2026 Texas sales tax update: cities, special districts, and new combined areas
Written by Alex Lamachenka
Head of DemandGen
Published
The Texas Comptroller has released its quarterly local sales tax update for April 1, 2026 — the second round of changes this year following the January 1, 2026 update. Several cities have adopted, increased, or abolished local sales tax rates, and a new round of special purpose districts have gone into effect. If you sell to Texas addresses, here’s every change you need to know.
Key takeaways
- Four cities are adopting or increasing local sales tax rates; two cities are abolishing additional sales tax components effective April 1, 2026
- Eight new special purpose districts — including emergency services and municipal development districts — are adding sales tax rates across Bexar, Hardin, Hill, Jefferson, Tyler, and Winkler counties
- Five new combined areas have been created to handle overlapping jurisdictions around Elgin and Venus, affecting sellers delivering to those addresses
What changed
Cities adopting a new sales tax (effective April 1, 2026)
| City | County | New Local Rate | New Total Rate | Purpose |
| Bloomington | Victoria Co. | 1.5% | 8.25% | City Sales Tax |
Cities increasing their additional sales tax (effective April 1, 2026)
| City | County | Additional Rate | New Total Rate | Purpose |
| Blanket | Brown Co. | 2.0% | 8.25% | Street Maintenance & Repair |
| Denver City | Gaines Co. | 2.0% | 8.25% | Industrial & Economic Development |
| Denver City | Yoakum Co. | 2.0% | 8.25% | Industrial & Economic Development |
| Dorchester | Grayson Co. | 2.0% | 8.25% | Industrial & Economic Development |
Cities abolishing an additional sales tax (effective April 1, 2026)
| City/District | County | Rate Removed | New Total Rate | Purpose |
| Bertram | Burnet Co. | removed | 8.0% | Street Maintenance & Repair |
| Bertram Municipal Development District | Burnet Co. | 0.25% removed | — | — |
| Palmer | Ellis Co. | removed | 8.25% | Industrial & Economic Development |
| Palmer Municipal Development District | Ellis Co. | 0.5% removed | — | — |
New special purpose districts (SPDs) (effective April 1, 2026)
| SPD Name | County | Local Rate | ZIP Codes Affected |
| Bexar County Emergency Services District No. 9 | Bexar | 1.5% | 78220, 78222, 78223, 78263 (partial) |
| Bexar County Emergency Services District No. 9-A | Bexar (China Grove overlap) | 0.25% | Contact district: 210-859-2410 |
| Hill County Emergency Services District No. 1 | Hill | 0.5% | Unincorporated Hill County |
| Jefferson County Emergency Services District No. 1 | Jefferson | 1.5% | 77713 (partial, excludes Bevil Oaks) |
| Jefferson County Emergency Services District No. 5 | Jefferson | 1.5% | 77622, 77629, 77665, 77705 (partial) |
| Kermit Municipal Development District | Winkler | 0.5% | Unincorporated ETJ of Kermit |
| Palmer Municipal Development District | Ellis | 0.5% | Palmer ETJ |
| Tyler County Emergency Services District No. 6 | Tyler | 1.5% | 77616, 77656, 77660, 77664 (partial) |
| Village Mills Emergency Services District No. 8 | Hardin | 2.0% | 77663 (partial) |
| Village Mills Emergency Services District No. 8-A | Tyler | 1.5% | 77663 (partial) |
New combined areas (effective April 1, 2026)
These combined areas were created to manage overlapping jurisdiction rates for addresses annexed by the cities of Elgin and Venus:
| Combined Area | Local Code | Local Rate |
| Elgin/Bastrop-Travis Emergency Services District No. 1 | 6227098 | 2.0% |
| Elgin/Bastrop-Travis Emergency Services District No. 1-A | 6011604 | 1.5% |
| Elgin/Travis County Emergency Services District No. 13 | 6227089 | 2.0% |
| Venus/Ellis County Emergency Services District No. 2 | 6070602 | 2.0% |
| Venus/Johnson County Emergency Services District No. 1-B | 6126633 | 2.0% |
Addendum: San Antonio/Medina County combined area (effective January 1, 2026)
This change was included as an addendum to the April quarterly update. The existing San Antonio/Medina County combined area (local code 6163600, rate 1.25%) was abolished and replaced with a new combined area (local code 6163637, rate 1.125%) effective January 1, 2026.
Who this affects
- Retailers with physical locations in any of the affected cities or districts — your point-of-sale tax rate must reflect the new combined local rate starting April 1, 2026
- Remote sellers and ecommerce businesses shipping to Texas addresses — Texas sources sales tax to the destination address; if you deliver to ZIP codes within any of the new or modified districts, your rate calculation must be updated
- Sellers delivering to Elgin or Venus addresses — newly created combined areas mean the applicable rate depends on whether the delivery address falls within the annexed territory; address-level verification is essential
- Businesses operating in or near Bexar County — the new Bexar County Emergency Services District No. 9 covers parts of unincorporated Bexar County near San Antonio, with two rate tiers depending on whether the address overlaps the city of China Grove
- CPAs and accountants managing Texas sales tax filings — multiple simultaneous changes across city, SPD, and combined area levels increase the risk of incorrect rate application without updated rate tables
Next steps for sellers
- Verify that your sales tax engine is applying the correct April 1, 2026 rates for all affected Texas jurisdictions — city-level changes, new SPD rates, and combined area updates all take effect on the same date
- For deliveries to Elgin, Venus, or unincorporated Bexar County addresses, confirm the correct combined area or SPD rate at the address level — ZIP code alone may not be sufficient given partial district boundaries
- If you have questions about district boundaries, contact the relevant district representative using the phone numbers listed above
- Review the San Antonio/Medina County combined area change separately — it was effective January 1, 2026 and is included as an addendum to this quarterly update
Other US Sales Tax Updates
Washington will open a 4-month voluntary disclosure agreement window for international remote sellers in 2026
Washington’s Feb-May 2026 VDA program gives international sellers a limited-time chance to resolve tax exposure with reduced penalties. With audits intensifying, this four-month window is a safer alternative to being discovered later.
Indiana expands 2026 tax amnesty program to cover additional tax periods
State tax amnesty programs offer a limited-time opportunity for taxpayers with unpaid liabilities to come forward and settle them with reduced penalties and interest. Indiana's tax amnesty program runs July 15 – September 15, 2026.
California clarifies that cooking-class fees may be taxable
New state guidance helps cooking class providers determine when to charge sales tax — and when they’re considered service providers, not food sellers.