Buckeye Reporter

States across the country are implementing Second Amendment sales tax holidays, providing significant savings for buyers of firearms, ammunition, and related equipment. In Florida, a new tax holiday exempts these items from the state’s 6% sales tax through the end of the year. State economists estimate that Floridians will save $44.8 million as a result.

JD Johnson, co-owner of Talon Tactical Outfitters near Tallahassee, told media outlets, “I think you will probably see people that were planning on buying a new hunting shotgun or a new hunting rifle will probably take advantage of it and step up the level of what they were going to spend to buy a better rifle. Most of the time, you’re not just buying a gun. You are buying a gun. You are buying ammunition. You are buying a case to put it in. You are buying a safe for maybe at home to lock it up in.”

Florida’s initiative is part of Governor Ron DeSantis’ budget proposal for 2025-26 and was originally planned as a summer event but now runs from September 8 through December 31. The governor signed the law in June.

“From September 8 through December 31st, all firearms, munitions, accoutrements, as well as things like bows and arrows, are tax free,” Gov. DeSantis said. “So that’s going to save some of our folks a lot of money to have that.”

Other states also offer similar exemptions or have no sales tax at all on these items. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, and Oregon do not impose sales taxes on firearms or ammunition purchases. South Carolina has run its own Second Amendment Weekend since 2008 with tax-free firearm sales following Thanksgiving each year. Mississippi launched its version in 2014; this year’s event took place August 29-31 and included exemptions for various firearms-related products.

“These are one of our busiest weekends all year for us,” said Jeremy Norris, owner of Covington County Supply in Mississippi. “We’re open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It’s the only Sunday we’re ever open in the year.”

Louisiana began its Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday in 2009 but suspended it during budget shortfalls before reinstating it last year; this year’s holiday ran September 5-7.

Attempts to establish similar holidays elsewhere have often stalled in state legislatures—such as Alabama (2014), Texas (2015), Tennessee (2015), Maryland (2015), and Oklahoma (2023).

Meanwhile, California implemented an additional 11% excise tax on firearm and ammunition purchases effective July 1, 2024 https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/california-gun-tax-law-firearms-ammunition/. Colorado imposed a similar excise tax at 6.5%, starting April 1 https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1219.

NSSF supports legislative efforts by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and U.S. Sen Jim Risch (R-Idaho) aimed at prohibiting such excise taxes via H.R.2442 and S.1169.