State Sales Tax Revenue Totaled $4.7 Billion in April
(AUSTIN) — Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today said state sales tax revenue totaled $4.7 billion in April, 9.8 percent more than in April 2025. The majority of April sales tax revenue is based on sales made in March and remitted to the agency in April.
“Overall state sales tax collections grew by nearly 10 percent last month, with growth much higher than the rate of general price inflation for a second consecutive month,” Hancock said. “Results from all major economic sectors were once again positive. Compared with March collections when business spending showed the strongest growth, the growth in April collections was led by large gains from sectors driven mainly by consumer spending.”
Among the sectors influenced primarily by business spending, growth in receipts from the construction, wholesale trade and manufacturing sectors remained robust, while remittances from the mining sector were slightly positive compared with their April 2025 totals.
The largest gains in April came from the sectors driven primarily by consumer spending, with the retail trade and service sectors both increasing by double digits compared with April 2025. The growth in receipts from the service sector reflects a surge in spending on live entertainment. Within the retail trade sector, double-digit gains in receipts came from the general merchandise subsector — with strong results from big box retailers and warehouse clubs — as well as from electronic shopping. Growth in receipts from clothing and accessories stores and electronics and appliance stores was also notably strong, while remittances from grocery stores were down slightly compared with the same month a year ago.
Receipts from restaurants were up 4.2 percent from a year ago, above the rate of inflation for food away from home.
Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in April 2026 was up 7.9 percent compared with the same period a year ago. Sales tax is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 58 percent of all tax collections.
Texas collected the following revenue from other major taxes:
- motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $575 million, up 42 percent from April 2025;
- motor fuel taxes — $342 million, up 1 percent from April 2025;
- oil production tax — $567 million, up 30 percent from April 2025;
- natural gas production tax — $223 million, down 4 percent from April 2025;
- hotel occupancy tax — $90 million, up 7 percent from April 2025; and
- alcoholic beverage taxes — $163 million, up less than 1 percent from April 2025.
For details on all monthly collections, visit the Comptroller's Monthly State Revenue Watch. For an extensive history of tax policy developments and fees since 1972, visit our updated Sources of Revenue publication.
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