Tax Service Releases Full List of GST-Free Back-to-School Items

The Belize Tax Service Department has now released the full list of school supplies that will qualify for its upcoming Back-to-School GST-Free Days. As reported yesterday, the initiative will take place on Saturday, August 15, and Saturday, August 29, giving families two opportunities to save on essential items ahead of the new academic year. Several supplies already classified as GST-exempt or zero-rated will remain tax-free, including notebooks, textbooks, workbooks, school bags, pencils, crayons, coloured pencils, erasers and pencil cases.  For the two designated shopping days, the Government has approved an expanded list of normally taxable items that will also be sold without GST. These include pens, uniforms and uniform material, binders and folders, highlighters, markers, pencil sharpeners, calculators, scissors, ruled and graph paper, typing sheets, Bristol board, correction fluid, glue, geometry sets, lunch kits and boxes, socks and hand sanitiser.  The waiver will also apply to eligible footwear, including black school shoes, black tennis shoes and black slippers. Other approved products include tape, brown-paper book covers, craft paper, newsprint and Bristol paper, as well as liquid soap and toilet paper.  The Tax Service reminds consumers that only the listed items will qualify for the temporary waiver. Shoppers are also encouraged to carefully check their receipts before leaving the business to ensure GST was not mistakenly charged. Any incorrect application of the tax can be reported to the department through its published contact numbers or at any Belize Tax Service office countrywide.