Florida e-bike sales tax holidays proposed
A bill sponsored by Sen. Linda Stewart (D- Orlando), which would create e-bike sales tax holidays, unanimously passed the Senate Finance and Tax Committee on Feb. 8.
SB 58 provides sales tax breaks on the purchase of an electric bicycle with a sales price of $1,750 or less, as well as electric scooters, and protective equipment such as helmets and pads.
“This is an effort to increase personal autonomy in transportation, reduce our overall emissions, and help close the transportation access gaps experienced by many Floridians,” Stewart said. “There are countless examples I could give where one of these devices could transform someone’s life and unlock opportunities in employment, education, and access to greater transportation resources.”
If passed into law, the e-bike sales tax holidays are set to run Aug. 1 – Sept. 14, and Nov. 1 – Dec 15, which correspond to back-to-school and holiday shopping periods.
“By providing this sales tax break over two periods of time we give people the chance to save a good amount of money on these sometimes expensive purchases and grant them greater access to opportunities through expanding their mobility,” Stewart said.
The next step for SB 58 is the appropriations committee. More information on the bill can be found at https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/58.
Check out the FloridaBicycling.com eBike Buying Guide!
A query as to why non-ebikes are not part of the sales tax holiday was not immediately returned from Stewart’s office. In 2023, as part of the Freedom Sales Tax Holiday, up to $500 of a bicycle purchase was exempt from sales tax.