Texas requires a sales tax permit before you make your first taxable sale in the state. If you’re selling taxable goods or certain taxable services, you need to register with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts before collecting sales tax from customers.

Physical presence in Texas automatically creates nexus. This includes having a retail location, warehouse, office, or employees in the state. If you operate a shop in The Woodlands or have a storage facility in Houston, you have physical nexus and need a permit if you’re selling anything taxable.

Remote sellers also need a permit once they cross the economic nexus threshold. Texas requires out-of-state businesses to collect sales tax if they had $500,000 or more in Texas revenue during the previous 12 calendar months. E-commerce businesses often hit this threshold faster than expected when sales pick up, so monitor your Texas revenue and register before you cross it.

What’s taxable matters. Texas taxes tangible personal property, meaning physical goods you can touch. Retail stores, online sellers, and anyone selling products in Texas needs a permit. Texas also taxes certain services including data processing, security services, credit reporting, debt collection, and real property repair services like landscaping and janitorial work.

Many services are not taxable in Texas. Professional services like accounting, legal services, medical care, and consulting are generally exempt. If your business only provides non-taxable services, you probably don’t need a sales tax permit. The distinction can get complicated though, especially for businesses that sell both products and services.

You register through the Texas Comptroller’s office online. The permit itself is free and approval typically takes a few days. Once you have the permit, you’re required to file sales tax returns on a schedule based on your sales volume. That could be monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on how much you collect.

Don’t wait until after you’ve made sales to register. Selling taxable items without a permit means you owe the sales tax you should have collected, plus penalties and interest. The Texas Comptroller does audit businesses and back taxes add up quickly.

If you’re starting a new business or expanding into selling products alongside services, figure out your sales tax obligation early. Having proper business tax preparation and bookkeeping set up from the start makes tracking and remitting sales tax much simpler than trying to reconstruct records later.