Run a Business in Waco? Your Equipment Gets Taxed Too, and April 15 Is the Day

Texas does not just tax the building a shop sits in. It can also tax the stuff inside that makes money: coolers, smokers, compressors, trailers, salon chairs, computers, shelves, and inventory. That is business personal property, and it goes on Form 50-144 with McLennan CAD.

The due date is April 15, based on what the business owned and used on January 1. Filing late or not filing can add a 10 percent penalty to the taxes due. If you need more time, you can ask the chief appraiser in writing for an extension to May 15.

Small shops can miss this because it feels like big-business paperwork. If your gear and inventory may cross the threshold, ask MCAD in March instead of waiting for a penalty notice.