Texas runs three sales tax holidays a year: the big back-to-school weekend in August, an emergency-preparation weekend in late April, and a Memorial Day weekend covering Energy Star and water-saving products.
Full item-by-item listAugust 7–9, 2026
Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9
2027 dates aren't posted yet — by law the holiday always starts the Friday before August 15, and the Comptroller confirms each year's dates in summer.
Do online orders count?
Yes — online orders count if you pay during the holiday, even when delivery comes later. Watch the cart, though: shipping charges count toward the price cap.
| Item | Price cap | Tax status |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing & footwear most everyday apparel and shoes; specially-designed athletic or protective wear doesn't count | $100 | Exempt |
| Backpacks up to 10 per purchase, wheeled backpacks and messenger bags included | $100 | Exempt |
| School supplies only items on the Comptroller's list — notebooks, crayons, lunch boxes, and the like | $100 | Exempt |
| Computers, tablets & software | — | Not exempt |
| Textbooks | — | Not exempt |
| Jewelry, handbags & watches | — | Not exempt |
Source: Texas Comptroller, Publication 98-490 — the place to check any edge case.
April 25–27, 2026
Saturday, April 25 through Monday, April 27
2027 dates aren't posted yet — the holiday lands on a late-April weekend each year, announced by the Comptroller in spring.
Do online orders count?
Yes — pay online during the holiday and the item qualifies, even if it ships afterward. Delivery charges count toward the price cap.
| Item | Price cap | Tax status |
|---|---|---|
| Portable generators | $3,000 | Exempt |
| Emergency ladders | $300 | Exempt |
| Hurricane shutters | $300 | Exempt |
| Batteries, flashlights & lanterns AAA through 9-volt batteries; car and boat batteries don't count | $75 | Exempt |
| First aid kits & fire extinguishers | $75 | Exempt |
| Coolers, fuel containers & tarps | $75 | Exempt |
| Portable radios & phone chargers battery-powered or hand-crank | $75 | Exempt |
| Smoke & carbon monoxide detectors | $75 | Exempt |
| Chainsaws, plywood & camping stoves | — | Not exempt |
| Masks, gloves & cleaning supplies | — | Not exempt |
Source: Texas Comptroller, Publication 98-1017 — the place to check any edge case.
May 23–25, 2026
Saturday, May 23 through Monday, May 25
2027 dates aren't posted yet — both holidays run over Memorial Day weekend each year.
Do online orders count?
Yes — pay online during the holiday weekend and the purchase qualifies, even if it's delivered or installed later.
| Item | Price cap | Tax status |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Star air conditioners | $6,000 | Exempt |
| Energy Star refrigerators | $2,000 | Exempt |
| Energy Star ceiling fans, washers, dishwashers & dehumidifiers any price, as long as it carries the Energy Star label | No cap | Exempt |
| WaterSense showerheads, faucets & irrigation controls any price, for home or business use | No cap | Exempt |
| Water-saving yard products (soaker hoses, mulch, rain barrels) for use at home | No cap | Exempt |
| Clothes dryers & stoves | — | Not exempt |
Source: Texas Comptroller announcement, May 2026 — the place to check any edge case.
Yes. Online purchases qualify if you pay during the holiday window — delivery can come later. Shipping charges count toward the under-$100 cap, so a $95 pair of shoes with $6 shipping loses the exemption.
No. Texas leaves computers, tablets, and software out of its back-to-school holiday — the exemption covers clothing, footwear, backpacks, and listed school supplies under $100.
No dollar limit on the total. The cap is per item — each piece of clothing or each supply has to come in under $100 (and backpacks are capped at 10 per trip).
No — qualifying items skip both state and local sales tax, the full 8.25% in most of Texas.
Not posted yet. By law the August holiday starts the Friday before August 15, the emergency-prep weekend lands in late April, and the Energy Star and water-efficient holidays run Memorial Day weekend — the Comptroller confirms each one a few weeks ahead.
Checked against Texas Comptroller, Publication 98-490 on 2026-08-14. See the national calendar for every state's holidays.