Texas Duty Free Weekend runs from Friday August 5th to Sunday August 7th. The holiday weekend is the best time to shop for school necessities, including clothing and supplies.
With inflation at the forefront of Texans’ minds, the three-day event is a form of relief.
As long as the total purchase price is less than $100, including shipping, buyers don’t have to pay school supply taxes online or in person.
If you decide to buy items online, make sure the date of purchase falls within the holiday weekend period. An online purchase at 11 p.m. on Sunday, August 7 will most likely be declined by the online payment processor, making your purchase taxable. The earliest would be best.
The tax-free weekend does not only apply to students. So if you want new pens and notepads for your desk or a new outfit, check out the list below on what is and isn’t eligible.
What school supplies are eligible?
- binders
- Blackboard chalk
- Book bags
- Calculators
- Tape
- Compass
- Composition notebooks
- Pencils
- Erasers
- Folders — stretch, pocket, plastic and manila
- Glue, paste and dough sticks
- Highlighters
- Files
- Card boxes
- Legal blocks
- Lunch boxes
- Marker, including dry erase
- Notebooks
- Paper — lined loose-leaf notebook paper, copy paper, graph paper, tracing paper, manila paper, colored paper, poster board, and construction paper
- Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes
- Sharpener
- Pencils
- Pens
- Rapporteurs
- Rules
- Scissors
- Writing tablets
Which school supplies are not eligible?
What clothing items are eligible?
- Adult Diapers
- baby bibs
- baby clothes
- Baby diapers — cloth or disposable
- Baseball caps
- Baseball Jerseys
- Belts with attached buckles
- blouses
- Boots — general purpose, cowboy and hiking
- bowling shirts
- Arms
- Camping clothes
- Caps — baseball, fishing and golf
- chef uniforms
- Fancy costumes for children
- office clothes
- Coats and shawls
- Combinations
- Dresses
- Earmuffs—cold weather
- Football shirts
- Gloves—General, Dress, and Leather
- Golf accessories — caps, dresses, jackets, windbreakers, shirts and skirts
- Graduation caps and gowns
- Gymnastic costumes and uniforms
- Hats
- Hoodies & Sweatshirts
- Hosiery, including supporting hosiery
- Household aprons
- Jackets
- jeans
- jogging clothes
- Beanies or knitted hats
- Leggings
- Leotards and tights
- Masks — costume, cloth, and disposable cloth masks
- Painter’s pants
- Trousers
- Sticky
- Raincoats and ponchos
- Rain hats
- religious clothes
- Bathrobes
- Scarves
- Scout uniforms
- Shirts, including hooded
- Footwear—general, boat, elliptical, dress, flip flops, jellies, spikeless running, safety (adaptable for streetwear), sandals, slippers, sneakers, and walking
- Shorts
- Skirts
- Sleepwear — nightgowns, nightgowns and pajamas
- slippers
- Leaflets
- Socks, including soccer and athletic
- Suits, pants and jackets
- Braces
- Sweatshirts
- Tracksuits
- Sweaters
- Swimwear
- Tennis dresses, shoes, shorts and skirts
- Ties
- Tights
- Trousers
- Underwear, including undergarments and undershirts
- Uniforms – school, work, nurse, waitress, military, police, fire and post
- Sails
- Vests — general, fishing (non-floating) and hunting
- workout clothes
What clothing items are not eligible?
- Accessories — barrettes, belt buckles, hairpins, briefcases, ponytail elastics, hair bows, hair clips, handbags, handkerchiefs, headbands, sweatbands, ribbons, jewelry, key rings, handbags, wallets, clutches, bracelets, watch bands and watches
- Backpacks — unless intended for primary or secondary students
- Baseball accessories — cleats, gloves and pants
- Swimming caps
- Belts for weightlifting
- Boots – climbing (cramponed or spiked), fishing (waders), overshoes, galoshes, rubber work boots and ski
- Chest protectors
- Fabric — lace, yarn and other fabric
- Clothing repair items – including thread, tape, buttons, zippers, embroidery, patterns and iron-on patches
- Ear muffs — noise canceling
- Elbow, knee, shin and shoulder pads including football, hockey and soccer
- Football pants
- Gloves — stick, bike, garden, hockey, rubber, surgery, tennis and work
- Swimming goggles and masks
- Golf accessories — gloves and handbags
- Helmets
- Helmets — bicycle, baseball, football, hockey, motorcycle and sports
- Ice skates
- soles
- Vests and life jackets
- Luggage
- Masks – N95, welder, referee, swimming or other similar personal protective equipment
- Paint or dust respirators and accessory supplies
- Personal flotation devices
- Inline skates and skates
- Safety accessories — clothing, glasses and shoes (not adaptable for streetwear)
- Shoelaces
- Footwear — bowling, biking, golf, ballet, bowling, cleats or cleats, football, jazz and dance, soccer (cleats), track, tap and water sports
- shower caps
- Ski boots, suits and vests
- Sunglasses, except prescription
- Umbrellas
- Vests — bulletproof, flotation, diving and waterskiing
- Welding Aprons
- Wet and dry suits
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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva.
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