New Mexico's back-to-school weekend runs from the last Friday in July through Sunday, and it comes with a catch worth knowing: stores choose whether to take part, so it pays to ask before you load up the cart.
July 31 – August 2, 2026
Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 2
2027 dates aren't posted yet — the holiday always opens at 12:01 a.m. on the last Friday in July and closes at midnight Sunday, and the Taxation and Revenue Department announces each year's weekend in July.
Do online orders count?
Yes, as long as the store is taking part — an internet, phone, or mail order counts when you order and pay during the weekend and the retailer accepts it, even if delivery comes later. The rule is written for shoppers with New Mexico billing addresses.
| Item | Price cap | Tax status |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing & shoes under $100 per item — everyday wear, from baby clothes to coats to cowboy boots | $100 | Exempt |
| Computers (desktop, laptop, notebook & tablet) $1,000 or less each | $1,000 | Exempt |
| Monitors, printers, keyboards, mice, speakers & microphones $500 or less each, sold alongside or apart from the computer | $500 | Exempt |
| School supplies under $30 per item — notebooks, paper, pens, crayons, art supplies, rulers, scissors, staplers, glue | $30 | Exempt |
| Backpacks, book bags, maps & globes these get their own, higher limit of under $100 | $100 | Exempt |
| Handheld calculators under $200, higher again than the ordinary supplies limit | $200 | Exempt |
| Athletic & protective gear (cleats, pads, helmets, swimwear) gear you'd only wear for the sport stays taxable, even under $100 | — | Not exempt |
| Jewelry, watches, handbags, wallets & sunglasses | — | Not exempt |
| Software on its own, scanners, headsets & webcams software only rides along tax-free when it's bundled into the price of a qualifying computer | — | Not exempt |
| Cell phones, e-readers, video games, cameras & musical instruments | — | Not exempt |
Source: New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, FYI-203 Gross Receipts Tax Holiday — the place to check any edge case.
Yes, and that's what makes New Mexico unusual. The holiday is written as an optional deduction for retailers, not a mandatory exemption, so a shop can decline and keep charging gross receipts tax on otherwise eligible items. Most big chains take part; ask if you're not sure.
July 31 through August 2, 2026 — 12:01 a.m. Friday to midnight Sunday. The window is always the last Friday in July through that Sunday, so it usually starts before August does.
Yes, if the retailer is participating. Order and pay during the weekend and the item qualifies even when it ships later — the rule covers internet, phone, and mail orders for New Mexico billing addresses.
Yes, at $1,000 or less. Monitors, printers, keyboards, mice, speakers, and microphones qualify separately at $500 or less each. Software on its own stays taxable unless it's bundled into the price of the computer.
No cart limit — the limits are per item. Clothing and shoes under $100, school supplies under $30, backpacks and globes under $100, calculators under $200, computers at $1,000 or less.
Ordinary sneakers and walking shoes qualify under $100, but anything built for the sport does not — cleats, ski boots, sport uniforms, pads, helmets, and swimsuits all stay taxable.
Checked against New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, FYI-203 Gross Receipts Tax Holiday on 2026-08-14. See the national calendar for every state's holidays.