Florida tax break coming to stock up on hurricane supplies

In addition to looming storm threats, this weekend brings a two-week sales tax holiday to stock up on hurricane supplies.

From Saturday through Sept. 8, you can buy batteries, flashlights, power banks and generators under $3,000 with no sales tax. A list of exempt items can be found below.

August, September and October are typically the busiest months of the Atlantic hurricane season, with the peak arriving Sept. 10.

There is no limit on the number of qualifying items that can be purchased tax-exempt. For a complete list of items that are exempt of sales tax, head to the Florida Department of Revenue website.

• Laundry supplies: fabric softener, dryer sheets, stain removers, bleach
• Toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Tissues
• Dish soaps and detergents
• Cleaning/disinfecting wipes and spray
• Hand sanitizer
• Trash bags
• Ice packs ($20 or less)
• Generator with a sales price of $3,000 or less
• A tarpaulin or other flexible waterproof sheeting with a sales price of $100 or less
• A ground anchor system or tie-down kit with a sales price of $100 or less
• A smoke detector $70 or less
• A fire extinguisher $70 or less
• A carbon monoxide detector $70 or less
• Food storage cooler with a sales price of $60 or less
• A portable power bank with a sales price of $60 or less
• A gas or diesel fuel tank with a sales price of $50 or less
• A portable self-powered radio, two-way radio, or weather-band radio with a sales price of $50 or less
• A package of AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, or 9-volt batteries, excluding automobile and boat batteries, with a sales price of $50 or less
• A portable self-powered light source (powered by battery, solar, hand-crank or gas) with a sales price of $40 or less, flashlights, lanterns, candles.

Supplies necessary for pet evacuations:

• Dry cat and dog food (less than 50 pounds, must cost less than $100)
• Portable pet carriers (must cost less than $100)
• Over-the-counter pet medications (less than $100)
• Pet beds (less than $40)
• Cat litter (25 pounds or less)
• Pet pads (less than $20)
• Manual can openers (less than $15)
• Cat litter pans (less than $15)
• Pet waste disposal bags (less than $15)
• Collapsible food/water bowls (less than $15)
• Hamster or rabbit substrate (less than $15)
• Wet pet food (must cost less than $10 each).