Local guides / Texas / Fort Worth
Gig Workers in Fort Worth, TX: taxes and retirement for 2026
For rideshare and delivery drivers, shoppers and app-based workers in Fort Worth, TX. Texas has no state income tax on wages or self-employment income. Here are the 2026 rules, a worked example and the official sources.
What's different in Fort Worth
- Local income tax
- No city income tax in Fort Worth.
- Business personal property tax (Texas local property tax)
- Business personal property such as equipment and inventory is subject to local property tax in Texas, but Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment in November 2025 that raised the business personal property tax exemption to $125,000, up from $2,500.
- City business license
- Fort Worth says a general business license is not required in Texas, but sole proprietorships and partnerships operating in Fort Worth need to register their business name (DBA or assumed name) with Tarrant County.
- Also worth knowing
- Texas has no state income tax (https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/fiscal-notes/industry/2025/small-biz-info), and Texas is not among the states with city- or county-level income taxes per the Tax Foundation's 2026 list (secondary source; no official Texas page stating this was found).
Texas rules for gig workers
- State income tax (2026)
- Texas has no state income tax on wages or self-employment income. Texas has no personal income tax. Its constitution bans a tax on individuals' net income, including their share of partnership income (Art. VIII, Sec. 24-a), and a 2025 amendment also bans taxing individuals' capital gains (Sec. 24-b).
- Texas franchise (margin) tax
- Applies to LLCs, including a single-member LLC that files federally as a sole proprietor; a sole proprietorship with no liability protection is not covered. For 2026 and 2027 reports, an entity with total revenue at or below $2.65 million owes no tax and files only a Public Information Report or Ownership Information Report. Above that, rates are 0.75% (0.375% for retail and wholesale, or 0.331% with the EZ computation).
- Rideshare (TNC) driver independent contractor statute (Occupations Code 2402.114)
- A rideshare driver is an independent contractor for all purposes if the company does not set the hours the driver must be logged in, does not limit use of other rideshare apps or the driver's territory, does not restrict other work, and both sides agree in writing that the driver is a contractor. Enacted by H.B. 100 in 2017.
- TWC marketplace platform rule (40 TAC 815.134(b))
- Since April 29, 2019, a Texas Workforce Commission rule treats people who get work through a marketplace platform as not employed for state unemployment tax purposes if nine conditions are met. These include setting their own hours, being free to use other platforms, paying their own expenses and providing their own tools.
Federal rules for 2026
Mileage is the big deduction
Business miles are deductible at the IRS standard rate: $0.725 a mile for miles driven January through June 2026 and $0.76 from July 1. Keep a log of each trip; Gigaverse lets you start and stop trips in the app.
App fees and phone
Platform service fees, a business share of your phone and plan, insulated bags and parking or tolls while working are deductible.
Self-employment tax
On top of income tax, self-employed people pay 15.3% on 92.35% of net profit: 12.4% Social Security up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, plus 2.9% Medicare with no cap. Half of it is deductible.
Quarterly estimated taxes
No one withholds tax from self-employment income, so you generally pay estimates four times a year if you expect to owe $1,000 or more. For 2026 income the federal dates are April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. Paying 100% of last year's tax (110% if your AGI was over $150,000) in four equal installments avoids the underpayment penalty.
A worked example
| Mileage deduction | $11,138 |
|---|---|
| Net profit after mileage | $33,863 |
| Self-employment tax | $4,785 |
| Self-employment tax the mileage saves | $1,574 |
Miles split evenly between the two 2026 rates. Federal figures only; the mileage also lowers income tax. Computed from 2026 IRS limits (Notice 2025-67, Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and the SSA wage base.
Free tools
Guides by job and platform
Questions
Is there a local income tax in Fort Worth?
No city income tax applies in Fort Worth. Texas has no state income tax on wages or self-employment income.
What local business taxes apply to self-employed gig workers in Fort Worth?
Business personal property tax (Texas local property tax): Business personal property such as equipment and inventory is subject to local property tax in Texas, but Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment in November 2025 that raised the business personal property tax exemption to $125,000, up from $2,500.
Do I need a business license to freelance from home in Fort Worth?
Fort Worth says a general business license is not required in Texas, but sole proprietorships and partnerships operating in Fort Worth need to register their business name (DBA or assumed name) with Tarrant County.
Do gig workers in Texas pay state income tax?
Texas has no state income tax on wages or self-employment income. Texas has no personal income tax. Its constitution bans a tax on individuals' net income, including their share of partnership income (Art. VIII, Sec. 24-a), and a 2025 amendment also bans taxing individuals' capital gains (Sec. 24-b).
Are there other Texas taxes for self-employed gig workers?
Texas franchise (margin) tax: Applies to LLCs, including a single-member LLC that files federally as a sole proprietor; a sole proprietorship with no liability protection is not covered. For 2026 and 2027 reports, an entity with total revenue at or below $2.65 million owes no tax and files only a Public Information Report or Ownership Information Report. Above that, rates are 0.75% (0.375% for retail and wholesale, or 0.331% with the EZ computation).
What Texas laws affect independent contractors and gig workers?
Rideshare (TNC) driver independent contractor statute (Occupations Code 2402.114): A rideshare driver is an independent contractor for all purposes if the company does not set the hours the driver must be logged in, does not limit use of other rideshare apps or the driver's territory, does not restrict other work, and both sides agree in writing that the driver is a contractor. Enacted by H.B. 100 in 2017. TWC marketplace platform rule (40 TAC 815.134(b)): Since April 29, 2019, a Texas Workforce Commission rule treats people who get work through a marketplace platform as not employed for state unemployment tax purposes if nine conditions are met. These include setting their own hours, being free to use other platforms, paying their own expenses and providing their own tools.
Track it in one place
Gigaverse estimates your quarterly taxes from what you actually earn, logs business trips, categorizes expenses from your bank and answers money questions with your own numbers. Retirement accounts are coming soon.
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Sources
- tlc.texas.gov/docs/legref/TxConst.pdf
- www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped
- comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/franchise/faq/taxable-entities.php
- capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/85R/billtext/html/HB00100F.htm
- www.twc.texas.gov/sites/default/files/ogc/docs/fr-815-marketplace-04-19-twc.pdf
- taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates-2026
- comptroller.texas.gov/economy/fiscal-notes/industry/2025/small-biz-info
- www.fortworthtexas.gov/business/starting-business
State and local facts researched from official sources and independently re-checked; last verified October 2026, next scheduled review 2027-01-02. Educational information for 2026, not tax, legal or investment advice. Rules change; check the official sources listed and a tax professional for your situation. Gigaverse AI, Inc. is a financial technology company, not a bank, and not itself a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer.