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Texas has a tendency to enjoy doing things a little differently, and tax-free weekend is no exception. This year in 2019, Texas’ tax-free weekend is different from the majority of states’ sales tax holidays. For many years, Texas held its tax free weekend right along with many other states, during the first weekend of August. But starting in 2017 and continuing now in 2019, things are different.
This year, Texas’ tax-free weekend is taking place one weekend later than you might expect. Tax-free weekend in Texas, including San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and more, is taking place August 9-11, 2019. So tax-free weekend isn’t this weekend, it’s next weekend.
So if you were excited and thinking you could take advantage of tax-free weekend in Texas now, you’re going to have to wait a little longer until Friday, August 9. Tax-free weekend starts August 9 at 12:01 a.m. and then ends on August 11 at 11:59 p.m.
Once tax-free weekend arrives, you’ll be able to avoid sales tax on qualifying items that are priced at $100 or less apiece. This includes most clothing, shoes, backpacks, and other school supplies. More specifically:
- Clothing, including dresses, jeans, pajamas, jogging apparel, shirts, shorts, jackets, sweaters, coats, gloves, etc.
- Baby clothes and diapers
- Socks, undergarments, hosiery
- Shoes
- Hats
- Backpacks for elementary and secondary students (not luggage, briefcases, computer bags, purses, or gym bags)
- School supplies for use in an elementary or secondary school
Remember, any item that costs more than $100 is not tax-free. You can’t buy a $110 pair of jeans and expect to only pay taxes on the $10 over $100, for example. You’ll be taxed on the entire $100.
Also, some items designed specifically for sports aren’t included. For example, golf cleats or football pads aren’t tax-exempt. Swimsuits and jogging suits, however, are tax exempt.
Examples of tax-exempt clothing include adult diapers, baby bibs, golf caps and golf dresses (but not golf gloves,), gym suits and uniforms, flip-flops, shoes like boat shoes, cross trainers, and dress shoes, shorts, sleepwear, soccer socks, slips, hosiery, suspenders, tennis accessories, sweatshirts, underclothes, rain hats, pajamas, pants, coveralls, dresses, and the like.
Examples of clothing that WILL be taxed include sports gear (elbow pads, helmets, etc.), corsages, dry cleaning services, anything that’s rented, football pads and pants (but football jerseys are exempt), sewing patterns, watch bands, watches, weight lifting belts, umbrellas, and more.
Unlike some states, Texas does not offer tax-exempt status to computers, laptops, and e-Readers. This is because only items that cost $100 or less qualify, and computers cost more than $100. Many school supplies don’t qualify, in fact.
Many stores and shopping centers will also offer specials next weekend for tax-free weekend in order to celebrate the savings. So look for special coupons and discounts that you might be able to use on top of the savings you’re already getting by not having to deal with sales tax.
If you’d like to view a full list of qualifying items and items that don’t qualify, see the Texas Comptroller website here.
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