BATON ROUGE - Louisiana consumers get a bit of a tax break this weekend during the state's annual sales tax holiday.

For two days, August 4 and 5, most retail purchases during those two days will be charged 3 percent state sales tax, rather than the full 5 percent tax. One caveat: the exemption applies to the first $2,500 of the purchase price of eligible items.

Parents shopping for back-to-school supplies, someone searching for that new TV or a homeowner needing to replace a broken refrigerator all could shop for those items on Friday and Saturday with a lessened state sales tax.
According to the Department of Revenue's website, the sales tax does not apply to the following: 

1. Vehicles subject to title and license

2. Meals prepared for consumption on premises or to-go

3. Taxable services such as hotel occupancy, laundry services, printing services, telecommunication services, the furnishing of cold storage space, leases or rentals of tangible personal property, repairs to tangible personal property, and admission to athletic, amusement, or recreational facilities or events

The holiday doesn't affect local sales tax rates.

More details are available on the Department of Revenue's website.