POS system and accounting software for Texas businesses
Texas has no state income tax, but sales tax runs up to 8.25% with local add-ons, and bars carry extra mixed beverage taxes. SeroPOS and SeroBooks handle the counter, the ledger and US payroll for businesses from Houston to El Paso.
Texas, handled by Sero
State plus local rates
Set each location’s combined rate, from 6.25% state up to the 8.25% cap with city, county, transit and special district taxes.
Bar and restaurant taxes
Separate tax codes for food and for alcohol let a bar keep mixed beverage tax amounts apart from regular sales tax.
No state income tax
SeroBooks Pro payroll handles federal withholding for Texas staff, with no state income tax to withhold.
Nexus in 50 states
SeroBooks watches your shipments into every state against its economic nexus threshold.
Multi-location ready
Consolidated reporting across Dallas, Houston and Austin stores, with each location’s tax kept apart.
Spanish at the counter
SeroPOS runs in Spanish and English among its 16 languages, for staff and receipts.
One company, one login, three products that share their numbers
SeroPOS
The point of sale built for the rush.
Point of sale for restaurants and retail — tables, kitchen tickets, inventory, loyalty and online ordering on iPad, Android, Windows and Mac.
SeroBooks
The books, the store, the bank. One ledger.
Accounting that runs the whole business — invoicing, inventory, banking, sales tax, payroll and year-end for Canada and the United States.
SeroPayroll
Payroll for every province. Right to the cent.
Canadian payroll for all 13 provinces and territories — CPP, EI, QPP, vacation, stat holidays, remittances, T4s and ROEs.
Texas sales tax: 6.25% state, up to 2% local
The Texas state sales and use tax rate is 6.25%, administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Cities, counties, transit authorities and special purpose districts can add up to 2% more, so the combined rate tops out at 8.25%, which is what most shoppers in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin pay.
For sellers inside Texas, local tax is generally based on where the sale is consummated, usually your place of business, which keeps a single-store setup straightforward. Multi-location operators need each store’s combined rate. SeroPOS assigns a rate per location and SeroBooks keeps collected tax by location so your Comptroller return reports the right local jurisdictions.
Restaurants and bars in Texas
Restaurant meals and prepared food are taxable in Texas, while most grocery staples sold for home consumption are exempt. Bars and restaurants with mixed beverage permits deal with additional state taxes on alcoholic drinks served, which are reported separately from regular sales tax. Keeping alcohol sales on their own tax codes from the start makes those reports far easier.
SeroPOS lets every menu item carry its own tax code, so a burger, a draft beer and a margarita each post to the right bucket. Tips and split bills are handled at the table, and the register Z-report shows taxable sales by category at close. SeroBooks then turns those totals into the figures for each return.
- Prepared food and restaurant meals: taxable at the combined rate
- Most grocery staples for home consumption: exempt
- Mixed beverages: additional state taxes reported separately
- Local cap: 2% on top of the 6.25% state rate
Payroll and nexus for Texas businesses
Texas has no personal state income tax, so payroll for Texas employees involves federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare withholding, plus state unemployment tax with the Texas Workforce Commission. SeroPayroll is Canada-only; US payroll is part of SeroBooks Pro at $300 a month, which handles federal and state withholding, W-2 files in EFW2 format and 1099-NEC slips.
Texas’s economic nexus threshold for remote sellers is $500,000 in annual Texas revenue. Texas businesses that ship to other states face those states’ thresholds, many of them $100,000. SeroBooks watches nexus across all 50 states, so a Houston e-commerce brand sees when its sales into Florida or Illinois are getting close to registration.
From Houston to El Paso
SeroPOS serves taquerias in San Antonio, barbecue joints in Austin, food trucks in Houston, coffee shops in Fort Worth and convenience stores along the interstates, on iPad, Android, Windows or Mac. Offline mode keeps a food truck selling at a festival when the cell network is overloaded, and inventory tracks stock to the ingredient with recipe costing on SeroPOS Pro.
Sero is based in British Columbia, Canada, and serves Texas remotely, with a US phone line at +1 (213) 265-9014, email and in-app chat. There is no Texas office. SeroPOS starts at $29.99 a month, SeroBooks at $79.99, each with a 14-day free trial and no contract. Extra locations are $100 a month each.
Frequently asked questions
What is the sales tax rate in Texas?
The Texas state rate is 6.25%. Cities, counties, transit and special districts can add up to 2%, for a maximum combined rate of 8.25%, which applies in most large Texas cities. SeroPOS sets the combined rate per location and SeroBooks tracks tax collected by location.
Do Texas employers withhold state income tax?
No. Texas has no personal state income tax, so employers withhold federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, and pay state unemployment tax. Sero handles US payroll in SeroBooks Pro at $300 a month, including W-2 files and 1099-NEC slips.
Can SeroPOS handle a Texas bar?
Yes. SeroPOS supports tabs, split bills, tips, modifiers and separate tax codes per item, so alcohol sales stay apart from food. That makes reporting mixed beverage taxes easier. Check the current rates and reporting rules with the Texas Comptroller for your permit type.
What is the Texas economic nexus threshold?
Remote sellers must collect Texas sales tax once their Texas revenue passes $500,000 in the previous 12 months. SeroBooks tracks your sales into Texas and every other state against its threshold and flags when you approach one. Marketplace sales can count differently, so check the Comptroller’s current rules.
Does SeroPOS work for food trucks in Texas?
Yes. SeroPOS runs on phones and tablets, has an offline mode for busy events with weak signal, and supports modifiers, tips and mixed tender. Plans start at $29.99 a month with a 14-day free trial and no credit card required.