Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director of Public Affairs
703-324-3187, TTY 711, Fax 703-324-2010
Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
publicaffairs@fairfaxcounty.gov
May 19, 2008
Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday
A Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday will be held in Virginia from Sunday, May 25, through Saturday, May 31. During this period, items designated by the Virginia Department of Taxation as hurricane preparedness equipment will be exempt from state and local sales and use taxes.
The tax exemption applies to generators, inverters and inverter cables costing $1,000 or less, as well as batteries, food-storage containers, first-aid kits, bottled water and 18 other items costing $60 or less. The complete list of exempt products can be found at www.vaemergency.com/threats/hurricane/2008taxholiday.cfm.
The tax holiday will take place annually during the last week of May through 2012. This year it coincides with National Hurricane Preparedness Week, which focuses on informing the public about hurricane hazards and measures that can be taken to prepare and minimize damage. The 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season begins June 1 and runs through Nov. 30.
The Virginia Department of Taxation’s Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Guidelines and Rules are available on Fairfax County’s Web site, at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta/news.htm. For additional information on hurricane preparedness, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/prepare/hurricane.htm.
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