The Bexar County sales tax rate is 8.25% inside the City of San Antonio, which covers most of the county’s population. That total comes from Texas’s 6.25% state rate plus the full 2% in local taxes that state law allows. Step outside the city limits into unincorporated Bexar County and the rate drops, because several of those local pieces no longer apply. The exact figure in any unincorporated area depends on which special districts reach that address.
How the 8.25% Breaks Down Inside San Antonio
Texas imposes a 6.25% state sales tax on most retail purchases and taxable services.1State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 151.051 – Tax Imposed Local taxing authorities add the remaining 2%, which is the maximum local add-on Texas law allows. The City of San Antonio publishes the full breakdown:2City of San Antonio. Tax Rate Summary
- 6.250% State of Texas, the base rate every Texas seller collects.
- 1.000% City of San Antonio general municipal sales tax.
- 0.125% Ready to Work Program, a voter-approved city tax funding workforce training.
- 0.125% Pre-K 4 SA, a voter-approved city tax supporting pre-kindergarten education.
- 0.500% VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority, which funds the region’s bus and transit system.
- 0.250% San Antonio Advanced Transportation District, which funds road, highway, and mobility projects.
The six components add to exactly 8.25%. Because state law caps total local sales taxes at 2% on top of the state rate, no combination of local jurisdictions can push the total above 8.25%.
The Rate in Unincorporated Bexar County
Outside San Antonio’s city limits, the city’s 1% general tax and its two program-specific taxes (Ready to Work and Pre-K 4 SA) no longer apply. What remains depends on which special districts cover the area. VIA’s half-cent transit tax extends through much of Bexar County, and the Advanced Transportation District may also apply in some locations.3VIA Metropolitan Transit. About VIA – Section: Fiscal Management In practice, most unincorporated locations fall somewhere between 6.75% and 7.0%.
Bexar County itself does not impose a county sales tax. The local portion comes entirely from cities and special districts, and because those districts have different boundaries, two addresses a mile apart in unincorporated territory can carry different rates. The Texas Comptroller’s online Sales Tax Rate Locator lets you enter a specific address and get the exact combined rate, which is the most reliable way to confirm what applies to a particular location.
What the Local Pieces Pay For
Each local component funds a specific purpose, and voters approved each one separately.
VIA Metropolitan Transit was created in 1977, making San Antonio the first city in Texas to establish a metropolitan transit authority. Its half-cent sales tax funds the region’s bus network and transit planning.4VIA Metropolitan Transit. VIA/ATD Board Calls Election to Return Transit Dollars to Transit Use The Advanced Transportation District adds a quarter-cent for road and mobility projects. In late 2024, more than 68% of voters approved an additional one-eighth-cent increase for the ATD under the “Keep SA Moving” initiative, with that increase taking effect in 2026.5Keep SA Moving. History of Keep SA Moving Because the total local rate cannot exceed 2%, adjustments to other local allocations accommodate changes like this.
Ready to Work and Pre-K 4 SA each carry a one-eighth-cent tax. Both are voter-approved, time-limited taxes that fund workforce development and early childhood education within San Antonio’s city limits.2City of San Antonio. Tax Rate Summary If you live outside the city but shop inside it, you pay these at the register on your purchases.
What Isn’t Taxed
Several categories of purchases are exempt from both the state and local portions of the sales tax. These exemptions apply uniformly across Bexar County regardless of which local taxes are in effect at a given location.
Groceries
Most food and food products for home consumption are tax-free. The exemption covers produce, meat, dairy, eggs, cereals, snack items like chips and nuts, and frozen treats like ice cream.6Texas Public Law. Texas Tax Code Section 151.314 – Food and Food Products It does not cover prepared food sold ready to eat, such as a deli sandwich, a heated restaurant meal, or food from a cafeteria or food truck. Candy, soft drinks (carbonated or not, with sweeteners), and ice are also taxable. Bakery items from an actual bakery get an exception and remain exempt even if heated.
Prescription Drugs and Medical Devices
Prescription medications dispensed by a licensed practitioner are exempt, and so is insulin whether or not a prescription is required. Hypodermic needles, corrective lenses prescribed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist, hearing aids, prosthetic devices, and braces all qualify.7State of Texas. Texas Tax Code 151.313 – Drugs, Medicines, Medical Equipment, and Devices Over-the-counter drugs labeled with an FDA-required “Drug Facts” panel are also exempt.
SNAP Purchases
Federal law prohibits states from collecting sales tax on food purchased with SNAP benefits. This applies to all eligible food items regardless of whether the state would otherwise tax them, and it overrides any local sales tax that might apply.
The Annual Sales Tax Holiday
Texas holds a back-to-school sales tax holiday every August. In 2026, the holiday runs from Friday, August 7 through midnight on Sunday, August 9. During that weekend, most clothing and footwear priced under $100 per item are exempt from all sales tax, state and local. Qualifying school supplies and student backpacks under $100 also qualify.8Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Sales Tax Holiday Items that don’t qualify include clothing or footwear priced at $100 or more, specialty athletic or protective gear, jewelry, handbags, watches, computers, software, and textbooks. The exemption applies to the per-item price, so buying two $60 shirts qualifies even though the total exceeds $100.