Texas tax-free weekend 2024: A complete guide to eligible school supplies, excluded items and more

Here’s everything you need to know about school supplies free of tax during Texas tax-free weekend.

The schools are about to open for the next semester and parents, teachers, and children will soon hit stores for their back-to-school shopping lists. They can take advantage of the Texas tax-free weekend which is also around the corner to buy items at low costs. In this article, we will explore all the school supplies which will be available with zero tax and what will be not covered.

A complete guide about school supplies free of tax during Texas tax-free weekend.

What is Texas tax-free weekend 2024?

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts announced tax-free holidays earlier this year for emergency preparation supplies, Energy Star and water-efficient products, footwear, clothing and school supplies. While the dates for other exemptions have already passed, the upcoming tax-free weekend will cover school supplies. The tax-free weekend will begin from Friday, August 9 through Sunday midnight, August 11, 2024. The annual tax-free weekend will cover items of clothing, footwear and backpacks, as reported by Thomson Reuters. The tax will be excused on purchases made via any method including in-store, online or by mail as long as it is made during the three days.

What items will be covered in the Texas tax-free weekend?

According to the Texas Comptroller, three broad categories will be exempted during the Texas tax-free weekend which includes school supplies, clothing, footwear and others. Most of the shoes, clothes and school supplies that cost less than $100 will be exempted from the regular tax. There is no limit on the purchase of tax-free items for buyers.

During the tax-free period, various items are eligible for exemption from tax. The category of school supplies includes a range of paper products such as loose leaf, ruled notebook paper, copy paper, graph paper, construction paper, etc. Essential writing instruments like pencils, pens, highlighters, markers, and crayons are also covered. Notebooks and pads such as composition books, notebooks, and legal pads fall under the exemption, along with office supplies like binders, index cards, index card boxes, cellophane tape, glue and its variants. Organizers including various kinds of folders, pencil boxes, and book bags are free of tax, as are tools and accessories like calculators, compasses, protractors, rulers, pencil sharpeners, and scissors. Additional miscellaneous items such as erasers, markers, and lunch boxes are also exempted.

For clothing and related items, the tax-free category encompasses apparel like shirts, blouses, pants, jeans, dresses, skirts, jackets, and coats, as well as footwear including shoes, boots, and sandals. Accessories such as socks, hosiery, underwear, sleepwear, caps, scarves, and gloves are included, along with speciality uniforms for sports, scouts, and similar activities.

What items will not be covered in Texas tax-free weekend?

The categories in focus for this tax-free weekend are school supplies, clothing and other items. But there are certain items which will not be covered during the weekend. These items include items that cost $100 or more, clothing subscription boxes, specially designed athletic activity or protective-use clothing or footwear, any items utilised to repair clothing, such as fabric, thread, yarn etc. Accessories such as jewellery, handbags, purses, briefcases, gym duffle bags or any other kind of bags will not be covered. Miscellaneous items such as umbrellas, wallets, watches and others along with technical stuff like computers and software are not exempted from tax.