Texas Shoppers Get Sales Tax Holiday for Energy-Efficient Appliances
If you live in Texas, you can take advantage of the state’s fourth annual sales tax holiday on ENERGY STAR appliances Memorial Day weekend, from May 28-30.
If you want to start saving money off your monthly electric bill, you can get one of the following ENERGY STAR’certified appliance upgrades without having to pay a single cent in sales tax:
– Air conditioners – $6,000 or less
– Refrigerators – $2,000 or less
– Clothes washers, but not clothes dryers ENERGY STAR doesn’t label clothes dryers because most use about the same amount of energy
– Dishwashers
– Dehumidifiers
– Ceiling fans
– Incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs
– Programmable thermostats, for those manufactured up to December 31, 2009 – ENERGY STAR suspended its ratings of programmable thermostats after December 31, 2009, but any ENERGY STAR’ rated programmable thermostats in stock from before then are eligible
Backorders, Out of Stock and On Order Appliances
As long as you buy the appliance from May 28-30, you can still qualify for the sales tax exemption if the appliance you order is backlogged, temporarily out of stock or on order by the retailer.
Internet and Catalog Sales
You don’t have to go to a store to participate in the ENERGY STAR sales tax holiday. You can shop online or through a catalog as long as you meet the following conditions:
– The ENERGY STAR’ certified appliance is paid for and delivered from May 28-30, or
– You order and pay for the appliance and the retailer accepts the order from May 28-30, even if the appliance isn’t shipped until after the exemption period expires.
Layaway Plans
You can qualify for the tax exemptions as long as you complete your order and the appliance is accepted into layaway from May 28-30, or you make your final payment on an appliance already in layaway.
Delivery Charges
Some delivery charges will be tax-exempt and others won’t. There are several different factors that determine the tax-exempt status of your order, including if you have a mix of eligible ENERGY STAR-certified appliance and non-eligible items and whether you are charged a flat delivery fee or not. You should ask your retailer for more information on delivery charges before you place your order.
Installation Charges
The tax-exempt status for installing appliances is a little complicated and depends on the type of installation and if the Jobsite is residential or commercial. For more information on the tax-exempt status of residential and commercial installations, contact the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, your installer or contractor.
Sources
Economy Project: Energy Star Sales Tax Weekend, KERA (Dallas, Texas), May 23, 2011.
