Florida Grocery Sales Tax

Florida stands out when it comes to grocery taxes. While most grocery staples like fruits, vegetables, and bread are exempt, other items such as prepared meals, soft drinks, and snacks are taxable. 

Understanding Florida’s grocery sales tax rules in 2025 can help both shoppers and retailers avoid surprises at checkout and stay compliant with state regulations.

In this sales tax guide, let’s find out everything possible about the Florida grocery tax.

Does Florida tax groceries? 

The short answer is no for most staple grocery items, but yes for certain categories like prepared foods, soft drinks, and candy. The grocery tax in Florida exempts basic necessities, such as bread, milk, fresh fruits, and vegetables, from the state’s 6% sales tax. 

However, products considered non-essential or prepared for immediate consumption are fully taxable. For businesses and retailers, these grocery tax rules matter because they directly affect pricing, Point-Of-Sale (POS) systems, and sales tax compliance. 

Overview of Sales Tax in Florida

Florida imposes a statewide sales and use tax of 6%, which applies to most retail sales of goods and certain services. On top of the state rate, counties may levy discretionary sales surtaxes ranging from 0.5% to 1.5%, depending on local government decisions. This means the total sales tax rate in Florida can vary by county, ranging from 6% to 7.5%.

In general, Florida’s sales tax applies to:

• Tangible personal property (furniture, clothing, electronics, etc.)
• Prepared food and beverages
• Hotel accommodations and short-term rentals
• Some services, such as commercial cleaning

Exemptions exist for specific categories, including most prescription drugs and unprepared grocery staples. Retailers are responsible for collecting the correct combined state and local rate at the point of sale and remitting it to the Florida Department of Revenue.

To stay informed, businesses often rely on resources comparing VAT vs. sales tax and state-specific rules.

Grocery Tax Rules in Florida

Since it’s clear that there is no specific tax on food in Florida, you must know that not all items in the grocery aisle qualify for exemption. Products considered non-essential or prepared for immediate consumption are taxable. This includes:

• Prepared foods and meals (such as deli sandwiches, hot foods, or takeout items)
• Soft drinks and sodas
• Candy and confectionery products

These taxable categories are subject to the full state sales tax, plus any applicable county surtaxes, resulting in an effective rate that can range from 6% to 7.5% depending on the location.

For retailers, proper recordkeeping and exemption documentation, such as a valid sales tax exemption certificate, is essential for avoiding errors.

By understanding which grocery items are exempt and which are taxable, shoppers can better anticipate their costs, while businesses can avoid costly compliance errors.

Tax on Food and Beverages in Florida

Florida law treats different types of food and beverages in distinct ways, which businesses must carefully track. Here are essential aspects of food and beverage tax in Florida:

• Grocery Staples (Exempt): Everyday items such as bread, milk, flour, rice, and fresh produce are exempt from sales tax when sold for home consumption.
• Prepared Foods (Taxable): Meals ready to eat, including hot deli items, restaurant dining, and catered meals, are taxable at the combined state and local rate. For instance, a hot sandwich from a grocery store deli will be taxed, even if the same bread and meat purchased separately would not be.
• Soft Drinks and Candy (Taxable): Florida taxes soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, and candy as non-exempt food items. A bottled cola or chocolate bar is fully taxable.
• Alcoholic Beverages (Taxable): Beer, wine, and liquor are taxable at the standard sales tax rate, whether sold in stores or served at restaurants and bars.
• Other Packaged Snacks (Taxable): Items like potato chips, pretzels, or granola bars are considered snack foods and are taxed.
• SNAP/WIC Purchases (Exempt): Items bought with federal benefits such as SNAP or WIC are exempt at the register, even if they normally would be taxable (e.g., soda or candy purchased with SNAP).

Unlike some states with unusual quirks, such as New York’s rule on sliced vs. unsliced bagels, Florida’s rules are relatively straightforward: groceries for home preparation are exempt, while snacks, beverages, and prepared foods for immediate consumption are taxed.

Businesses that fail to apply the correct rules risk penalties or even a sales tax audit. 

Local Jurisdiction Variations in Florida

Florida applies a statewide sales tax of 6%, but local counties can add discretionary surtaxes ranging from 0.5% to 1.5%. This means the tax rate on prepared foods, beverages, and other taxable grocery items can vary depending on where the purchase is made.

While staple groceries remain exempt, businesses must calculate the correct combined state and local rate for taxable food and beverage sales in their specific county.

Retailers with multiple store locations must also understand how physical nexus and economic nexus rules apply when expanding across counties or states. Some states even add complexity by not accepting out-of-state resale certificates. 

Examples: How Grocery Tax Applies in Florida

To better understand Florida food tax, here are some everyday examples:

• Bag of Apples
  • Category: Grocery staple
  • Consumer Tax: Exempt – no sales tax at checkout
  • Business Impact: Revenue excluded from taxable sales
• Packaged Candy Bar
  • Category: Candy/snack
  • Consumer Tax: Taxable – subject to 6% state sales tax plus any local surtax
  • Business Impact: Seller must collect and remit the combined rate
• Restaurant Meal (e.g., lunch at a diner)
  • Category: Prepared food
  • Consumer Tax: Taxable – full sales tax applies at state + local rate
  • Business Impact: Restaurant must calculate and remit sales tax on all food and beverage charges
• Coffee Beans vs. Brewed Coffee
  • Coffee Beans (for home use): Exempt – treated as a grocery staple, no tax collected
  • Brewed Coffee (to-go or dine-in): Taxable – treated as prepared food, taxed at full rate

These examples highlight the distinction in Florida between groceries meant for home consumption (exempt) and foods or drinks for immediate consumption (taxable).

Compliance Challenges for Businesses in Florida

While Florida’s grocery tax system may seem straightforward at first glance, businesses still face a number of compliance hurdles.

• Confusing Definitions of “Prepared Food”: Determining what counts as a prepared or taxable item can be tricky. For example, hot deli foods are taxable, while the same ingredients sold separately may not be.
• Managing Multi-Location Stores: Different counties impose varying local surtaxes on top of the 6% state sales tax. Multi-location grocery chains and restaurants must track these variations carefully.
• Filing Accurate Reports: Businesses are required to file with the Florida Department of Revenue and account for both state and county surtaxes. Errors in categorizing taxable vs. exempt items can lead to underreporting.

Risks of Non-Compliance:

Here are some risks of non-compliance that companies may have to face:

• Penalties & Interest: Late or inaccurate filings can result in financial penalties and accrued interest.
• Audits: Misclassifying items or failing to properly apply local surtaxes can trigger audits from the state revenue authority.
• Reputational Harm: For customer-facing businesses, being flagged for compliance failures can damage brand trust and credibility.

Because of these risks, accurate tax classification and timely reporting are critical for Florida grocery retailers, restaurants, and distributors.

To manage risk, businesses must track deadlines and the statute of limitations on sales tax audits. 

How Commenda Helps with Florida Grocery Tax Compliance

The sales tax on groceries in Florida can quickly get complicated for retailers, restaurants, and distributors. Between exempt groceries, taxable prepared meals, local surtaxes, and strict reporting requirements, keeping track of compliance can be overwhelming.

That’s where Commenda makes a difference:

• Automated Calculations: Accurately classifies grocery staples, prepared foods, beverages, and snacks to ensure the correct tax treatment under Florida law.
• Real-Time Updates: Automatically adjusts for changes in Florida’s state rules and local surtaxes, so your business never falls behind.
• Simplified Filings: Streamlines the preparation and filing of sales tax returns, reducing manual errors and administrative time.
• Risk Reduction: Helps prevent costly penalties, audits, and compliance mistakes by ensuring consistent application of tax rules.
• Multi-State Support: If your business operates beyond Florida, Commenda applies the correct rules in each jurisdiction, saving you from juggling multiple systems.

Commenda, a sales tax platform, ensures your business always has the correct sales tax permit and compliance processes in place. Book your demo today to get started. 

Also read why sales tax is important. 

FAQs on Grocery Tax in Florida

1. Are groceries taxed in Florida?

Most grocery staples in Florida, such as bread, milk, and fresh produce, are exempt from sales tax when purchased for home consumption.

2. Is there sales tax on prepared food in Florida?

Yes. Prepared meals, restaurant dining, and hot deli items are subject to sales tax at the combined state and local rate.

3. Are soft drinks and candy taxed?

Yes. Florida treats soda, energy drinks, and candy as taxable items, even though grocery staples are exempt.

4. Are groceries purchased with SNAP/WIC taxed?

No. Items bought with federal benefits such as SNAP or WIC are exempt at checkout, even if the same items would normally be taxable (e.g., soda or candy).

5. Do restaurants charge sales tax in Florida?

Yes. Restaurant meals, takeout, and catering are fully taxable under Florida’s sales tax rules.

6. How often do grocery tax laws change in Florida?

Florida’s exemptions are relatively stable, but local surtax rates can change annually. Retailers must monitor updates from the Florida Department of Revenue.

7. How can businesses automate compliance with Florida grocery tax?

Using tax automation software like Commenda ensures accurate calculations, timely filings, and automatic updates when rules change.

8. Does Commenda’s software handle multi-state grocery tax?

Yes. Commenda supports businesses operating in multiple states, automatically applying the correct rules across jurisdictions to simplify compliance.