This weekend: Texas sales tax holiday for emergency supplies

Texas- With severe weather season coming up quickly, the time to prepare is now. That is why this weekend is a Texas sales tax holiday for emergency preparation supplies.

The sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 AM Saturday, April 25 and runs until midnight on Monday, April 27.

Many of these preparation supplies can be purchased online or over the phone. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is urging Texans to shop online or practice strict social distancing measures for in-store purchases during the sales tax holiday.

Hegar says that “this sales tax holiday applies to qualifying items they purchase online, from the safety of their homes.”

Texans should keep in mind that delivery and additional fees on items purchased online are considered part of the purchase price. For example, if a $299 emergency ladder has a $10 delivery fee when purchased online, then the sale price of the ladder is $309, and therefore is no longer tax free.

Items that will be part of the sales tax holiday include the following:

Items under $3,000:

Portable generators

Items under $300:

Emergency ladders
Hurricane shutters

Items under $75:

Axes
Batteries, single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt)
Can openers – nonelectric
Carbon monoxide detectors
Coolers and ice chests for food storage – nonelectric
Fire extinguishers
First aid kits
Fuel containers
Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
Hatchets
Ice products – reusable and artificial
Light sources – portable self-powered (including battery operated)Examples of items include: candles, flashlights and lanterns
Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers
Radios – portable self-powered (including battery operated) – includes two-way and weather band radios
Smoke detectors
Tarps and other plastic sheeting

There are also some items that do not qualify as tax free. The following items are not included in the tax free holiday: