By Brant Wilbourn
TFB Associate Director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities

A valid agricultural and timber registration number is required under Texas law to claim a sales tax exemption on products that are used to produce agricultural or timber products for sale.

Agricultural and timber producers are also required by law to renew their registration number every four years.

The expiration date occurs uniformly across the state for all Ag/Timber Registration Number holders and will next occur Dec. 31, 2015.

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts will be mailing letters for ag/timber number holders starting the first week of October to the address on file for the registration number. The letter will include instructions for renewing your registration number either online, by phone or by mail.

The quickest option to renew and receive a valid certificate will be the online method, which will be immediate.

If the registration number is renewed over the phone, the estimated time to receive a valid certificate is about a week.

Processing time when renewing by mail will depend on how many renewals are mailed in.

New exemption certificates will include an expiration date that will expire Dec. 31, 2019.

Once the new certificates are received, a copy will need to be presented to the retailer or the blanket certificate that is on file will need to be updated and initialed.

Need more information on tax exemptions? Check out general information here: http://comptroller.texas.gov/taxinfo/taxpubs/tx94_101.pdf.