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Tax-free weekend: here's what you can and can't buy without tax

The sales tax-free weekend begins Friday, Aug. 6 and ends at midnight Sunday, Aug. 8.
Credit: Justin Sullivan
A Target customer shops for back to school supplies. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

TEXAS, USA — With children returning to the classroom for the 2021-2022 school year, parents are heading to retailers to buy school supplies, backpacks, clothes and shoes for their students.

This weekend, parents can purchase some of those items without paying sales tax. Tax-free weekend in Texas is Friday-Sunday.

What items are sales tax-free?

Clothes, shoes, school supplies and backpacks under $100.

Some specific sports clothing and accessories, such as jewelry and watches are also free of sales tax.

The Texas Comptroller's Office says qualifying items can also be purchased 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 tax free. 

Here's what you can and can't buy tax-free this weekend (T- taxable; E - exempt from tax):

  • Accessories (generally) (T)
    • Barrettes (T)
    • Belt buckles (sold separately) (T)
    • Bobby pins (T)
    • Briefcases (T)
    • Elastic ponytail holders (T)
    • Hair bows (T)
    • Hair clips (T)
    • Handbags (T)
    • Handkerchiefs (T)
    • Headbands (T)
    • Jewelry (T)
    • Key cases (T)
    • Purses (T)
    • Wallets (T)
    • Watch bands (T)
    • Watches (T)
  • Adult diapers (E)
  • Alterations (T)
  • Aprons (household) (E)
  • Aprons (welders) (T)
  • Athletic socks (E)
  • Baby bibs (E)
  • Baby clothes (E)
  • Baby diapers (cloth or disposable) (E)
  • Backpacks (unless for use by elementary/secondary students) (T)
  • Baseball accessories
    • Baseball caps (E)
    • Baseball cleats (T)
    • Baseball gloves (T)
    • Baseball jerseys (E)
    • Baseball pants (T)
  • Bathing caps (T)
  • Belt buckles (T)
  • Belts with attached buckles (E)
  • Belts for weight lifting (T)
  • Bicycle shoes (cleated) (T)
  • Blouses (E)
  • Boots (general purpose) (E)
    • Climbing (cleated or spiked) (T)
    • Cowboy (E)
    • Fishing (waders) (T)
    • Hiking (E)
    • Overshoes and galoshes (T)
    • Rubber work boots (T)
    • Ski (T)
    • Waders (T)
  • Bow ties (E)
  • Bowling shirts (E)
  • Bowling shoes (rented and sold) (T)
  • Bras (E)
  • Buttons and zippers (T)
  • Camp clothes (E)
  • Caps (baseball, fishing, golf) (E)
  • Chef uniforms (E)
  • Children’s novelty costumes (E)
  • Chest protectors (T)
  • Clerical vestments (E)
  • Cloth and lace, knitting yarns, and other fabrics (T)
  • Clothing repair items, such as thread, buttons, tapes, and iron-on patches (T)
  • Coats and wraps (E)
  • Corsages and boutonnieres (T)
  • Coveralls (E)
  • Diapers (cloth and disposable) (E)
  • Dresses (E)
  • Dry cleaning services (T)
  • Earmuffs
    • Cold weather (E)
    • Noise cancellation or noise cancelling (T)
  • Elbow pads (T)
  • Embroidery (T)
  • Employee uniforms (unless rented) (E)
  • Fabrics, thread, buttons, lace, patterns, knitting yarns (T)
  • Fins (swim) (T)
  • Fishing boots (waders) (T)
  • Fishing caps (E)
  • Fishing vests (non-flotation) (E)
  • Football accessories
    • Football jerseys (E)
    • Football pads (T)
    • Football pants (T)
  • Gloves (generally) (E)
    • Baseball (T)
    • Batting (T)
    • Bicycle (T)
    • Dress (unless rented) (E)
    • Garden (T)
    • Golf (T)
    • Hockey (T)
    • Leather (E)
    • Rubber (T)
    • Surgical (T)
    • Tennis (T)
    • Work (T)
  • Goggles (T)
  • Golf accessories
    • Golf caps (E)
    • Golf dresses (E)
    • Golf gloves (T)
    • Golf jackets and windbreakers (E)
    • Golf shirts (E)
    • Golf skirts (E)
    • Golf purses (T)
    • Golf shoes (T)
  • Graduation caps and gowns (E)
  • Gym suits and uniforms (E)
  • Hair nets, bows, clips, and barrettes (T)
  • Handbags and purses (T)
  • Handkerchiefs (T)
  • Hard hats (T)
  • Hats (E)
  • Headbands (T)
  • Helmets (bike, baseball, football, hockey, motorcycle, sports) (T)
  • Hockey gloves (T)
  • Hooded shirts and hooded sweatshirts (E)
  • Hosiery, including support hosiery (E)
  • Hunting vests (E)
  • Ice skates (T)
  • Insoles (T)
  • Jackets (E)
  • Jeans (E)
  • Jewelry (T)
  • Jogging apparel (E)
  • Knee pads (T)
  • Knitted caps or hats (E)
  • Laundering services (T)
  • Leg warmers (E)
  • Leotards and tights (E)
  • Life jackets and vests (T)
  • Luggage (T)
  • Mask, costume (E)
  • Mask, cloth and disposable fabric face masks (E)
  • Mask, protective – N95, welder, umpire, swim or other similar personal protection equipment (T)
  • Monogramming services (T)
  • Neckwear and ties (E)
  • Nightgowns and nightshirts (E)
  • Overshoes and rubber shoes (T)
  • Pads (football, hockey, soccer, elbow, knee, shoulder) (T)
  • Paint or dust respirators and incidental supplies (T)
  • Painter pants (E)
  • Pajamas (E)
  • Pants (E)
  • Panty hose (E)
  • Patterns (T)
  • Personal flotation devices (T)
  • Pocket squares (T)
  • Protective gloves (T)
  • Protective masks (T)
  • Raincoats and ponchos (E)
  • Rain hats (E)
  • Religious clothing (E)
  • Rented clothing (including uniforms, formal wear, and costumes) (T)
  • Repair of clothing or footwear (T)
  • Ribbons (T)
  • Robes (E)
  • Roller blades (T)
  • Roller skates (T)
  • Safety accessories
    • Safety clothing (normally worn in hazardous occupations) (T)
    • Safety glasses (except prescription) (T)
    • Safety shoes (adaptable for street wear) (E)
    • Safety shoes (not adaptable for street wear) (T)
  • Scarves (E)
  • Scout uniforms (E)
  • Sewing patterns (T)
  • Shawls and wraps (E)
  • Shin guards and padding (T)
  • Shirts (E)
  • Shirts (hooded) (E)
  • Shoe inserts (T)
  • Shoelaces (T)
  • Shoes (generally) (E)
    • Ballet (T)
    • Baseball cleats (T)
    • Bicycle (cleated) (T)
    • Boat (E)
    • Bowling (T)
    • Cleated or spiked (T)
    • Cross trainers (E)
    • Dress (E)
    • Fishing boots (waders) (T)
    • Flip-flops (rubber thongs) (E)
    • Football (T)
    • Golf (T)
    • Jazz and dance (T)
    • Jellies (E)
    • Overshoes (T)
    • Running (without cleats) (E)
    • Safety (suitable for everyday use) (E)
    • Sandals (E)
    • Slippers (E)
    • Sneakers and tennis (E)
    • Soccer (cleated) (T)
    • Spiked or cleated (T)
    • Tap dance (T)
    • Tennis (E)
    • Track and cleats (T)
    • Wading/water sport (T)
    • Walking (E)
  • Shoe shines (T)
  • Shoe repairs (T)
  • Shoulder pads (for dresses, jackets, etc.) (T)
  • Shoulder pads (football, hockey, sports) (T)
  • Shorts (E)
  • Shower caps (T)
  • Skates (ice and roller) (T)
  • Ski boots (snow) (T)
  • Ski suits (snow) (T)
  • Ski vests (water) (T)
  • Skirts (E)
  • Sleepwear, nightgowns, pajamas (E)
  • Slippers (E)
  • Slips (E)
  • Soccer socks (E)
  • Socks (E)
  • Sports helmets (T)
  • Sports pads (football, hockey, soccer, knee, elbow, shoulder) (T)
  • Suits, slacks, and jackets (E)
  • Sunglasses (except prescription) (T)
  • Support hosiery (E)
  • Suspenders (E)
  • Sweatbands (arm, wrist, head) (T)
  • Sweatshirts (E)
  • Sweat suits (E)
  • Sweaters (E)
  • Swimming masks and goggles (T)
  • Swimsuits (E)
  • Tennis accessories
    • Tennis dresses (E)
    • Tennis shorts (E)
    • Tennis shoes (E)
    • Tennis skirts (E)
  • Ties (neckties - all) (E)
  • Tights (E)
  • Track shoes and cleats (T)
  • Trousers (E)
  • Umbrellas (T)
  • Underclothes (E)
  • Underpants (E)
  • Undershirts (E)
  • Uniforms (school, work, nurse, waitress, military, postal, police, fire) (E)
  • Veils (E)
  • Vests (generally) (E)
    • Bulletproof (T)
    • Fishing (non-flotation) (E)
    • Flotation (T)
    • Hunting (E)
    • Scuba (T)
    • Water-ski (T)
  • Wallets (T)
  • Watch bands (T)
  • Watches (T)
  • Water ski vests (T)
  • Weight lifting belts (T)
  • Wet and dry suits (T)
  • Work clothes (E)
  • Work uniforms (E)
  • Workout clothes (E)
  • Wrist bands (T)

The Comptroller's office says to remember that delivery, shipping, handling and transportation charges by the seller are part of the item’s sales price.

Since clothing, backpacks and school supplies have to be less than $100 to qualify, shoppers need to look at the item’s total sales price to determine if it will be tax free.

  • "For example, you buy a pair of jeans for $95 with a $10 delivery charge for a total price of $105. Because the jeans’ total price is more than $100, tax is due on the entire $105 price."

It’s estimated Texans will save $102.2 million in state and local sales tax over the weekend. 

Text "SUPPLIES" to 325-655-6006 for a full list of tax-free items.

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