See which hurricane prep items aren’t taxed starting today

WEST PARK, Fla. – Your tax break when purchasing hurricane preparation supplies began today.

Florida’s sales tax holiday will run from May 29 through June 4, exempting taxes on certain disaster prep supplies.

Among those items are flashlights, lanterns and candles under $20, batteries under $30, and even portable generators that are $750 or less.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s emergency management director Jared Moskowitz were in Boca Raton on Friday morning to urge Floridians to take advantage of this time to prepare.

“This year, it’s more important than ever to have seven days of supplies ready for hurricane season,” said Jared Moskowitz, the Director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management. “The forecasts are calling for an active hurricane season and now is the time to prepare. I’m urging every Floridian to take advantage of this sales tax holiday to get these critical supplies like food, water and medicine, and remember to also have COVID-19 supplies like hand sanitizer, a mask and disinfectant wipes in your disaster kit.”

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins Monday.

The sales tax holiday was passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by DeSantis.

“I really appreciate the legislature passing this holiday last year,” DeSantis said. “I’m glad I was able to sign it into law. We’re going to do it again for next year as well.”

At the Home Depot on State Road 7 in West Park on Friday, essential hurricane supplies were sitting right inside the entrance.

“I think it’s a very good idea,” customer Luis Ortega said of the sales-tax holiday. “People can prepare on time and then they don’t need to be rushing [in] two weeks or three weeks, and little by little you save a few pennies.”

Shopper Henry Casado added: “If you tell people get out, go out and get prepared, they may not do it. But mentality is, if you’re going to save money, they all run out and get it.”

Other items that apply include reusable ice packs under $10, fuel containers under $25, and tarps under $50.

See the document below for more information on which purchases apply.

More information at floridarevenue.com/disasterprep.