Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding families and businesses that they can save on the purchase of certain products during the state’s Water-Efficient Products and ENERGY STAR sales tax holidays.
Created by the Texas Legislature, both holidays began Saturday, May 25, and goes through Monday, May 27.
The Texas Comptroller’s office estimates shoppers will save $15 million in state and local sales tax.
“If you have lived through a Texas summer, you know that triple-digit temperatures, outdated water systems and inefficient appliances can put a strain on our water supplies and power grids,” Hegar said. “By taking advantage of these sales tax holidays, Texans can make upgrades that will help alleviate those pressures and lower their utility bills — while saving money on state and local sales taxes.”
This is the ninth year for the Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday. Products displaying a WaterSense label or logo can be purchased tax free for personal or business use.
These include showerheads, bathroom sink faucets and accessories, toilets, urinals and landscape irrigation controls.
Individuals can also buy certain water-conserving products tax free during the holiday period. Unlike WaterSense-labeled items, these items are only exempt when individuals buy them for use for residential property.
People can buy items tax free during the holiday that are used or planted for: - conserving or retaining groundwater; - recharging water tables; or - decreasing ambient air temperature, and so limiting water evaporation.
Examples of items that qualify for the exemption include: - a soaker or drip-irrigation hose; - a moisture control for a sprinkler or irrigation system; - mulch; - a rain barrel or an alternative rain and moisture collection system; - a permeable ground cover surface that allows water to reach underground basins, aquifers or water collection points; - plants, trees and grasses; - water-saving surfactant and - soil and compost. Examples of items that do not qualify for the exemption include: - construction/building materials; - awnings and other items used to create shade; - air conditioners; - ceiling fans; and - sprinklers. Certain air conditioners and ceiling fans can be bought tax free as part of the Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday during Memorial Day weekend.
There’s no limit to the number of water-efficient or waterconserving products you can purchase tax free.
For more information on the Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday, visit the Comptroller’s website.
During the ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday, certain energyefficient products displaying the ENERGY STAR logo can be purchased tax free, including air conditioners priced at $6,000 or less, refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less, ceiling fans, fluorescent light bulbs, dishwashers, dehumidifiers and clothes washers.
Consumers can buy, rent or lease only the following ENERGY STAR-labeled items tax free: 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 washers. Dishwashers. Dehumidifiers. Examples of items that do not qualify and are taxable, even if they are ENERGY STAR-labeled include: water heaters, clothes dryers, freezers, stoves, attic fans, heat pumps, wine refrigerators, kegerators and beverage chillers.
Citizens within the state are encouraged to visit the Comptroller’s website for more details about the ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday.
Estimated annual energy and water savings for eligible products can also be found on the Comptroller website.