CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Stocking up on hurricane supplies is more affordable year-round in Florida. The state’s tax exemption on essential storm-preparation items — once limited to temporary “disaster preparedness” holidays — is now permanent.
Watch Senior Reporter Emily Young learn what's tax exempt:
That means you no longer have to wait for a specific week or month to save on items like batteries, tarps, generators, and other emergency gear.
While the change makes it easier to prepare financially, local store owners say one big challenge remains: shoppers who wait until the last minute.
Kendall Doss of Williams Hardware in Fort Myers explained to Fox 4 what qualifies for the exemption.
“So tarps, any size that’s up to 1,000 sq ft — these are tax free. And plastic sheeting, so anything that’s basically considered a waterproof plastic barrier,” she said.
Doss explained that a life-vest is tax exempt, but any type of floating device that you do not wear on your body, is not.
Other items on the list include batteries, tie-downs, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors.
“In previous years there were price caps on some of the items that were considered to be tax free and this year they don’t have that — so people are able to spend the money on better quality items or big-ticket items without worrying about taxes,” said Doss.
Matt Edwards, who lives in Cape Coral, knows why preparing early matters. He learned his lesson after a major storm took out his electricity.
“We got kind of caught with our pants down for about a week without any power in the house," he said.
Some supplies people expect to be covered are not. For example, sandbags are taxable — though many cities hand them out for free — and lumber is also not included.
At Lowe’s, hurricane items are front-and-center.
All tax-free items are marked with signs so shoppers can easily identify them. But remember, not every storm-related product qualifies.
For a full list of items included on the tax exemption list, click here
