Hurricane supplies that are tax free in Florida include portable generators, batteries, flashlights, weather radios, tarps, coolers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, fuel containers, and pet evacuation gear, each up to a set price cap. Since August 1, 2025, these items are exempt from the state’s six percent sales tax year-round rather than only during short summer holiday windows.1Florida Senate. Senate Bill 7034 (2025) County discretionary surtaxes also drop off these purchases, because the surtax only rides on taxable transactions.
What Qualifies and the Price Cap for Each Item
Every category has its own maximum sales price. Go a dollar over the cap and the full tax applies to the entire price, not just the overage. The Florida Department of Revenue publishes the authoritative list in Tax Information Publication TIP 25A01-05.
Power, Light, and Communication
- Portable generators: $3,000 or less
- Portable power banks: $60 or less
- Self-powered flashlights and lanterns: $40 or less
- Portable radios and weather-band radios: $50 or less
- Batteries (AAA, AA, C, D, 9-volt and similar): $50 or less
Safety Equipment
- Smoke detectors: $70 or less
- Carbon monoxide detectors: $70 or less
- Fire extinguishers: $70 or less
Storm Protection and Storage
- Tarpaulins and waterproof sheeting: $100 or less
- Ground anchors and tie-down kits: $100 or less
- Coolers: $60 or less
- Reusable ice packs: $20 or less
- Gas or diesel fuel containers: $50 or less
Pet Evacuation Supplies
Florida’s exemption reaches pet gear too. Portable kennels and pet carriers qualify at $100 or less. Large bags of dry pet food qualify within specified price caps, though the pound threshold has shifted across recent legislation (earlier versions set it at 15 pounds, more recent ones at 50 pounds or more). Collapsible water bowls and waste disposal bags have also appeared on recent lists. Because these thresholds move, confirm the current numbers with the Department of Revenue before you shop.
How the Exemption Works at Checkout
You don’t need a code, card, or certificate. Retailers apply the exemption automatically in-store and online, provided the order ships to a Florida address. The price cap is evaluated per item, not per cart, so a large preparedness haul can stay fully tax-free as long as each individual item sits under its own threshold.
Shipping Can Push You Over
Separately stated shipping and handling charges count toward the sales price for threshold purposes. A $38 flashlight with $5 shipping is treated as a $43 sale, which blows past the $40 cap and makes the whole purchase taxable. If an item sits close to its limit, in-store pickup or a free-shipping retailer avoids the trap.
Store Coupons vs. Manufacturer Coupons
A store coupon or retailer discount reduces the sales price, because the retailer is absorbing the markdown. A $3,200 generator with a 10 percent store discount has a sales price of $2,880, which lands under the $3,000 cap and qualifies.2Florida Department of Revenue. 2024 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday – FAQs
Manufacturer coupons don’t help. The manufacturer reimburses the retailer, so the retailer’s revenue on the item is unchanged. A pack of batteries priced at $52 with a $2 manufacturer coupon still has a sales price of $52 for tax purposes, even though you pay $50. Those batteries are over the $50 cap and taxable.2Florida Department of Revenue. 2024 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday – FAQs Check which kind of coupon you’re using before counting on it to bring you under a threshold.
What the Permanent Exemption Doesn’t Cover
The 2025 legislative package also made items like laundry detergent, paper products, and manual can openers tax-free during a temporary June 2025 holiday window.3Florida Senate. Senate Tax Relief Package Whether those household staples return as a temporary holiday or become permanently exempt in a future session depends on what the Legislature enacts. Only the disaster preparedness categories listed above are confirmed as permanently exempt.
Grocery items you’d pack into an emergency kit, including bottled water and most canned food, are already exempt from Florida sales tax under the general grocery rules and don’t need a special holiday to be tax-free.
Confirming the Current List Before You Shop
The Legislature can add temporary tax-free windows on top of the permanent exemption, and item definitions or price caps can shift from one session to the next. Before a big preparedness run, check the Florida Department of Revenue’s Sales Tax Holidays page for the latest guidance and any supplemental holidays scheduled for the current year.