SAN ANTONIO – If you need a new dishwasher, plants to spruce up the yard, or just want to stock up on light bulbs, Memorial Day weekend may be the time to shop. Texans pay no sales tax on qualifying energy-saving and water-sipping appliances and products.
Saturday through Monday, shoppers can save some green on certain products that have the Energy Star logo or the WaterSense logo.
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“Outdated water systems and inefficient appliances, along with triple-digit temperatures, can put a tremendous strain on our water supplies and power grids,” Texas Comptroller Glenn 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.”
Texans are expected to save about $13.4 million in sales taxes on such purchases during the weekend.
- There are no limits on qualifying items.
- Here are the Energy Star items that qualify as tax-free:
- Refrigerators (priced $2,000 or less)
- Clothes washers
- Dishwashers
- Dehumidifiers
- Air conditioners (priced $6,000 or less)
- Ceiling fans
- Light bulbs (incandescent and fluorescent)
Even if they have the Energy Star label, clothes dryers, freezers, stoves, water heaters, wine refrigerators, kegerators, beverage chillers and heat pumps do not qualify for the tax break.
If your bathroom is getting an upgrade, you can save the tax on certain toilets and shower heads. Any product that carries the WaterSense label is tax-free for the weekend. Other water-efficient products for the home qualify, too.
Examples of items that qualify include:
- Soaker or irrigation hoses
- Rain barrel
- Permeable ground cover that allows water to reach water collection points
- Plants, trees, grasses
- Soil and compost