WACO, Texas — It's one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year and it kicks off Friday: Tax-free weekend.
It's the time when parents and students do their back to school shopping.
During this sales tax holiday, most people purchase apparel, shoes, and school supplies. According to the Texas Comptroller website, you can purchase most clothing, footwear, backpacks, and school supplies tax-free, if they're sold for less than $100.
When it comes to backpacks, most are exempt including ones with wheels and messenger bags, and you can buy up to 10 at once.
School supplies are an important part of the holiday, and that includes notebooks, pens and pencils, scissors, calculators, and rulers.
If you don't want to go out to the stores on this busy shopping weekend, you can also make online orders.
At Targets and some other stores, that includes order pickup and drive up orders as long as they're shipped to an address in Texas. You can also go online to select your school and it auto-generates a list of school supplies your child needs.
The sales tax exemption applies only to qualifying items you buy during this weekend.
This alphabetical list includes items that do and don’t qualify for exemption from taxes on Friday through Sunday.
(E) = Exempt; (T) = Taxable
Accessories (T)
- Barrettes (T)
- Belt buckles (sold separately) (T)
- Bobby pins (T)
- Briefcases (T)
- Elastic ponytail holders (T)
- Hair bows (T)
- Hair clips (T)
- Handbags (T)
- Handkerchiefs (T)
- Headbands (T)
- Jewelry (T)
- Key cases (T)
- Purses (T)
- Wallets (T)
- Watchbands (T)
- Watches (T)
Adult diapers (E)
Alterations (T)
Aprons (household) (E)
Aprons (welders) (T)
Athletic socks (E)
Baby bibs (E)
Baby clothes (E)
Baby diapers (cloth or disposable) (E)
Backpacks (unless for use by elementary/secondary students) (T)
Baseball accessories
- Baseball caps (E)
- Baseball cleats (T)
- Baseball gloves (T)
- Baseball jerseys (E)
- Baseball pants (T)
Bathing caps (T)
Belt buckles (T)
Belts with attached buckles (E)
Belts for weight lifting (T)
Bicycle shoes (cleated) (T)
Blouses (E)
Boots (general purpose) (E)
- Climbing (cleated or spiked) (T)
- Cowboy (E)
- Fishing (waders) (T)
- Hiking (E)
- Overshoes and galoshes (T)
- Rubber work boots (T)
- Ski (T)
- Waders (T)
Bow ties (E)
Bowling shirts (E)
Bowling shoes (rented and sold) (T)
Bras (E)
Buttons and zippers (T)
Camp clothes (E)
Caps (baseball, fishing, golf) (E)
Chef uniforms (E)
Children’s novelty costumes (E)
Chest protectors (T)
Clerical vestments (E)
Cloth and lace, knitting yarns, and other fabrics (T)
Clothing repair items, such as thread, buttons, tapes, and iron-on patches (T)
Coats and wraps (E)
Corsages and boutonnieres (T)
Coveralls (E)
Diapers (cloth and disposable) (E)
Dresses (E)
Dry cleaning services (T)
Earmuffs
Cold weather (E)
Noise cancellation or noise cancelling (T)
Elbow pads (T)
Embroidery (T)
Employee uniforms (unless rented) (E)
Fabrics, thread, buttons, lace, patterns, knitting yarns (T)
Fins (swim) (T)
Fishing boots (waders) (T)
Fishing caps (E)
Fishing vests (non-flotation) (E)
Football accessories
Football jerseys (E)
Football pads (T)
Football pants (T)
Gloves (generally) (E)
- Baseball (T)
- Batting (T)
- Bicycle (T)
- Dress (unless rented) (E)
- Garden (T)
- Golf (T)
- Hockey (T)
- Leather (E)
- Rubber (T)
- Surgical (T)
- Tennis (T)
- Work (T)
Goggles (T)
Golf accessories
- Golf caps (E)
- Golf dresses (E)
- Golf gloves (T)
- Golf jackets and windbreakers (E)
- Golf shirts (E)
- Golf skirts (E)
- Golf purses (T)
- Golf shoes (T)
Graduation caps and gowns (E)
Gym suits and uniforms (E)
Hair nets, bows, clips, and barrettes (T)
Handbags and purses (T)
Handkerchiefs (T)
Hard hats (T)
Hats (E)
Headbands (T)
Helmets (bike, baseball, football, hockey, motorcycle, sports) (T)
Hockey gloves (T)
Hooded shirts and hooded sweatshirts (E)
Hosiery, including support hosiery (E)
Hunting vests (E)
Ice skates (T)
Insoles (T)
Jackets (E)
Jeans (E)
Jewelry (T)
Jogging apparel (E)
Knee pads (T)
Knitted caps or hats (E)
Laundering services (T)
Leg warmers (E)
Leotards and tights (E)
Life jackets and vests (T)
Luggage (T)
Mask, costume (E)
Mask, protective - welder, umpire, swim (T)
Monogramming services (T)
Neckwear and ties (E)
Nightgowns and nightshirts (E)
Overshoes and rubber shoes (T)
Pads (football, hockey, soccer, elbow, knee, shoulder) (T)
Paint or dust respirators and incidental supplies (T)
Painter pants (E)
Pajamas (E)
Pants (E)
Pantyhose (E)
Patterns (T)
Personal flotation devices (T)
Pocket squares (T)
Protective gloves (T)
Protective masks (T)
Raincoats and ponchos (E)
Rain hats (E)
Religious clothing (E)
Rented clothing (including uniforms, formal wear, and costumes) (T)
Repair of clothing or footwear (T)
Ribbons (T)
Robes (E)
Rollerblades (T)
Roller skates (T)
Safety accessories
- Safety clothing (normally worn in hazardous occupations) (T)
- Safety glasses (except prescription) (T)
- Safety shoes (adaptable for street wear) (E)
- Safety shoes (not adaptable for street wear) (T)
Scarves (E)
Scout uniforms (E)
Sewing patterns (T)
Shawls and wraps (E)
Shin guards and padding (T)
Shirts (E)
Shirts (hooded) (E)
Shoe inserts (T)
Shoelaces (T)
Shoes (generally) (E)
- Ballet (T)
- Baseball cleats (T)
- Bicycle (cleated) (T)
- Boat (E)
- Bowling (T)
- Cleated or spiked (T)
- Cross trainers (E)
- Dress (E)
- Fishing boots (waders) (T)
- Flip-flops (rubber thongs) (E)
- Football (T)
- Golf (T)
- Jazz and dance (T)
- Jellies (E)
- Overshoes (T)
- Running (without cleats) (E)
- Safety (suitable for everyday use) (E)
- Sandals (E)
- Slippers (E)
- Sneakers and tennis (E)
- Soccer (cleated) (T)
- Spiked or cleated (T)
- Tap dance (T)
- Tennis (E)
- Track and cleats (T)
- Wading/water sport (T)
- Walking (E)
Shoe shines (T)
Shoe repairs (T)
Shoulder pads (for dresses, jackets, etc.) (T)
Shoulder pads (football, hockey, sports) (T)
Shorts (E)
Shower caps (T)
Skates (ice and roller) (T)
Ski boots (snow) (T)
Ski suits (snow) (T)
Ski vests (water) (T)
Skirts (E)
Sleepwear, nightgowns, pajamas (E)
Slippers (E)
Slips (E)
Soccer socks (E)
Socks (E)
Sports helmets (T)
Sports pads (football, hockey, soccer, knee, elbow, shoulder) (T)
Suits, slacks, and jackets (E)
Sunglasses (except prescription) (T)
Support hosiery (E)
Suspenders (E)
Sweatbands (arm, wrist, head) (T)
Sweatshirts (E)
Sweatsuits (E)
Sweaters (E)
Swimming masks and goggles (T)
Swimsuits (E)
Tennis accessories
- Tennis dresses (E)
- Tennis shorts (E)
- Tennis shoes (E)
- Tennis skirts (E)
Ties (neckties - all) (E)
Tights (E)
Track shoes and cleats (T)
Trousers (E)
Umbrellas (T)
Underclothes (E)
Underpants (E)
Undershirts (E)
Uniforms (school, work, nurse, waitress, military, postal, police, fire) (E)
Veils (E)
Vests (generally) (E)
- Bulletproof (T)
- Fishing (non-flotation) (E)
- Flotation (T)
- Hunting (E)
- Scuba (T)
- Water-ski (T)
Wallets (T)
Watchbands (T)
Watches (T)
Water ski vests (T)
Weight lifting belts (T)
Wet and dry suits (T)
Work clothes (E)
Work uniforms (E)
Workout clothes (E)
Wrist bands (T)
A handful of stores in Central Texas are offering money-saving deals this weekend. If you haven't started your back to school shopping, this is a good opportunity to score big on everything you need this school year.
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