2026 Shop MD Tax Free Week Launch

Dear Retail Partner, 

Mark your calendars! Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week runs from Sunday, August 9 through Saturday, August 15, 2026! For one full week, qualifying clothing and footwear priced $100 or less (plus the first $40 of any backpack purchase) will be exempt from Maryland's 6% sales tax, giving shoppers a great reason to support local businesses like yours. 

This year's theme is Save on Essentials and we want every participating retailer to be ready to make the most of it. 

GET YOUR MARKETING MATERIALS 

To help you promote the week and drive foot traffic, we've put together a full set of resources: 

Participating Store Flyer — print and display in-store to show customers your store sells tax-free eligible items
Official Campaign Flyer — the statewide official campaign flyer with dates and information
Campaign Toolkit — ready-to-use social media graphics, captions, newsletter blurbs, and posting tips for your channels
FAQ Sheet — answers to the most common customer questions about what qualifies 

PROMOTE THE VIDEO CONTEST 

This year, Marylanders can win up to $1,000 by entering the Maryland Tax-Free Week Video Contest, sponsored and administered by the Maryland Retailers Alliance in partnership with the Comptroller of Maryland. To qualify, entrants must post a video filmed at a brick-and-mortar Maryland retailer. This is a great way to spotlight your business as a shopping destination.

 Entries are open July 15 – August 1, 2026. Full contest rules, eligibility details, and the entry form are available on the Comptroller's programs page: MarylandComptroller.gov/Programs.

Download the Shop Tax Free Essentials Video Contest Flyer    

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD 
As a retailer, your voice matters most. Please help promote awareness by using the hashtag #ShopMDTaxFree and tagging @MDComptroller on your social media posts leading up to and during the event. The more retailers who join in, the bigger the buzz and the more shoppers walk through your door.

Thank you for being part of Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week. Visit MarylandComptroller.gov/Programs for more information.  

Sincerely,

Office of the Comptroller of Maryland