Texas · TX · Money & taxes
Texas: Are groceries taxed?
Groceries exempt
Texas exempts most groceries from its 6.25% state sales tax. Soft drinks, candy and prepared food are taxed.
State law exempts food products for people to eat, and lists staples such as meat, milk, produce, cereal and snack items. Packaged soft drinks and candy are excluded from the exemption. So is prepared food, such as restaurant meals and food sold heated.
What the law says
Food products for human consumption are exempted from the taxes imposed by this chapter.
Sources
- Tex. Tax Code § 151.314 (public.law) Mirror of official text · texas.public.law
- Texas Comptroller: Sales and Use Tax Official · comptroller.texas.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
- Website
- comptroller.texas.gov
How bordering states compare
- Arkansas Groceries exemptArkansas ended its state sales tax on groceries on January 1, 2026, but city and county sales taxes still apply.
- Louisiana Groceries exemptLouisiana exempts food for home consumption from its state sales tax, but parish and city sales taxes can still apply.
- New Mexico Groceries exemptNew Mexico lets grocery stores deduct food sales from gross receipts, so groceries aren't subject to its gross receipts tax.
- Oklahoma Groceries exemptOklahoma ended its 4.5% state sales tax on groceries on August 29, 2024, though local sales taxes still apply.