Sales Tax Holidays for Water-Efficient and ENERGY STAR Products
Texas families and businesses can save on the purchase of certain water- and energy-efficient products during the state’s Water-Efficient Products and ENERGY STAR® sales tax holidays. Both take place Saturday, May 26, through Monday, May 28.
The Texas Comptroller’s office estimates shoppers will save about $10.7 million in state and local sales tax during the Memorial Day weekend sales tax holidays.
“As of May 1, more than 60 percent of the state was in abnormally dry or drought conditions – and anyone who’s lived through a Texas summer knows the strain triple-digit temperatures can put on power grids,” Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. “These two holidays are a perfect time to save on state and local sales taxes while upgrading outdated water systems or inefficient appliances.”
This is the third 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.
The sales tax holiday also applies to lawn and garden products that help conserve water outdoors. Items qualifying for the exemption include soaker or drip-irrigation hoses; moisture controls for a sprinkler or irrigation system; mulch; and plants, trees and grasses. These items can be purchased tax-free for residential use only.
There’s no limit to the number of water-efficient or water-conserving products you can purchase tax-free. For more information on the Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday, visit the Comptroller’s website or attend a pre-sales tax holiday kickoff event on May 23, when representatives from the Texas Water Smart Foundation will join Hegar at Home Depot, 1200 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Suite 100, Austin.
During the ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday, certain energy-efficient products displaying the ENERGY STAR logo can be purchased tax-free; these include air conditioners priced at $6,000 or less, refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less, ceiling fans, fluorescent light bulbs, dishwashers, dehumidifiers and clothes washing machines. Visit the Comptroller’s website for more ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday details.
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Estimated annual energy and water savings for eligible products are listed below.
ENERGY STAR® Appliance vs. Conventional
Appliance Type Energy Savings Water Savings
Central Air Conditioners 8%
Room/Window Air Conditioners 9%
Refrigerators 9%
Ceiling Fans 60%
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs 80%
Clothes Washers 25% 33%
Dishwashers 12% 30%
Dehumidifiers 30%
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
