Everything You Can Buy During Tax-Free Weekend 2026

Back-to-school shopping season is officially here and a few El Paso school districts have already made their way back to school. 

However, that doesn’t mean those students and parents can’t still take advantage of one of the biggest money-saving weekends of the year: Tax Free Weekend!

Families across Texas and New Mexico will once again have the chance to stock up on school essentials without paying sales tax on many qualifying purchases.

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Texas Tax-Free Weekend

Texas' annual Sales Tax Holiday takes place Friday, Aug. 7 through Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026.

During the three-day tax-free weekend, shoppers can purchase qualifying items priced under $100 each without paying state or local sales tax. The tax exemption applies to purchases made in stores, online, by phone, through the mail, or by custom order from Texas retailers, as long as the purchase is completed during the tax-free weekend.

There is no limit to the number of qualifying items you can purchase.

Qualifying items include:

• Most shirts, pants, dresses, skirts and shorts
• Children's and adult shoes
• Socks and underwear
• Jackets and coats (priced under $100)
• School backpacks (priced under $100)
• Many school supplies, including:
  • Notebooks
  • Folders
  • Pens and pencils
  • Crayons and markers
  • Glue and scissors
  • Rulers
  • Binders
  • Calculators that qualify under state guidelines

Items that normally do NOT qualify include:

• Jewelry
• Watches
• Handbags and purses
• Cosmetics
• Athletic equipment
• Briefcases
• Wallets
• Protective sports gear
• Clothing or shoes priced at $100 or more per item

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New Mexico Tax-Free Weekend

New Mexico's Gross Receipts Tax Holiday will be held Friday, July 31 through Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026.

The holiday allows shoppers to save on many back-to-school purchases, including clothing, footwear, school supplies and certain technology products.

Qualifying purchases include:

• Clothing and shoes priced under $100 per item
• School supplies priced under $30 per item
• Computers priced under the state's qualifying price limit
• Certain computer equipment and accessories that meet state requirements

The New Mexico tax holiday is especially helpful for families purchasing laptops and other technology before the school year begins.