SAN ANTONIO — The annual Texas tradition of having a tax-free weekend ahead of the new school year continues in 2021.
This year’s sales tax holiday begins Friday, Aug. 6, and goes through midnight Sunday, Aug. 8. The tax-free purchases apply to most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks (sold for less than $100).
Qualifying purchases can also be made from online orders. Click here for a complete list of qualifying items.
During the COVID pandemic, state officials approving the tax free weekend also encourage everyone to practice safe shopping and social distancing.
The 2021-2022 school year will be starting off differently than the previous year. In August of 2020, many students were planning to start the year learning vitually and most schools opened with limited capacity due to the pandemic. For the kids who returned to school, masks were at the top of the school supply list.
This year, however, Governor Greg Abbott has said that school districts are not allowed to require students to wear masks, making it optional. And, even though COVID-19 is still spreading throughout the community, the Texas legislature failed to sign a bill that would have extended virtual options for school districts. As it stands now, virtual options at Texas school districts will not receive state funding as they did in the 2020-2021 school year.
