How the Fort Worth Rate Works
Sales tax in Fort Worth is 8.25 percent: 6.25 percent for the state, 1 percent for the city, half a cent for the Crime Control and Prevention District and half a cent for Trinity Metro. The city's limits run into five counties, and around it sit many separate cities, from Benbrook and Haltom City to Keller and Saginaw, each with its own local mix. Some Fort Worth addresses are outside the city. BOMCAS registers each location and checks the local code against the Comptroller's records before filing.
Registration, filing and taxable services are explained on our Texas sales and use tax page. Below is how the rate and exemptions work in Fort Worth.
Warehouses and Distribution Centres
Businesses at Alliance and in the industrial areas along I-35W and I-20 buy racking, conveyors, forklifts and packaging. Items used in warehousing are taxable unless they qualify for a specific exemption, and packaging sold with the product or used by a manufacturer may be exempt. Companies shipping goods out of Texas do not charge Texas tax on those sales, but must keep proof of shipment. Third-party logistics providers that also install, repair or assemble goods may be selling taxable services.
Ranch and Agricultural Purchases
Ranchers buying feed, fencing, livestock equipment and certain machinery can buy them tax free by giving the seller an agricultural and timber registration number from the Comptroller. The number must be renewed periodically, and items used for personal purposes or for land that is not in agricultural production do not qualify. Feed stores and equipment dealers should keep the registration numbers on file for each exempt sale.
Aerospace and Manufacturing
Manufacturers can buy machinery, equipment and some supplies used directly in production tax free, and items sold to the federal government or to a prime contractor for incorporation into a product for the government may be exempt. Tools, safety equipment and maintenance items often are not. A supplier that repairs or maintains equipment for a customer is selling a taxable service unless the item is exempt. We keep certificates and contract terms together.
Stockyards, Events and Hospitality
Vendors at the Stock Show and Rodeo, Stockyards events and festivals need a permit and collect tax at the event's location. Restaurants and bars collect sales tax on food and mixed beverage tax on drinks. Hotel stays in Fort Worth carry a 6 percent state tax and an 11 percent city tax, made up of hotel, convention and venue portions, for 17 percent in total. Short-term rental hosts must collect the same taxes for stays under 30 days unless the platform does.
Contractors and New Construction
Builders in the fast-growing north and west of the city follow Texas contract rules. New residential construction is not a taxable service, though the contractor pays tax on materials, while repair and remodelling of commercial property is taxable. Lump-sum and separated contracts are taxed differently, so the contract type should be settled before work begins.
What We Handle
- Permits and local codes for each location.
- Returns at the right frequency.
- Agricultural, manufacturing and resale certificate files.
- Shipment records for out-of-state sales.
- Mixed beverage and hotel tax returns.
- Use tax reviews.
Fort Worth Sales and Use Tax Questions
What is the sales tax rate in Fort Worth?
8.25 percent: 6.25 percent state, 1 percent city, 0.5 percent crime control district and 0.5 percent Trinity Metro.
How do ranchers buy feed and fencing tax free?
With an agricultural and timber registration number from the Comptroller, given to the seller at purchase.
How much is hotel tax in Fort Worth?
17 percent: 6 percent state and 11 percent city, including convention and venue taxes.
Is warehouse equipment exempt?
Usually not. Racking and forklifts used for storage are generally taxable unless a specific exemption applies.
Talk to BOMCAS About Sales and Use Tax in Fort Worth
We post tax collected to its own liability account in your books so the returns match, and reconcile annual sales with the company return. Rodeo-season hires are handled in payroll, periods that were never filed go through back taxes and late filing, a new warehouse fit-out is worth reviewing in tax planning, hosts and side sellers report the income on their personal returns, and Canadian vendors shipping here can start with cross-border tax. If you operate beyond Fort Worth, our state guides to company returns, household returns, monthly books, payroll, planning, overdue filings and cross-border matters apply too, and the Texas overview gathers them in one place.
Let BOMCAS know about your Fort Worth business or household and we will reply with next steps and the information we need for a quote. Contact us through the contact page or the form below, on 780-667-5250 or at info@bomcas.ca. Every Fort Worth service is listed on the Fort Worth overview. This page is general information, not advice for your circumstances.