Gov. DeSantis proposes several tax holidays in next budget, including one for guns and ammo

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As part of his 2025-26 budget proposal, Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for six tax holidays, including some familiar breaks on things like hurricane preparation items and school supplies, and a new holiday saving consumers state tax on guns and ammo. 

Likely to be his most controversial tax holiday proposal, DeSantis’ budget includes a “Second Amendment Summer” sales tax holiday that would run from Memorial Day in late-May through the Fourth of July. DeSantis estimates it would save Floridians about $8 million on covered items, including firearms, ammunition and related accessories. 

His budget proposal, entitled “Focus on Fiscal Responsibility,” would again provide for a “Freedom Month” sales tax holiday in July covering outdoor recreation purchases on items, including campaing and fishing gear. Kayaks and canoes are covered, as long as they cost $500 or less. The holiday would also cover tents $200 or less and it would exempt event tickets, museum admission and other arts programming from the state sales tax. 

DeSantis estimates the holiday would save consumers $82 million. 

The proposal also includes the annual Back to School sales tax holiday, a 14-day event that exempts clothing and accessories up to $100; school supplies up to $50; learning aids and jigsaw puzzles up to $30; and personal computers and accessories up to $1,500. The holiday is projected to save Floridians $87 million. 

Another Florida sales tax holiday staple would return under DeSantis’ latest budget proposal. It includes a two-day disaster preparedness tax break expected to save Floridians $72 million on hurricane supplies, including generators priced at $3,000 or less. The two-day tax holiday would run at the beginning of Hurricane Season, and again at its height. Though DeSantis’ budget didn’t name specific dates, Hurricane Season begins June 1 and its peak it typically considered around September and October. 

New sales tax holiday proposals include a one-week “Tool Time,” which would exempt specified tools and equipment used in skilled labor. The proposal doesn’t include a date for the holiday, but estimates it would save Florida workers and other tool shoppers $18 million. 

The proposal also includes a new “Marine Fuel Tax Holiday” that would save boaters $27 million. The proposal would slash for two months 29.5-cents per gallon on motor fuel taxes levied on commonly used boat fuels. Recreational boats typically use marine gas oil, high-speed diesel, ethanol-blended fuel or marine fuel oil. 

Combined with a proposed two-year delay in the imposition of a natural gas fuel tax that is currently scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, the tax holidays would save Floridians and visitors an estimated $296 million. 

The proposals are part of DeSantis’ latest budget proposal, released quietly late Sunday. The $115.6 billion proposal is more than $3 billion less than the current fiscal year budget.