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Texas tax-free weekend returns with deals for back-to-school shopping

Busy, back-to-school families, it's time to shop for deals and discounts: Texas’ sales tax-free holiday weekend is here.
That means sales tax exemption from midnight Friday, August 6 through midnight Sunday, August 8 on qualified items priced below $100, which saves shoppers $8 on every $100 spent. Examples of qualified items include clothing, face masks, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks.
Details on qualifying items can be found on the Texas Comptroller website.
For COVID-wary shoppers, some good news. Customers can order online, by phone, mail, or custom order — with some important guidelines to qualify for tax exemption, according to the Comptroller Department:
- The item is both delivered, and paid for, by the customer during the exemption.
- the customer orders and pays for the item, and the seller accepts the order during the exemption period for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period ends.
- A seller accepts an order when the seller has acted to fill the order for immediate shipment.
- An order is filled for immediate shipment regardless of whether the shipment is delayed due to a backlog of orders or because stock is currently unavailable to, or on back order by, the seller.
Importantly, per the Comptroller Department, these items do not qualify for exemption:
- Framed backpacks
- Luggage
- Briefcases
- Athletic, duffle, or gym bags
- Computer bags
- Purses
And, of special note to families with athletes: Shoes and apparel designed for specific athletic activity do not qualify. (Golf cleats and football pads are out, but all-purpose sneakers and swimsuits are in.) Check the website for more details.
“For many families with children who are going back to their school campuses for the first time since the pandemic began, the sales tax holiday is the perfect opportunity to save money on school supplies and other tax-free items,” Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar noted in a statement.