State sales tax holiday next week

State shoppers can save on clothes and school supplies next week during the state sales tax holiday which exempts sales tax on qualifying items. The Texas Legislature sets the sales tax holiday and list of tax-exempt items.

The sales tax holiday will be held Aug. 11-13. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar stated in a release that his office estimates shoppers will save $136 million in state and local sales tax during the holiday.

“As Texans prepare for the back-to-school bell, this is the perfect time to take advantage of the opportunity to save money on everything from blue jeans to ballpoint pens,” Hegar said. “As the father of three, I know how these expenses can add up.”

During the holiday, qualifying items can be purchased tax free online, by telephone, mail, customer order or through other means such as in-store purchase.

Qualifying clothing are items sold for less than $100, with no limit to the number of qualifying items purchased.

Clothing which is classified as exempt includes boots, bras, coats, dresses, gym suits and uniforms, jackets, jeans, shirts, shoes (tennis, dress, sandals, running), skirts, underclothes, work clothes and workout clothes.

Qualifying school supplies are those sold for less than $100, with no limit to the number of qualifying items purchased.

Supplies which are exempt include binders, calculators, composition books, crayons, erasers, folders, highlighters, legal pads, lunch boxes, markers, notebooks, paper, pencils, pens and scissors.

School supplies kits are eligible for the sales tax exemption, but the taxability depends on the value of the exempt or taxable items. If the value of the exempt items is more than the taxable ones, the kit is exempt.

Backpacks are also exempt from tax during the holiday and include backpacks with wheels and messenger bags.

For a full list of exempt items during the sales tax free event, visit comptroller.texas.gov.