Save money buying a new air conditioner for brutal Texas summer. It’s tax-free weekend
Texans can save money on certain energy-efficient appliances and other home goods during the sales tax holiday this weekend.
May 25-27 is the Energy Star sales tax holiday in Texas. It is when residents can purchase certain items and avoid paying as much as 8.25% in sales tax. Energy Star is the U.S. government-backed blue and white symbol for energy efficiency.
Texans may want to shop for new air conditioners with summer heat right around the corner — although it remains to be seen how the state power grid will stack up against sweltering temperatures.
Many types of appliances and products have the Energy Star symbol on them, though not everything qualifies for the tax-free weekend.
Shoppers can buy tax-free items online, by telephone or in stores. For online orders, the item has to be paid for by the customer during the exemption period, but can be delivered after the weekend.
The tax-free holiday starts at 12:01 a.m. on May 25 and ends at midnight on May 27. In cases where a refund is needed or other assistance, the Texas Comptroller recommends calling 800-252-5555.
WHAT QUALIFIES AS TAX-FREE IN TEXAS?
The qualifying Energy Star products you can buy, rent or lease tax-free are:
- 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 washing machines
- Dishwashers
- Dehumidifiers
WHAT’S NOT TAX-FREE?
Even if these items are labeled with Energy Star, you’ll still pay sales tax:
- Water heaters
- Clothes dryers
- Freezers
- Stoves
- Attic fans
- Heat pumps
- Wine refrigerators
- Kegerators
- Beverage chillers
ADDITIONAL CHARGES
All delivery, shipping, handling and transportation charges by the seller are part of the product’s sales price, meaning that it’s all tax-free.
Installation charges are also included in the item’s sales price. Since air conditioners and refrigerators have price caps, consumers need to look at the item’s total sales price to determine if its under the limit.
