The Capital, the University and the Technology City
Austin is the state capital and had just over one million residents in the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate. It is centred in Travis County but reaches into Williamson and Hays counties. State government and the University of Texas have long anchored the economy, and technology has grown around them: semiconductor design and manufacturing, software, games, cloud services and a large start-up network. Tesla's factory is east of the city in unincorporated Travis County, and Samsung's Austin plant and new Taylor campus serve a regional semiconductor supply chain. Music, film, food and events add a large independent and freelance workforce. BOMCAS works with Austin clients remotely.
The Texas overview explains the taxes that apply statewide; here we focus on Austin's businesses and households.
The Tax Picture in Austin
There is no state or city income tax. Businesses file the Texas franchise tax report, and sales tax inside Austin is 8.25 percent, including 1 percent for Capital Metro. Hotel and short-term rental stays carry 17 percent in combined state and city tax. Property tax is often a household's largest local bill, split among the county, city, school district, Central Health in Travis County and other local units. Travis Central Appraisal District values most Austin property, while the portions in other counties go through their districts.
Who We Work With
Our Austin clients include start-ups and software companies, semiconductor and engineering consultancies, creative and production firms, state vendors, restaurants and food trucks, short-term rental hosts, freelancers and households with technology careers, public pensions or a recent move from another state. Founders and early employees often need planning before an option exercise or a financing, not just a return in April.
Business Areas
Downtown and the Domain hold offices, technology employers, hotels and restaurants. East Austin has studios, small manufacturers, breweries and a growing group of offices. South Congress and South Lamar combine shops, restaurants and creative firms, while the university and state agencies sit just north of downtown. The wider metro includes separate cities such as Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Georgetown and Taylor, each with its own taxes and appraisal arrangements. A company with staff or locations across the metro needs records by actual address.
Newcomers and Equity
Austin has drawn many households from California and other income-tax states. A move can simplify future returns, but stock awards earned before arriving may remain partly taxable in the old state. Founders may also have Canadian companies, foreign accounts or employees abroad. We start by mapping the income and the dates, so the first Texas year is filed correctly.
Events and Visitors
Austin's calendar of festivals, conferences, university sports and concerts brings large crowds several times a year. Hotels, short-term rental hosts, restaurants, bars and event vendors earn a large share of their income in those weeks and have to collect and report sales, mixed beverage and hotel taxes correctly while staffing up. We help them plan cash and filings around the busy periods.
Dates to Keep
- Within 30 days: the deadline for an 83(b) election after restricted stock is transferred.
- April 15: business personal property renditions due.
- May 15: franchise tax report and usual property protest deadline.
- January 31: property tax bills due.
Working With BOMCAS
Everything is handled online through secure uploads, video calls and cloud accounting. We prepare books, returns, projections and schedules, but do not give legal advice or appear at hearings. A typical first project is a clean-up before a funding round, a return in the year of a move, a review of a SaaS company's sales tax or a founder's option plan. We agree the scope and timetable before starting.
How BOMCAS Helps in Austin
Austin clients often begin with bookkeeping that measures burn, subscriptions or project margins, sales and hotel tax returns and payroll for first hires, equity and research credits. We prepare annual company returns and franchise tax reports and household returns, then use the figures for planning around options, rounds and exits. Businesses and freelancers with gaps can start with back taxes and late filing, and Canadian founders and staff can read about cross-border tax.
For the rules shared with the rest of Texas, our statewide coverage includes business filings, personal filings, sales tax, bookkeeping, payroll services, planning ahead, back tax work and Canada–U.S. matters.
Austin Questions
Do you have an Austin office?
No. BOMCAS works with Austin clients remotely using secure uploads, video calls and cloud accounting.
Do start-ups with losses need tax returns?
Yes. A corporation files a federal return, and Texas entities still file franchise tax and information reports.
Can you help with options before I exercise?
Yes. We project ordinary tax and AMT before the decision and coordinate the reporting.
What is Austin's sales tax rate?
8.25 percent inside the city, including the Capital Metro portion.
Talk to BOMCAS About Your Austin Taxes
On the Gulf Coast, our Houston pages deal with energy companies and their contractors, the port and the ship channel, the Texas Medical Center, MUD and flood-zone property questions and Houston's 17 percent hotel tax.
In south-central Texas, our San Antonio pages cover Joint Base San Antonio households and contractors, River Walk hospitality, the Toyota supplier park, Eagle Ford royalties and family and business ties to Mexico.
In North Texas, our Dallas pages look at headquarters staff and executives, private companies and funds, a city spread over five counties, Love Field and DART-area sales tax and the restaurants of Deep Ellum and Bishop Arts.
West of Dallas, our Fort Worth pages cover aerospace and rail employers, the AllianceTexas logistics hub and its freeport inventory, Barnett Shale royalties on city lots, ranching families and the Stockyards hospitality trade.
Tell us what you are working on in Austin and BOMCAS will reply with the next steps and the records needed for a quote. Send a note from the contact page or the form below, call 780-667-5250 or write to info@bomcas.ca. The Texas overview covers every Austin service. This is general information, not advice for a particular taxpayer.