Texas Sales Tax-Free Weekend

It’s time to do that back-to-school shopping with Texas Sales Tax-Free Weekend.  This year the annual sales tax holiday begins Friday, August 11th goes through midnight Sunday, August 13th.

According to the Texas State Comptroller, the sales tax exemption applies only to qualifying items bought during the sales tax holiday.  But exactly what are qualifying items?  Most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks sold for less than $100 qualify that are purchased from a Texas store or from an online or catalog seller doing business in Texas.  And the buyer does not need to provide the seller with an exemption certificate. The exemption applies to each eligible item sold for less than $100, and there is no limit to the number of qualifying items you can buy.

According to the Comptroller, items that do not qualify for the tax exemption include:

• Items sold for $100 or more
• Clothing subscription boxes
• Specially-designed athletic activity or protective-use clothing or footwear
• For example, golf cleats and football pads are usually worn only when people play golf or football, so they do not qualify for the exemption.
• Tennis shoes, jogging suits and swimsuits; however, can be worn for other than athletic activity and qualify for the exemption.
• Clothing or footwear rentals, alterations and cleaning services
• Items used to make or repair clothing, such as fabric, thread, yarn, buttons, snaps, hooks and zippers
• Jewelry, handbags, purses, briefcases, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches and other accessories
• Computers
• Software
• Textbooks
• Certain baggage items

For a complete list of qualifying items and more information, visit https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/98-490/#:~:text=11%20%2D%2013%2C%202023&text=The%20Comptroller%20encourages%20all%20taxpayers,the%20annual%20Tax%2DFree%20weekend.