By Thomas Beach Vacations Staff
August 4, 2026 | North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The 72-hour holiday waives state and local sales tax on school supplies, clothing, footwear, and computers statewide — and on the Grand Strand, where combined rates reach roughly 9%, the savings run deeper than almost anywhere in South Carolina.
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — South Carolina’s annual Tax Free Weekend begins at 12:01 a.m. this Friday, August 7, and runs through Sunday, August 9, giving shoppers three days to purchase school supplies, clothing, shoes, computers, and certain bed and bath items without paying state or local sales tax, the South Carolina Department of Revenue announced.
The exemption applies to eligible items regardless of price, whether new or used, and covers both in-store and online purchases completed during the 72-hour window. Every retailer selling qualifying merchandise is required by state law to participate.
The holiday, created by the state legislature in 2000, has become one of the busiest retail weekends of the year along the Grand Strand. According to the Department of Revenue, South Carolina shoppers purchased more than $25 million in tax-free items during last year’s event, saving over $1.5 million in sales tax statewide.
What Qualifies — and What Doesn’t
The Department of Revenue groups eligible purchases into four categories: clothing and accessories, including swimwear and school uniforms; footwear of all kinds; school supplies used for classroom assignments, a category that extends to musical instruments, calculators, and headphones; and computers, printers, and software. Certain bed and bath items — sheets, pillows, blankets, and towels — are also exempt. Computer parts and accessories such as monitors and keyboards qualify only when sold packaged with a computer.
The exemption does not apply to items purchased for business use, layaway purchases, clothing or footwear rentals, cosmetics, eyewear, furniture, or jewelry. Revenue officials note that timing governs eligibility: an item redeemed during the weekend on a previously issued rain check is exempt, but a rain check issued during the holiday and redeemed after August 9 is not. Complete item lists are posted on the department’s website at dor.sc.gov/taxfreeweekend.
Because the holiday waives local sales taxes along with the state’s 6% rate, savings vary by jurisdiction. Shoppers in the city of Myrtle Beach, where local add-ons including a capital improvements tax and tourism development fee push the combined rate to roughly 9%, save more per dollar than shoppers in most of the state. Across the rest of Horry County, including North Myrtle Beach, combined rates generally run near 8%.
Grand Strand Retailers Brace for Crowds
Area shopping centers are preparing for one of their heaviest weekends of the year. Representatives of Tanger Outlets, which operates two Myrtle Beach-area locations — one on Highway 17 near Briarcliffe and one on Highway 501 — have described the tax holiday as the busiest shopping weekend on the outlet centers’ annual calendar, with backpacks, footwear, and athletic apparel among the top sellers. In past years, law enforcement has assisted with traffic control around the Highway 17 location during peak afternoon hours, and outlet officials have recommended shopping before noon or after 4 p.m. to avoid the heaviest crowds.
The weekend’s reach extends well beyond the outlet centers. Coastal Grand Mall, Broadway at the Beach, The Market Common, and Myrtle Beach Mall all house retailers selling eligible merchandise, as do Barefoot Landing and the locally owned Shops on Main in North Myrtle Beach’s Ocean Drive district.
Smaller specialty retailers feel the surge as well. At Teachers Touch, a classroom-supply store off South Kings Highway that longtime owner Cindy Reaves has operated for more than three decades, educators traditionally stock up during the holiday on bulletin board paper, bulletin board sets, nameplates, and classroom decor ahead of the new school year. Reaves has said the store extends its hours for the weekend to accommodate the rush. Some area teachers have noted that the holiday often falls before schools distribute classroom supply checks, though they describe the weekend as a significant benefit for families outfitting students with clothing and supplies.
Visitors Save Alongside Residents
The exemption carries no residency requirement, meaning vacationers on the Grand Strand during the holiday save alongside South Carolina residents. Retailers in the area have reported shoppers traveling from neighboring states specifically for the weekend in past years. Because swimwear, sandals, and beach apparel qualify as clothing under the exemption, visitors staying in beach communities from Cherry Grove Beach and Crescent Beach to Windy Hill can combine a late-summer beach stay with tax-free back-to-school shopping.
The first weekend of August remains prime vacation season in North Myrtle Beach, with demand for oceanfront homes and oceanfront condos strong through the back-to-school transition. All of the area’s major shopping destinations sit within a 10-to-30-minute drive of North Myrtle Beach’s four beach sections.
A complete shopping guide to the weekend — including eligible items, savings estimates, and store-by-store recommendations — is available in Thomas Beach Vacations’ Grand Strand guide to SC Tax Free Weekend. For rental availability, visit www.northmyrtlebeachvacations.com or call (843) 273-3001.