Florida Gun Laws · 2026
Florida Firearm Tax Holiday 2026: How to Buy Guns Without Sales Tax
Florida’s Hunting, Fishing, and Camping Sales Tax Holiday is open now. It runs from September 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. If you buy a qualifying firearm, box of ammo, or listed accessory in Florida during that window, the state does not collect sales tax on that retail sale.
That is real money on a rifle, a case of ammo, or a set of optics. It does not change who may buy a gun. It does not skip the background check at a licensed dealer. It only takes the sales tax off qualifying items.
I work with buyers and sellers in Tampa Bay every week. The people who use this holiday well do two things. They check the official list. Then they buy through a licensed FFL so the transfer stays clean.
What the 2026 holiday actually covers
The official name is the 2026 Hunting, Fishing, and Camping Sales Tax Holiday. The Florida Department of Revenue posted the dates and the list. The law cite on the state’s tax bulletin is Section 43, Chapter 2026-239, Laws of Florida. The consumer FAQ points to House Bill 7031E (2026).
Official source: Florida Department of Revenue — Hunt / Fish / Camp holiday · TIP 26A01-06 (PDF)
During the holiday, sales tax is not due on the retail sale of:
- Ammunition as defined in section 790.001(1), Florida Statutes
- Firearms, including pistols, rifles, and shotguns
- Listed firearm accessories (see the table below)
- Bows and crossbows, plus listed archery accessories
- Some camping and fishing gear, but those items have price caps
Firearms, ammo, and the listed gun accessories do not have a dollar cap on the DOR list. A tent does. A fishing rod does. A $2,000 rifle does not lose the holiday just because the price is high.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Firearm statutes change. Confirm current Florida and federal rules or speak with a licensed attorney and AGA’s FFL team before you transfer a firearm.
Firearm accessories that are on the list
| Listed accessory (no price cap on the DOR hunting list) |
|---|
| Barrels |
| Cases or range bags |
| Charging handles |
| Cleaning kits |
| Handguards |
| Holsters |
| Internal parts and components |
| Magazines or other ammunition feeding devices or carriers |
| Pistol grips |
| Shooting chronographs |
| Shooting mats, rests, or bipods |
| Sights or optics |
| Slides or cylinders |
| Slings |
| Stocks or braces |
| Suppressors or silencers |
| Triggers |
If the accessory is not on that list, do not assume it is tax-free. The Department of Revenue says items not specifically listed as firearm accessories are not exempt during this holiday. Source: 2026 Consumer FAQ (PDF).
What “ammunition” means here
Florida’s holiday uses the statute definition. Ammunition is an object that has all of these parts:
- A fixed metallic or nonmetallic hull or casing with a primer
- One or more projectiles, bullets, or shot
- Gunpowder
A complete cartridge or shotshell fits. A loose projectile by itself does not.
What the holiday does not do
This is the part people mix up.
The holiday does not let a prohibited person buy a gun.
The holiday does not cancel an FFL transfer.
The holiday does not cancel Form 4473 on a dealer sale.
The holiday does not cancel federal rules on suppressors or other NFA items. A suppressor may be off Florida sales tax if it is on the accessory list. It is still a federal NFA item. Treat those as two different systems.
The holiday also does not apply to:
- Rentals of listed items
- Repairs of listed items
- Purchases for commercial use
- Sales inside a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment, or airport
If a store sells a kit that mixes a tax-free item with a taxable item, tax is due on the whole package. Read the receipt.
Online orders can still qualify. If a remote seller or marketplace accepts the order during the holiday for immediate shipment, the item can stay exempt even if the box arrives in January. “Immediate shipment” means you did not ask them to hold it.
How much you actually save
Florida’s state sales tax rate is 6%. Many counties add a local surtax. In a lot of Florida cities the combined rate lands around 6% to 8%, depending on the county. Source: Florida DOR Sales and Use Tax.
Quick examples, using 7% as a mid-range illustration (state 6% plus a 1% county surtax, which is Pinellas County’s 2026 surtax on the state’s chart):
| Purchase | Tax you skip at 7% |
|---|---|
| $400 used shotgun | about $28 |
| $800 pistol | about $56 |
| $1,500 rifle | about $105 |
| $200 of qualifying ammo | about $14 |
Those numbers are math on the tax rate. They are not a promise of any auction hammer price.
Buying during the holiday: shop vs auction vs private sale
| Option | Tax-holiday angle | Transfer / paperwork | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local retailer | Qualifying new guns, ammo, and listed gear should ring up without sales tax | Dealer runs the check and transfer | Fast retail purchase |
| Licensed FFL auction (AGA) | Florida pickup or Florida shipping is the usual taxable event; ask us to apply the holiday to qualifying lots | AGA handles the FFL transfer and 4473 | Used and collector guns, nationwide bidding |
| Private in-state sale | Sales tax is a dealer/retail issue more than a person-to-person issue; eligibility rules still apply | You must still follow Florida private-transfer rules | A known local buyer |
A tax holiday is not a reason to skip a clean paper trail. If you want a documented sale or a documented purchase without meeting strangers, consign your guns or register to buy.
Ready to list a collection while Florida buyers are shopping?
Consign your gunsHow to buy through Accurate Gun Auctions during the holiday
We are a licensed Florida FFL in the Clearwater / Tampa Bay area. Buyers across the country bid on the same lots. Florida buyers who pick up locally, or who have a gun shipped to a Florida address, are the buyers most likely to see Florida sales tax on a normal invoice. That is the moment to ask about the holiday.
- Register to bid.
- Browse live and upcoming lots on the auction page and how to buy.
- Bid only on guns you are legal to own.
- If you win, complete the FFL transfer. Florida in-person pickup follows dealer rules. Out-of-state winners use their local FFL.
- Ask at invoice time whether the lot is a qualifying holiday item. Do not guess from the listing title alone.
- Local pickup is by appointment in Clearwater. Bring the ID the staff requests.
Our public FAQ currently says consigners are normally paid within two weeks after the auction ends. It also lists a buyer’s premium of 15% for cash or certified funds and 18% for cards. Confirm those numbers when you bid. They are process facts, not tax-holiday rules. Source: AGA FAQ.
Selling into this window can make sense too. More Florida buyers are shopping. If you have a safe full of extras, start on the sell form. See also how to sell and legal requirements.
Tampa Bay and other Florida notes
If you are buying in Tampa, Clearwater, or St. Petersburg, plan the transfer the same way you would in January. The holiday only changes the tax line.
Same idea in Orlando, Jacksonville, and Miami. County surtax rates differ. The holiday list does not.
Used guns can be the smarter buy in a long tax window. New-gun shelves get picked over. Auction lots keep turning. If you want a value check on a gun you already own, use the gun valuation request.
For a wider market snapshot, see our 2026 industry trends post. For NFA tax-stamp changes, keep that topic separate from this sales-tax holiday: 2026 NFA tax stamp eliminated in Florida.
FAQ
- Does the tax holiday mean I can skip the background check?
- No. A licensed dealer sale still uses the normal FFL process.
- Are used guns included?
- The Department of Revenue lists the item (firearm, ammo, listed accessory). It does not say “new only” on the hunting list. Confirm the tax line on your invoice. Mixed lots and shipping can change the result.
- Is a suppressor sales-tax free and also free of federal paperwork?
- No. The holiday list includes “suppressors or silencers” for Florida sales tax. Federal NFA rules are separate.
- What if I order online on December 31 and the gun ships in January?
- DOR says an eligible item ordered during the holiday for immediate shipment can stay exempt even if delivery is later. Do not ask the seller to delay shipment if you want that treatment.
- Do I pay Florida tax if I win an AGA auction from out of state?
- AGA’s FAQ says tax applies when the item is picked up at our location or shipped to a Florida address. Out-of-state FFL shipment is a different invoice. Ask when you settle.
- Where is the official list?
- Start at floridarevenue.com/HuntFishCamp and read TIP 26A01-06.
Ready to buy or sell the legal way
Use the holiday if you were going to buy anyway. Do not let a tax line talk you into a gun you do not need. If you are buying, register and bid. If you are thinning a collection, start on the consignment form.
Questions — contact AGA or talk with an expert in Clearwater.
Start your listing on the sell form.
Consign your guns
