State Sales & Use Tax Exemptions | Fort Bend Economic Development Council
Summary

Texas businesses are exempt from paying state sales and sales tax on the following expenses: Manufacturing machinery & equipment, natural gas & electricity and data center exemption.

Manufacturing Machinery & Equipment

Leased or purchased machinery, equipment, replacement parts, and accessories that are used or consumed in the manufacturing, processing, fabricating, or repairing of tangible personal property for ultimate sale, are exempt from state and local sales and use tax. Texas businesses are exempt from paying state sales and use tax on labor for constructing new facilities.

Texas businesses are exempt from paying state sales and use tax on the purchase of machinery exclusively used in processing, packing, or marketing agricultural products by the original producer at a location operated by the original producer.

Natural Gas & Electricity

Texas companies are exempt from paying state and local sales and use tax on electricity and natural gas used in manufacturing, processing, or fabricating tangible personal property. The company must complete a “predominant use study” that shows that at least 50 percent of the electricity or natural gas consumed by the business directly causes a physical change to a product.

Data Center Exemption

Texas provides 100% exemption on sales tax for computers, equipment, cooling systems, power infrastructure, electricity and fuel for Data Centers meeting the minimum thresholds of $200 million in capital investment, 20 new jobs, and an average salary at least 120% of the county average salary.