Disney’s “Mary Poppins” isn’t the only anniversary celebrating this August. Texas welcomes back its 25th annual sales tax holiday for back-to-school shopping. This tax-free weekend will make certain clothing items and school supplies exempt from sales tax, which only adds to the reasons to move to the Lone Star state.
Find out below what you can save in this year’s back-to-school holiday.
When is the back-to-school tax-free weekend in Texas?
The back-to-school holiday is one of three Texas holds. It begins Friday, August 9th, and ends at midnight on Sunday, August 11th.
Many school supplies and clothing will be exempt from the state’s 6.25% sales tax rate.
What does the Texas tax-free weekend include?
Like its fellow no income tax state Tennessee, Texas has a similar guideline for tax-exempt clothing. Articles of clothing must be $100 or less to qualify for the tax holiday. School supplies also need to be $100 or less.
Many tax-free items fall under these two categories, but here are just a few of our favorites:
- Shirts, pants, jeans, hats, sneakers, shorts, skirts, and dresses
- Raincoats, swimsuits, and cowboy boots
- Pajamas, socks, and underwear
- Binders, folders, and lunch boxes
- Crayons, highlighters, erasers, markers, pencils, pens, rulers, and scissors
- Notebooks, paper, and index cards
- Writing tablets and calculators
While the Comptroller’s office estimates $143.4 million in savings for shoppers, keep in mind that many items will not be included.
Items that are not tax-exempt in Texas’ back-to-school holiday
Unlike the back-to-school sales tax holiday in Florida, Texas has much stricter guidelines on back-to-school electronic supplies. Items like computers and printers are not included in the sale.
Below you’ll find a list of many other items that will remain taxable:
- Textbooks and software (including educational)
- Jewelry, wallets, and watches
- Hair accessories (including clips, bows, barrettes, and headbands)
- Handbags, purses, briefcases, luggage and umbrellas
- Items used to make or repair clothing, like fabric, thread, yarn, patterns, etc.
- Athletic gear (including cleated shoes, gloves, helmets, and protective pads)
- Non-prescription sunglasses
Note: For a complete list of included and excluded items, visit the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website.
Additional limits on school supply kits and backpacks
Teachers and homeschool parents may purchase school supply kits. Whether or not these kits are taxable depends on the value of the items inside. If the value of the tax-exempt items is more than the value of the taxable items, the kit is exempt. Otherwise, the kit is taxable.
Another item of consideration is bookbags. Book bags are tax-exempt only if they are for elementary or secondary students. Even then, you cannot purchase more than 10 book bags tax-free during the holiday.
Can you buy online for the Texas tax-free weekend?
Online purchases can qualify for the sales tax holiday, but delivery to a Texas address is required.
Online retailers like Amazon honor state sales tax holidays. However, the retailer explains on its website that "tax may still be calculated on items if they do not qualify, which can include items over a certain threshold, bundles, or specific items that are not included in the holiday."
