The tax free weekend in Las Cruces runs from 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 31, 2026 through midnight Sunday, August 2, 2026, and it lets you buy qualifying clothing, computers, and school supplies with no gross receipts tax added at the register.1New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. Tax Holiday With the combined Las Cruces gross receipts tax rate at 8.39%, that’s real money back on every eligible purchase.2City of Las Cruces. GRT Business Tax Codes and Locations No coupons, no forms, no sign-up.
Exact Dates and Hours for 2026
A 2025 change to state law moved the holiday from the first full weekend of August to the last Friday in July and the weekend that follows.3Justia. New Mexico Code 7-9-95 – Deduction; Gross Receipts Tax; Sales of Certain Tangible Personal Property; Limited Period For 2026, that puts the window at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 31 through midnight Sunday, August 2.1New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. Tax Holiday
Every transaction has to be completed before midnight on Sunday. Buying online counts, and the purchase date is what matters, not the delivery date. Don’t leave a big order for late Sunday night.
What Qualifies and the Price Caps
Three categories are eligible, and each has its own per-item ceiling.
Clothing and Footwear Under $100
Regular clothing and shoes qualify when priced below $100 per item.3Justia. New Mexico Code 7-9-95 – Deduction; Gross Receipts Tax; Sales of Certain Tangible Personal Property; Limited Period Think shirts, pants, dresses, jackets, socks, underwear, and everyday sneakers. The cap is per item, so five $60 shirts all qualify.
Computers Up to $1,000, Peripherals Up to $500
Desktop, laptop, notebook, and tablet computers qualify when priced at $1,000 or less.4New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. FYI-203 – Gross Receipts Tax Holiday Peripherals — monitors, printers, keyboards, speakers, a microphone, or a mouse — each qualify separately at $500 or less.3Justia. New Mexico Code 7-9-95 – Deduction; Gross Receipts Tax; Sales of Certain Tangible Personal Property; Limited Period Software sold separately does not qualify. Software bundled into the price of a qualifying computer counts as part of that computer.
School Supplies Under $30
Classroom supplies qualify at under $30 per item, and the statute names what counts: notebooks, paper, writing instruments, crayons, art supplies, rulers, book bags, backpacks, handheld calculators, maps, and globes.3Justia. New Mexico Code 7-9-95 – Deduction; Gross Receipts Tax; Sales of Certain Tangible Personal Property; Limited Period If it isn’t on that list, assume it doesn’t qualify as a school supply.
What Stays Taxable
The exclusions trip more shoppers than the qualifying list does. Athletic and protective clothing stays fully taxable at any price.4New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. FYI-203 – Gross Receipts Tax Holiday Everyday running shoes qualify; cleated soccer shoes, ski boots, bowling shoes, and riding boots don’t. The same goes for athletic gloves, helmets, and pads.
Accessories are also out. Watches, jewelry, handbags, briefcases, and luggage stay taxable at any price, and so do swimwear and swim caps.4New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. FYI-203 – Gross Receipts Tax Holiday
On the electronics side, these remain taxable during the holiday:4New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. FYI-203 – Gross Receipts Tax Holiday
- E-readers that only browse the web and lack computing functions like word processing
- Video games, board games, and handheld gaming devices
- MP3 players, cameras, and headphones
- Computer software sold separately from a qualifying computer
- Musical instruments
Services performed on qualifying items, like alterations, computer setup, or dry cleaning, stay taxable too.4New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. FYI-203 – Gross Receipts Tax Holiday
Cross the Price Cap and You Lose the Whole Break
There is no partial exemption. Go a dollar over the cap and the full price gets taxed at the full rate.4New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. FYI-203 – Gross Receipts Tax Holiday A $105 pair of jeans is taxed on the whole $105. A $1,050 laptop is taxed on the whole $1,050.
Bundled items and sets get judged at their package price. A retailer can’t split a $180 pair of shoes into two $90 pieces to slip under the $100 cap.4New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. FYI-203 – Gross Receipts Tax Holiday This is where price shopping pays off: a $995 laptop versus a $1,005 one is about an $84 tax difference in Las Cruces.
What Happens at the Register
You don’t hand over anything special. Retailers update their point-of-sale systems to remove tax on qualifying items automatically during the window, because state law gives them a deduction on those sales.4New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. FYI-203 – Gross Receipts Tax Holiday Qualifying items simply ring up with zero tax.
Check your receipt before you leave. Errors happen most often on items priced near the caps, and fixing them at the counter is far easier than chasing a refund later.
What 8.39% Actually Saves You
The combined gross receipts tax rate in Las Cruces is 8.39%, covering both state and local portions.2City of Las Cruces. GRT Business Tax Codes and Locations On a $500 school shopping trip, that’s roughly $42. A family buying a laptop and outfitting two kids with clothes and supplies can top $100 in savings without much effort.
Every physical retailer in Las Cruces and Doña Ana County honors the holiday; it’s built into state law, not left up to individual stores. Plan the list before the weekend, check individual prices against the caps, and put the bigger-ticket items at the top where the 8.39% cut lands hardest.