Breckenridge Texan

Breckenridge families can join others around the state in saving some money this weekend, which has been designated as a “sales tax holiday,” meaning shoppers do not have to pay sales tax on many school-related items.

Texas Comptroller Don Huffines has announced that Texas families are expected to save an estimated $142.5 million in state and local sales taxes during this year’s sales tax holiday, which runs Friday, Aug. 7, through midnight Sunday, Aug. 9. The sales tax relief applies to many back-to-school items, including most clothing, school supplies and other products.

“Since 1999, Texans have saved more than $2 billion on everything from coats to crayons and scissors to sneakers in preparation for the back-to-school bell,” said Huffines of the annual sales tax weekend. “But this holiday initiative isn’t just about short-term relief — it’s a cornerstone of financial support for Texas families, reducing the cost burden of essential educational supplies and clothing.”

During the three-day event, Texans can purchase a wide range of items tax-free, including most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100. Diapers — both cloth and disposable — are also exempt from sales tax, and certain sanitizers and wipes with a drug facts label are tax-free year-round. The exemption applies whether shoppers buy items in stores, online, by telephone or by mail.

Shoppers using layaway also can benefit. Items placed on layaway or final payments made on existing layaway purchases during the holiday are tax-free, provided the individual item price remains below $100.

The Texas Legislature determines both the dates of the sales tax holiday and the list of qualifying items each year. If a retailer mistakenly charges sales tax on a qualifying item, customers may request a refund directly from the seller. For more information about sales tax refunds, go to the Comptroller’s website.

Here are some of the school supply items that are exempt from Texas sales tax during the event:

School Supplies

Only the school supplies on this list priced under $100 qualify for exemption from tax during the sales tax holiday.

• Binders
• Blackboard chalk
• Book bags
• Calculators
• Cellophane tape
• Compasses
• Composition books
• Crayons
• Erasers
• Folders – expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila
• Glue, paste and paste sticks
• Highlighters
• Index cards
• Index card boxes
• Kits*
• Legal pads
• Lunch boxes
• Markers (including dry erase 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

* For kits of school supplies that contain exempt items, as well as taxable ones, the taxability depends on the value of exempt or taxable items in it. There is no limit on the quantity of school supplies in a kit, but if the value of the exempt items is more than the taxable ones, the kit is exempt. If the value of the taxable items is more than the exempt ones, then the kit is taxable.

Clothing and other items

The sales tax exemption also includes many clothing items and shoes, as well as some backpacks.

A full list of tax-free items is available at TexasTaxHoliday.org.