Kansas City-area shoppers once again will reap the benefits of back-to-school bargains when Missouri’s sales tax holiday kicks off at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 2. The tax-free weekend runs through Sunday, Aug. 4.

This is good news for folks who need to grab a few final necessities before teachers and students return to class. Purchases such as clothing, school supplies, computers and other items as defined by the law are exempt from sales taxes for this time period only.

The sales tax exemption is limited to:

• Clothing – any article having a taxable value of $100 or less

• School supplies – not to exceed $50 per purchase

• Computer software – taxable value of $350 or less

• Personal computers – not to exceed $1,500

• Computer peripheral devices – not to exceed $1,500

• Graphing Calculators - not to exceed $150

Qualifying Items include things like clothing intended to be worn as part of school uniforms, disposable diapers, notebooks, paper, backpacks, personal computers, and many others.

Some local taxing jurisdictions are not participating in the sales tax holiday, but the state’s portion of the tax rate (4.22%) will remain exempt for the sale of qualifying items.

Kansas City-area counties including Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass are participating, and most area municipalities are also waiving their tax this weekend.

For a list of taxing jurisdictions not participating, go to the Missouri Department of Revenue, www.dor.mo.gov.