Beginning at one minute after midnight this morning, and ending midnight on Sunday, Oklahoma is holding a sales tax holiday giving shoppers the opportunity to purchase certain clothing and shoes free of sales tax.

This includes state and any local sales taxes. Retailers are required to participate and may not charge tax on items that are legally tax-exempt during the sales tax holiday. The sales tax holiday exempts the sale of clothing and shoes priced at less than $100 from sales taxes.

What items are not exempt from sales tax during the sales tax holiday?

“Any special clothing or footwear that is primarily designed for an athletic activity or protective use that is not normally worn except when used for athletic activity or protective use for which it is designed. Also, accessories including jewelry, handbags, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches, and other similar items carried on or about the human body, without regard to whether worn on the body in a manner characteristic of clothing are considered taxable. The rental of clothing or footwear is also taxable.” - www.tax.ok.gov/stholiday.

Consumers are urged to contact local retail businesses for additional saving on tax exempt items.

“We encourage everyone to take advantage of our Tax Fee Holiday by shopping locally,” said Janet Reed, executive director of the Durant Area Chambe of Commerce. “Don’t forget by keeping local dollars working here at home, our community, local businesses, jobs and schools all prosper. Together, we can support our community with every purchase we make. You can shop for tax free merchandise while you keep it local. Together, we make a difference.”

The Oklahoma Legislature passed Senate Bill 861 during the 2007 Legislative Session to benefit both consumers and retailers in the state by providing sales tax exempt shopping.

The sales tax holiday is similar to events in 17 other states, including Texas, Arkansas and Missouri, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators in Washington, D.C.

Paula Ross, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Tax Commission, said Oklahomans saved almost $7 million in sales taxes during last year’s holiday weekend.

Oklahoma excludes school supplies, computers and other products from the tax exemption. Matt Robison, director of Oklahoma Retail Council, said he’d like to see it go further.

“The state chamber and the retail council supports expanding this,” Robison said. State lawmakers have been reluctant because of the loss of revenue expanding the tax break would cause in a sluggish economy, he said.

For a complete list of tax free items visit www.tax.ok.gov/stholiday.