📢 Temporary Suspension of Hillsborough County Discretionary Sales Surtaxes

zlkcpa
4 days ago
2 min read

Effective January 1, 2025 – May 31, 2025

What’s Changing?

Starting January 1, 2025, through May 31, 2025, Hillsborough County will temporarily suspend all discretionary sales surtaxes. This means businesses and retailers will only be required to collect the Florida state sales tax of 6% during this five-month window.

These discretionary sales surtaxes, sometimes referred to as “local option taxes,” are typically imposed in addition to the 6% state sales tax to fund specific county-level services such as transportation or education. Hillsborough County has confirmed a full suspension during this period, resulting in a reduced total sales tax rate for all taxable transactions made within the county.

What Does This Mean for Businesses?

If your business operates in Hillsborough County or sells to customers located there, you’ll need to make immediate adjustments to your sales tax collection practices, systems, and reporting:

Key Business Actions:

Update Point-of-Sale (POS) and e-commerce systems to reflect the 6% sales tax rate for Hillsborough County.
Modify accounting software settings to avoid over-collecting or incorrectly remitting tax.
Inform your team and accounting staff of the change to ensure consistency and compliance.
Monitor your tax return filings for accuracy starting with January 2025 reports.
Communicate with customers as needed, especially if you issue quotes or invoices that cross over into this timeframe.

Why the Change?

This suspension follows a recent court ruling that invalidated certain local surtax measures in Hillsborough County. The Florida Department of Revenue has issued guidance reflecting the county’s revised tax structure for this period while long-term legislative and judicial outcomes are still being resolved.

What Happens After May 31, 2025?

Unless further action is taken by the county or courts, Hillsborough County discretionary surtaxes are expected to resume on June 1, 2025. At that time, sellers must be ready to revert to the prior sales tax rate.

We recommend keeping an eye on updates from the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) and maintaining open communication with your tax advisor to stay ahead of any new developments.

Kamish & Associates Is Here to Help

Navigating tax changes—even temporary ones—can be complex. At Kamish & Associates, we’re committed to keeping our clients informed and supported through every regulatory update.

If you have questions about: