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Little girl and her parents choosing backpack for school while shopping in the store together.
Texas’ annual Tax-Free Weekend kicks off today and runs through Sunday, Aug. 9.
For three days, shoppers can skip the sales tax on most clothing, footwear, student backpacks, and school supplies priced under $100 — so with school starting on Tuesday, it's the perfect time to get that first day 'fit ready.
Qualifying items include everything from jeans, dresses, jackets, swimsuits and athletic shoes to backpacks, lunch boxes, notebooks, calculators, crayons, pencils, pens and scissors. And the $100 limit applies to each individual item, not the total purchase, so a cart full of qualifying items can still receive the exemption.
The annual sales tax holiday is designed to ease some of the cost of back-to-school shopping, but you do not have to be heading back to class to take advantage. Purchases can be made both in stores and online, and many retailers add their own promotions and discounts throughout the weekend.
Not everything makes the cut. Jewelry, handbags, wallets, watches, luggage, computers and sport-specific protective gear are among the items that generally do not qualify.
Before filling your cart, check the Texas Comptroller’s full list of eligible items and any store-specific rules.
Then shop away. After all, if the kids need new shoes anyway, you might as well save a little at checkout.