No Tax on a Variety of Back to School Items from Book bags and Lunch boxes to Pencils and Paper
AUSTIN TEXAS - August means its Back to School and also time for the states Sales Tax Holiday Weekend from August 20th-22nd. During this three-day stretch Texas shoppers receive a break from state and local sales taxes on numerous back to school items. For more details on what you can buy tax- free click here.
Details From the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts:
As in previous years the law exempts most clothing and footwear priced under $100 from sales and use taxes which could save shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend.
Backpacks under $100 and used by elementary and secondary students are also exempt. A backpack is a pack with straps one wears on the back. The exemption during the sales tax holiday includes backpacks with wheels provided they can also be worn on the back like a traditional backpack and messenger bags.
The exemption does not include items that are reasonably defined as luggage briefcases athletic/duffle/gym bags computer bags purses or framed backpacks. Ten or fewer backpacks can be purchased tax-free at one time without providing an exemption certificate to the seller.
School Supplies
The 81st Texas Legislature passed HB 1801 (2009) expanding the list of items qualifying for exemption from Texas state and local sales and use taxes during the annual sales tax holiday in August. Effective this year in addition to clothes footwear and some backpacks Texas families also get a sales tax break on most school supplies priced at less than $100 purchased for use by a student in an elementary or secondary school.
The following is an all-inclusive list of qualifying school supplies (if priced less than $100):
- Binders
- Book bags
- Calculators
- Cellophane tape
- Blackboard chalk
- Compasses
- Composition books
- Crayons
- Erasers
- Folders; expandable pocket plastic and manila
- Glue paste and paste sticks
- Highlighters
- Index cards
- Index card boxes
- Legal pads
- Lunch boxes
- Markers
- Notebooks
- Paper; loose leaf ruled notebook paper copy paper graph paper tracing paper manila paper colored paper poster board and construction paper
- Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes
- Pencil sharpeners
- Pencils
- Pens
- Protractors
- Rulers
- Scissors
- Writing tablets
