ALBANY — College students in New York State are reminded they can purchase textbooks for the coming spring semester tax-free.

The New York State Department of Tax and Finance has issued a press release announcing a tax exemption policy that is nearly two decades old.

New York, along with 13 other states, exempts part-time or full-time college students from the sales tax of textbooks. James Gazzale, of the department of tax and finance, said that this is also true for renting a textbook.

The policy, first implemented in 1998, removes the tax from in-store purchases automatically.

Students must have valid student identification, and the textbook must be required or recommended by their instructor, according to the release. Students wrongfully taxed may fill out an AU-11 form.

Carole Renzi, owner of the independent Albany bookshop Mary Jane Books, which sells new or used textbooks to area college students, said the tax is also exempt when selling books over the store’s Amazon profile, since Mary Jane is based in New York.

According to its website, orders purchased over Amazon can be exempt from the sales tax if the buyer qualifies, but a form must be filled out and sent to the company.

Renzi said she assumes the policy is known by most students.

“No one has ever asked,” she remarked.

Renzi said most students probably spend around $50, but that what her store sells is different than at a bookstore on campus, which is probably much more.

Barnes & Noble Education spokesperson Carolyn Brown said that is does not advertise the sales tax exemption, which is included if students show their school identification upon purchase. Barnes & Noble runs a store on the University at Albany campus in Guilderland.

“While we do not advertise this exemption, we find most students are aware of it,” she said in an emailed statement.

Brown said that although, the cost for textbooks varies depending on course load, and sales tax varies from county to county, a sale-tax exemption in New York would save 8.5 percent of a purchase.

Gazzale said he remembers being a student and spending around $400 on textbooks.