Texas Tax-Free weekend: List of items that are taxable and what’s not

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Tax-free weekend is just around the corner, starting on Friday, August 11 and ending Sunday, August 13. The sales tax holiday only applies to qualifying items. Below is a list of what items you can snag this weekend without breaking the bank.

Qualifying Items: clothing, footwear, and other items

According to the Texas Comproller’s Office, items on this list that qualify for tax exemption must be priced under $100. Items that do not qualify for exemption are also included.

(T) = Taxable; (E) = Exempt

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 canceling (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)

School Supplies

According to the Texas Comproller’s Office, 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

Items That Do Not Qualify

The following items do not qualify for exemption during the sales tax holiday:

items sold for $100 or more
clothing subscription boxes
specially-designed athletic activity or protective-use clothing or footwear For example, golf cleats and football pads are usually worn only when people play golf or football, so they do not qualify for the exemption. Tennis shoes, jogging suits, and swimsuits, however, can be worn for other than athletic activity and qualify for the exemption.
clothing or footwear rentals, alterations (including embroidery) and cleaning services
items used to make or repair clothing, such as fabric, thread, yarn, buttons, snaps, hooks and zippers
jewelry, handbags, purses, briefcases, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches and other accessories
computers
software
textbooks
certain baggage items (see below)

Online Purchases and Telephone Orders

During the holiday you can buy qualifying items in-store, online, by telephone, mail, custom order, or any other means. The sale of the item must take place during the specific period. The purchase date is easy to determine when the purchase is made in-store but becomes more complicated with remote purchases. The purchaser must have given the consideration for the item during the period even if the item may not be delivered until after the period is over.

For example, if a purchaser enters their credit card information in an online shopping website on Sunday Aug. 13, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. to purchase qualifying school supplies, but the school supplies will not be shipped until Friday Aug. 18, 2023 and will not arrive until Tuesday Aug. 22, the purchase will still qualify for the exemption. However, if the charge to your credit card is declined by the payment processor at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday Aug. 13, 2023 and the purchaser does not resubmit payment until Monday Aug. 14, the purchase is taxable.