Students at St. Lawrence County’s five colleges can buy textbooks without paying sales tax.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance wants to remind students that they get a tax break when they buy required or recommended college textbooks for their courses at St. Lawrence University and SUNY Canton in Canton Clarkson University and SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY-ESF Ranger School in Wanakena.

The textbooks can be purchased from any bookstore, including college or university bookstores, retail bookstores, by mail order, or online.

For a purchase to be exempt from sales tax:

• the textbook must be purchased by a full- or part-time student who is enrolled at an institution of higher education and be for use in his or her course

• the textbook must be required or recommended for the student's course, either by the instructor or by the institution

• the student must provide a valid student identification card or other evidence of enrollment at the time of purchase

• the vendor must have a list of eligible textbooks or receive a properly completed Form ST-121.4, Textbook Exemption Certificate, from the student.

For the spring 2017 semester, Clarkson students started classes Jan. 12; St. Lawrence students start classes Jan. 18; SUNY Potsdam and Canton students return Jan. 23; Wanakena students begin classes today.