Exemption Sought for Girl Scout Cookies in Idaho

Feb 10, 2016 | Gail Cole

A challenging spot for door-to-door sales.

Update: HB 449 didn't pass.Girl Scout Cookies remain subject to Idaho sales tax.

Girl Scout Cookies are exempt from sales and use tax in all but two states: Hawaii and Idaho. Should Idaho House Bill 449 become law, Hawaii would be the last state to take a tax bite out every American’s favorite springtime treat.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Janet Trujillo (R) would amend Idaho Code Section 63-3622K and add the following to the list of exempt occasional sales:

“Sales of food products by an Idaho chapter of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America or by an Idaho chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, or by chapters of either organization that combine an Idaho region with a region of a border state.”

According to the measure’s fiscal note, the exemption would deprive the Idaho General Fund of $185,900 per year.

Before you plan to put those sales tax savings towards another box of thin mints, consider this: a similar measure was proposed and rejected in 2013.

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Sales tax rates, rules, and regulations change frequently. Although we hope you'll find this information helpful, this blog is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal or tax advice.

Avalara Author

Gail Cole

Avalara Author Gail Cole

Gail began researching and writing about sales tax in 2012 and has been fascinated with it ever since. She has a penchant for uncovering unusual tax facts, and endeavors to make complex sales tax laws more digestible for both experts and laypeople.