Florida is giving enthusiasts a good reason to shop before the year ends. It is holding a sales-tax-free holiday on firearms, ammunition, optics, sights, stocks, cleaning kits, holsters, archery equipment and—with certain value caps—camping supplies and fishing equipment from Sept. 8 to Dec. 31. It’s likely the lengthiest gun-related sales-tax-free event ever offered by a state.
Two others are conducting specific weekends with similar savings in 2025. In Mississippi this year it runs Aug. 29 to 31 and next door in Louisiana the savings are from Sept. 5 to Sept. 7.
Florida’s extended dates were announced after the state’s annual budget was trimmed and approved. A portion of the cost cutting is being passed onto residents and, of course, those living close enough to reap the benefits.
Camping and related survival gear are annually included in a Sunshine State tax-free event to help ready Floridians for the hurricane season which, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, reaches an annual peak on Sept. 10. Firearms, ammunition and related gear, on the other hand, are not always included on the list annually.
All federal and local laws apply, including those requiring a firearm to be transferred to an FFL in the new owner’s state of residence to ensure the transfer meets all legal regulations. Shoppers from other areas, however, can take immediate possession of most other items. The savings may cover the cost of a road trip for high-ticket items or high-volume purchases.
History
South Carolina was the first state to hold a similar event. On that Outdoor Sporting Goods Tax Holiday, on that single day in 2008 sales increased 650 percent at retailers specializing in qualifying products.
Louisiana followed the next year. It didn’t offer the special savings again until 2023. Mississippi held its first Second Amendment Weekend in 2013. Florida held it’s first, Freedom Week, in 2021.
