Texas families got a break on back-to-school costs over the weekend of Aug. 7–9, as the state's annual sales tax holiday returned for its 27th consecutive year. Texas Comptroller Don Huffines announced ahead of the event that shoppers were expected to save an estimated $142.5 million in combined state and local sales taxes during the three-day window, which ran from Friday, Aug. 7, through midnight Sunday, Aug. 9.
During the holiday, most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 per item were exempt from sales tax, whether purchased in a Texas store, online, by phone or by mail — as long as the purchase and payment were completed during the exemption window. Comptroller's office guidance also extended the exemption to items bought using layaway plans, including final payments on existing layaway purchases, provided each qualifying item stayed under the $100 threshold. There was no cap on the number of qualifying items a shopper could buy, and items delivered after the holiday still qualified if the sale itself was completed during the three-day period.
"Since 1999, Texans have saved more than $2 billion on everything from coats to crayons and scissors to sneakers in preparation for the back-to-school bell," Huffines said in the comptroller's announcement. "But this holiday initiative isn't just about short-term relief — it's a cornerstone of financial support for Texas families, reducing the cost burden of essential educational supplies and clothing." The dates and the list of qualifying items are set each cycle by the Texas Legislature, and the comptroller's office maintains a full list of exempt items at TexasTaxHoliday.org.
In Dallas County, the holiday landed squarely in the middle of back-to-school preparations, with retailers across the region running weekend promotions to coincide with the state exemption. For families budgeting around the county's own rising costs — Dallas County's FY2026 budget, like those of most large Texas counties, drew more in total property tax revenue than the prior year even at a lower nominal rate — the sales tax holiday offers a modest but real reprieve heading into the fall semester. If a retailer mistakenly charged sales tax on a qualifying item, the comptroller's office noted, shoppers can request a refund directly from the seller rather than needing to file anything with the state.
The sales tax holiday is one of several recurring, low-controversy fixtures of the Texas calendar that draws support across the political spectrum — a rare instance of straightforward relief for family budgets that doesn't require a legislative fight to renew each year. With this year's window now closed, the next scheduled sales tax holidays in Texas cover categories like emergency preparation supplies and Energy Star appliances later in the year, though back-to-school remains by far the highest-profile of the bunch.