Saturday through Monday, two sales tax holidays — the Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday and the Water Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday -- will run concurrently. Throughout the weekend, Texas shoppers can save money on certain energy- and water-efficient products.
Both sales tax holidays run from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 29, through 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 31.
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The Texas Comptroller’s office estimates Texas shoppers will save about $13.4 million in state and local sales taxes during the weekend.
“Outdated water systems and inefficient appliances, along with triple-digit temperatures, can put a tremendous strain on our water supplies and power grids,” Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said in a release. “By taking advantage of these sales tax holidays, Texans can make upgrades that will help alleviate those pressures and lower their utility bills — while saving money on state and local sales taxes.”
There’s no limit to the number of qualifying products a shopper can purchase tax free. For more information on the Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday or the ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday, visit the Comptroller’s website.
MORE: Memorial Day and ENERGY STAR Tax-Free Weekend mash-up means big savings
Qualifying Water-Efficient Products
During the holiday period, shoppers can buy any product tax free that displays a WaterSense label or logo. These items can be bought for either personal or business purposes. Texans can also buy certain water-conserving products tax free during the holiday period. Unlike WaterSense®-labeled items, these items are only exempt when you purchased for use at a residential property.
Shoppers can buy items tax free during the holiday that are used or planted for conserving or retaining groundwater; recharging water tables; or decreasing ambient air temperature, and so limiting water evaporation.
Examples of items that qualify for the exemption include
- a soaker or drip-irrigation hose
- a moisture control for a sprinkler or irrigation system
- mulch
- a rain barrel or an alternative rain and moisture collection system
- a permeable ground cover surface that allows water to reach underground basins, aquifers or water collection points
- plants, trees and grasses
- water-saving surfactants
- soil and compost
Non-Qualifying Water-Efficient Products
Examples of items that do not qualify for the exemption include
- construction/building materials
- awnings and other items used to create shade
- air conditioners*
- ceiling fans*
- sprinklers
*Certain air conditioners and ceiling fans can be bought tax free as part of the Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday which runs concurrently with the Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday during Memorial Day weekend.
Qualifying Energy Star Products
You can buy, rent or lease only the following ENERGY STAR®-labeled items tax free:
- air conditioners (with a sales price of $6,000 or less)
- refrigerators (with a sales price of $2,000 or less)
- ceiling fans
- incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs
- clothes washers
- dishwashers
- dehumidifiers
Non-Qualifying Energy Star Products
Examples of items that do not qualify and are taxable, even if they are ENERGY STAR®-labeled include
- water heaters
- clothes dryers
- freezers
- stoves
- attic fans
- heat pumps
- wine refrigerators
- kegerators
- beverage chillers
Source: Texas Comptroller’s Office