Florida Made Sunscreen Permanently Tax-Free in 2025
Starting August 1, 2025, Florida families no longer pay the 6% state sales tax on sunscreen, year-round, and the savings add up over a summer.
Under HB 7031, effective August 1, 2025, Florida permanently exempts sunscreen, products primarily intended to absorb, reflect, or scatter UV radiation, from the state's 6% sales tax year-round, alongside items such as bicycle helmets, life jackets, and insect repellent.
Tax-policy analysts note that moving sunscreen from a temporary back-to-school holiday to a permanent year-round exemption removes the guesswork of timing purchases and treats sun protection more like a public-health staple than a seasonal extra.
Questions we get a lot
When did Florida's sunscreen sales tax exemption take effect?
The exemption became effective August 1, 2025, under HB 7031. Unlike Florida's past back-to-school or disaster-prep tax holidays, this exemption is permanent and applies year-round, so sunscreen is no longer subject to the state's 6% sales tax at any time.
Which products qualify as tax-free sunscreen in Florida?
The exemption applies to products primarily intended to absorb, reflect, or scatter ultraviolet radiation. The same HB 7031 measure also exempts related safety items such as bicycle helmets, life jackets, and insect repellent. Products marketed mainly for other purposes would not fall under the sunscreen exemption.
How much can a family realistically save?
The savings are the 6% state sales tax on every qualifying purchase. On its own a single bottle is a small amount, but for families who go through many bottles across a long Florida sun season, the year-round exemption adds up over time. Local discretionary surtaxes are separate from the state rate.
r/florida: 'Wait, is sunscreen actually tax-free now in FL or is that just during the summer holiday week? Trying to figure out if I should stock up.'