SAN ANTONIO — Tax-free weekend in Texas runs from August 8-10.

Qualifying items are exempt from state sales tax. Not everything is exempt. Items must qualify under the following rules of the state.

Qualifying items:

Most shoes, clothes and school supplies are sold tax-free as long as they are less than $100. There is no limit on the number of eligible items you can buy.

Qualifying school supplies:

  • 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

  • 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
  • Framed backpacks
  • Luggage
  • Briefcases
  • Athletic, duffle or gym bags
  • Computer bags

Online purchases

During the sales tax holiday, qualifying items can be bought in-store, online, by mail or by any other means. However, the sale of the item must take place during the three-day period.

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