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:
- Medical masks and face masks
- Cleaning supplies, such as disinfectants and bleach wipes
- Gloves, including leather, fabric, latex and types used in healthcare
- Toilet paper
- Batteries for automobiles, boats and other motorized vehicles
- Camping stoves
- Camping supplies
- Chainsaws
- Plywood
- Extension ladders
- Stepladders
- Tents
- Repair or replacement parts for emergency preparation supplies
- Services performed on, or related to, emergency preparation supplies
