and the previous high of $37.1 billion in 2021, according to the National Retail Foundation. Back-to-college shopping is expected to hit $94 billion, about $20 billion higher than last year.

Based on a survey of 7,843 consumers earlier this summer, the retail trade group estimates families with children in elementary through high school will spend an average of $890 on back-to-school shopping this year, about $25 more than last year’s record of just under $865.

College students and their families expect to spend about $1,367 on average this year, higher than the 2021 record where families spent $1,200.

In addition to big-ticket electronics like laptops, tablets, phones and calculators that kids in elementary through high school students need, college students put furnishings and food accounts on their back-to-school shopping lists, the retail group said.