The first weekend in August is the biggest for tax-free shopping, with a dozen states holding sales tax holidays.

Why it matters: Families, who are already grappling with higher prices for school supplies and clothes amid inflation, get a short tax break when stocking up this weekend.

Of note: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon do not have statewide sales tax, although Alaska allows localities to charge local taxes, according to the Tax Foundation.

State of play: The foundation, an independent tax policy nonprofit, says sales tax holidays shift the timing of purchases and are “an inefficient response to inflation that encourage spending to be concentrated in a limited window at a time when supply chains are already strained.”

Not every town and county will participate in the sales tax holidays and not every item is included.

Arkansas holds its annual sales tax holiday on the first weekend of August each year for two days.

The Sunshine State's 14-day sales tax holiday wraps up Sunday but diapers and baby clothes will continue to be untaxed through June 30, 2023.

Illinois kicks off its 10-day tax holiday for back-to-school shopping Friday, and it runs through Aug. 14.

Context: It's not a tax freeze but the state sales tax will be lowered from 6.25% to 1.25% through Aug. 14 on most back-to-school eligible items, Justin Kaufmann and Monica Eng write for Axios Chicago.

The tax break covers eligible items under $125, including:

The Hawkeye State's tax holiday is held annually on the first weekend in August and lasts two days, Friday and Saturday.

Several cities, counties and districts have elected not to participate in Missouri’s three-day tax holiday, which runs Friday through Sunday.

New Mexico waives sales tax, which ranges from 5% to more than 9%, Friday through Sunday for its annual back-to-school Gross Receipt Tax holiday.

Ohio has had a permanent sales tax holiday since 2019 that is held on the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of August each year.

Oklahoma's three-day sales tax holiday starts Friday and ends Sunday.

South Carolina's annual tax holiday first started in 2000 and this year's holiday is from Friday through Sunday.

Texas' sales tax holiday starts Friday and runs through Sunday on clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks.

Virginia’s three-day sales tax holiday — Friday through Sunday — waives tax on school supplies, clothing, footwear, hurricane and emergency preparedness items as well as Energy Star and WaterSense products.

West Virginia's state sales tax holiday runs Friday through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 8.

What's next: Massachusetts has a two-day holiday Aug. 13-14, Maryland has its tax week Aug. 14-20, Connecticut has its 22nd Sales Tax Week Aug. 21-27 and New Jersey has its first school tax holiday Aug. 27 through Sept. 5.

Go deeper: Inflation hits back-to-school shopping