This summer, more than a dozen states are hosting sales tax holidays — also known as tax free weekends. These events offer an excellent chance to stock up on Back to School essentials, but some also include other items, like disaster preparedness products. Either way, you get to skip the sales tax.

The Texas Back to School weekend is a great time to buy, whether you're a student, parent, or someone who's just looking for deals on school and office supplies.

When Is the Next Texas Tax Free Weekend in 2020?

Texas residents will be able to shop the 2020 Back to School tax holiday beginning on Friday, August 7. The event will continue through Sunday, August 9.

What Items Qualify for Texas Tax Free Shopping?

During the Back to School event, shoppers can purchase items in the following categories without paying sales tax:

Clothing and footwear for $100 or less
Backpacks under $100
School supplies under $100

Check out this list of clothing and footwear, which features both qualifying and nonqualifying items. And there's a list of eligible school supplies here.

Texas' Back to School tax free weekend will run from August 7-9 in 2020.

You can learn more about the sales tax holiday on the Texas Comptroller website.

What Items Aren't Eligible for Texas Tax Free Status?

Texas shoppers will have to pay sales tax on items like clothing subscription boxes, specially designed athletic gear, clothing rentals, jewelry, and other accessories. What's strange is that unlike many other states, Texas doesn't exempt computers or textbooks during its tax free weekend.

More Texas Tax Holiday Tips

Remember Layaway Rules
Layaway items will qualify during the tax free weekend in Texas, as long as you're either making the final payment on a product already on layaway, or you're putting a new product on layaway.

Shipping Counts, Too
Shipping charges will be considered part of the sale price during the tax holiday. For instance, if you opt to buy a pair of jeans online for $95, and they come with a $10 shipping fee, they won't be tax exempt because the entire purchase price will be over $100.

Be Cautious About Rain Checks
Let's say you pay for an item during the tax free weekend, but the item is back-ordered. You can still avoid paying sales tax on it during that time, even if you pick it up after the weekend is over.

However, if you don't pay for the item during the weekend, and it's a special order or rain check, you'll still be taxed on it when you pick it up and pay for it later.