What is tax free weekend in texas

The state's annual tax-free weekend starts Friday, and shoppers will be able to save a few bucks on clothes, school supplies and other items ahead of the fall.

The waiver of the sales tax will run from Friday, Aug. 5, to Sunday, Aug. 7, on items less than $100. State officials estimated last year's tax holiday saved consumers around $107.3 million.

BEFORE YOU GO: Texas' tax-free holiday starts this weekend. Here are the rules for shopping

Here's a guide to the tax free weekend:

What can I buy?

Most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks are eligible for the waiver. Accessories, including jewelry and handbags, are not eligible.

The clothing exemption does not apply to sports apparel, but it does include items typically worn outside of athletics, such as baseball hats, tennis shoes and golf shirts. Cleats, gloves and other specialty equipment still are taxed.

Another quirk: Cloth or disposable face masks are eligible, but N-95 masks are considered medical-grade apparel and do not qualify.

The break on school supplies is intended for elementary and secondary education. It includes composition books, lunch boxes, markers, binders and paper, among other items. It does not apply to computers or textbooks.

The comptroller's website has more detailed lists of applicable items. 

What is the cap on purchases?

Only items under $100 are eligible for the waiver, but it is applied to each item individually.

So if a shopper buys two pairs of pants that cost $60 each, totaling $120, he or she would still get the tax break on both pairs of pants.

Can I buy online?

The tax waiver does apply to online purchases and telephone orders, but you have to watch for delivery charges. The $100 cap applies to the total cost of an item, including any charges for delivery, handling, or transportation.

If a shopper buys a $95 pair of jeans, with a $10 delivery charge, he or she will owe taxes on the full $105 purchase.

Is this the only tax free weekend in Texas?

No, Texas also offers tax holidays in April for emergency preparation supplies, and on Memorial Day weekend for certain water- and energy-efficient products.

At least 18 states offer some kind of sales tax holiday this year. Florida has eight separate holidays, including a yearlong exemption for diapers and children's clothing.

What is the sales tax, anyway?

The state of Texas charges a 6.25 percent tax on most purchases. The City of Houston and METRO each charge 1 percent as well, for a total sales tax of 8.25 percent in Houston.

What is tax free weekend in texas

Time to save on school supplies and clothes this weekend. But do you even know how tax-free weekend got its start?

Daniel Carde /Special Contributor

Parents are headed to the stores starting Friday, August 5, as tax-free weekend kicks off, allowing them to pick up school supplies and clothes before kids return to school across Texas. 

Most people know by now how tax-free weekend works. If you don't, here's a great explainer. But most people probably don't know how this so-called holiday got its start in Texas. You might be surprised to know that tax-free weekend isn't that old. It's relatively young. 

Here's a quick dive into how tax-free weekend came to be the money-saving weekend it's known as today. 

Shop like it's 1999

  • Tax-free weekend was created in Texas in 1999 when legislators approved Senate Bill 441.
  • The bill was authored by a Democratic senator from Houston, Rodney Ellis.
  • The proposed bill asked for the sales tax break on all items under $200 when proposed, according to the bill's history.
  • Originally it was supposed to be a full week. 
  • Amendments to the bill before it was signed by the governor in June 1999 brought the limit to $100 and just one weekend. 
  • When it first passed, consumers were expected to save more than $11 million in 199 and more than $85 million over three years, according to Express-News archives. 
  • In 2021, the comptroller's office said consumers saved $107.3 million during the tax-free weekend. 

"Putting money back in pockets"

"Despite our growing economy, too many hard-working Texas families are struggling to make ends meet," said Ellis in an old Express-News article. "This plan cuts taxes on the essentials all families must purchase, putting more money back in the pockets of all Texans."

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Families can save more on back-to-school shopping during Texas' annual tax-free weekend now through Sunday, Aug. 7.

Shoppers can save $8 on every $100 they spend because sales tax will be waived on many school-related items.

Qualifying purchases include clothing, shoes, school supplies, face masks, and backpacks.

For a specific list of items, visit the Texas comptroller website.

You'll also want to look out for items that are not tax exempt, so you don't get surprised at checkout.

Items that are still taxable include handbags, jewelry, watches, certain sports gear such as football pads and pants, golf gloves, baseball cleats and more.

Check the full list of qualifying and nonqualifying before you head out to the stores.

You can also buy qualifying items online and through telephone orders.

Keep in mind that you may still have to pay for shipping and handling charges and that may affect your bottom line.

Shoppers are expected to save $112 million this weekend.

Report a correction or typo

The back-to-school shopping season is well underway, and shoppers can expect to save more this weekend with the state's annual sales tax holiday.

Texas law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies, fabric face masks and backpacks individually priced under $100 from sales tax during the holiday period.

Owned uniforms for school, nurses, police, fire, military, postal and other careers are also tax-free this weekend. Rented uniforms are still taxable.

The comptroller tweeted even costumes and masks are tax-free this year.

Qualifying items can be purchased from a Texas store or from an online or catalog seller doing business in Texas. In most cases, you do not need to give the seller an exemption certificate to buy qualifying items as tax-free.

Tax-free shopping begins Friday at 12:01 a.m. and ends midnight Sunday in Texas stores and online.

The tax break does not extend to some items, such as jewelry, purses and luggage.

The latest news from around North Texas.

What is tax free weekend in texas

What is tax free weekend in texas

There is a specific list of what is and isn't tax-free on the state comptroller's website. Click here for the full list.

You can expect to save about $8 for every $100 spent. The Dallas Morning News reports that the Texas Comptroller estimates that shoppers will save $112 million in sales taxes this weekend.

What is tax free weekend in texas

North Texans can save on school supplies and back-to-school clothing during the tax-free weekend.

Walmart tells NBC 5 that workers have already seen an influx of people school shopping and not waiting until the tax-free weekend. Many are stocking up and trying to spread out the cost impact.

"Right now, they're actually looking for value," said Sandra Bonsu with Walmart. "And what we've done is implement a whole lot of robots to help the price come down so that people can afford what they are looking for with prices going up and inflation and everything like that."

The Better Business Bureau says there are ways you can save during tax-free weekend and beyond.

Check around your home, you would be surprised what supplies you already stashed away in closets and drawers.

At the checkout ask about student discounts because there are often hidden discounts that aren't advertised.

Consider buying in bulk, all you need is one friend in the neighborhood who has Sam's Club or Costco membership. Think about pooling your money and saving big. Often laptops and electronics are also cheaper at big box stores.

Walmart tells us there has been an increase of teachers coming in early and buying bulk items, especially when they're on sale.

Consider shopping online for supplies, you might find deep discounts online, but make sure you are using a trusted and secure website.

"You really want to make sure that you trust the source, specifically with social media. We recommend that you don't click a link from social media to a site. You need to go directly to that site," said Amy Rasor with the Fort Worth Better Business Bureau.