Labor & Economy Tracker
Gas Tax by State (2026)
Two drivers filling identical tanks can pay wildly different tax depending on which side of a state line they stop. The spread runs from 8.95¢ a gallon in Alaska to 73.64¢ in California, before the federal 18.40¢ that applies everywhere.
California has the highest state gasoline tax at 73.64 cents a gallon and Alaska the lowest at 8.95 cents; the 50-state average is 33.64 cents.
Every figure is the state tax alone. The federal government adds 18.4 cents a gallon on top of it everywhere, so the pump total is higher than any number here.
Source: Tax Foundation, as of 2026
Updated
How the states group
Rates come from the Tax Foundation, the standard cited reference for state fuel taxes. States are split into thirds by rate.
- Among the Highest. State gas tax in the top third nationally. Drivers here pay the most at the pump before the federal tax is added.
- Near the Middle. State gas tax in the middle third of the country.
- Among the Lowest. State gas tax in the bottom third nationally.
The 50-state table
| State | State tax | Rank | With federal | Diesel | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 31.00¢ | 25 | 49.40¢ | 32.75¢ | Near the Middle |
| Alaska | 8.95¢ | 50 | 27.35¢ | 8.95¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Arizona | 19.00¢ | 47 | 37.40¢ | 19.00¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Arkansas | 25.00¢ | 35 | 43.40¢ | 28.80¢ | Among the Lowest |
| California | 73.64¢ | 1 | 92.04¢ | 92.94¢ | Among the Highest |
| Colorado | 30.18¢ | 26 | 48.58¢ | 35.68¢ | Near the Middle |
| Connecticut | 25.00¢ | 35 | 43.40¢ | 49.90¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Delaware | 23.00¢ | 43 | 41.40¢ | 22.00¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Florida | 40.10¢ | 12 | 58.50¢ | 40.97¢ | Among the Highest |
| Georgia | 34.05¢ | 17 | 52.45¢ | 38.05¢ | Among the Highest |
| Hawaii | 18.50¢ | 49 | 36.90¢ | 18.50¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Idaho | 33.00¢ | 19 | 51.40¢ | 33.00¢ | Near the Middle |
| Illinois | 70.40¢ | 2 | 88.80¢ | 77.90¢ | Among the Highest |
| Indiana | 63.10¢ | 3 | 81.50¢ | 64.00¢ | Among the Highest |
| Iowa | 30.00¢ | 27 | 48.40¢ | 32.50¢ | Near the Middle |
| Kansas | 25.03¢ | 34 | 43.43¢ | 27.03¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Kentucky | 26.40¢ | 33 | 44.80¢ | 23.40¢ | Near the Middle |
| Louisiana | 20.93¢ | 44 | 39.33¢ | 20.93¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Maine | 31.45¢ | 24 | 49.85¢ | 31.96¢ | Near the Middle |
| Maryland | 46.81¢ | 8 | 65.21¢ | 47.66¢ | Among the Highest |
| Massachusetts | 27.56¢ | 31 | 45.96¢ | 27.56¢ | Near the Middle |
| Michigan | 53.40¢ | 6 | 71.80¢ | 53.40¢ | Among the Highest |
| Minnesota | 32.70¢ | 21 | 51.10¢ | 32.70¢ | Near the Middle |
| Mississippi | 24.40¢ | 38 | 42.80¢ | 24.40¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Missouri | 29.99¢ | 29 | 48.39¢ | 29.99¢ | Near the Middle |
| Montana | 33.75¢ | 18 | 52.15¢ | 30.50¢ | Near the Middle |
| Nebraska | 32.70¢ | 21 | 51.10¢ | 32.10¢ | Near the Middle |
| Nevada | 24.81¢ | 37 | 43.21¢ | 27.75¢ | Among the Lowest |
| New Hampshire | 23.75¢ | 41 | 42.15¢ | 23.75¢ | Among the Lowest |
| New Jersey | 49.15¢ | 7 | 67.55¢ | 56.15¢ | Among the Highest |
| New Mexico | 18.88¢ | 48 | 37.28¢ | 22.88¢ | Among the Lowest |
| New York | 24.18¢ | 39 | 42.58¢ | 22.38¢ | Among the Lowest |
| North Carolina | 41.25¢ | 10 | 59.65¢ | 41.25¢ | Among the Highest |
| North Dakota | 23.03¢ | 42 | 41.43¢ | 23.03¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Ohio | 38.50¢ | 14 | 56.90¢ | 47.00¢ | Among the Highest |
| Oklahoma | 20.00¢ | 45 | 38.40¢ | 20.00¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Oregon | 40.00¢ | 13 | 58.40¢ | 40.00¢ | Among the Highest |
| Pennsylvania | 58.70¢ | 5 | 77.10¢ | 74.10¢ | Among the Highest |
| Rhode Island | 41.12¢ | 11 | 59.52¢ | 41.12¢ | Among the Highest |
| South Carolina | 28.75¢ | 30 | 47.15¢ | 28.75¢ | Near the Middle |
| South Dakota | 30.00¢ | 27 | 48.40¢ | 30.00¢ | Near the Middle |
| Tennessee | 27.40¢ | 32 | 45.80¢ | 28.40¢ | Near the Middle |
| Texas | 20.00¢ | 45 | 38.40¢ | 20.00¢ | Among the Lowest |
| Utah | 32.55¢ | 23 | 50.95¢ | 38.55¢ | Near the Middle |
| Vermont | 34.88¢ | 16 | 53.28¢ | 33.00¢ | Among the Highest |
| Virginia | 42.40¢ | 9 | 60.80¢ | 43.50¢ | Among the Highest |
| Washington | 60.17¢ | 4 | 78.57¢ | 63.17¢ | Among the Highest |
| West Virginia | 35.70¢ | 15 | 54.10¢ | 35.70¢ | Among the Highest |
| Wisconsin | 32.90¢ | 20 | 51.30¢ | 32.90¢ | Near the Middle |
| Wyoming | 24.00¢ | 40 | 42.40¢ | 24.00¢ | Among the Lowest |
No states in this group.
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"Gas Tax by State (2026): What You Pay at the Pump," The Liberty Tribune, https://thelibertytribune.com/trackers/gas-tax-by-state/ Methodology & sources
Rates follow the Tax Foundation (as of 2026). The federal excise tax of 18.40¢ a gallon has been unchanged since 1993 and applies in every state, so the table shows the combined figure alongside the state one. The 50-state average is 33.64¢, and the gap between top and bottom is more than 64.69¢ a gallon.
What this does not include. These are state excise taxes. Several states also apply general sales tax to fuel, and some counties and cities levy their own per-gallon charges, so the tax on a real receipt can be higher than the figure here. We show the excise rate because it is the number states legislate and the one that is comparable across all fifty.
Source: Tax Foundation. Compiled by The Liberty Tribune. Last verified September 24, 2026. Ranks are shared where rates tie, so they are not unique. Many states adjust rates on a statutory schedule, commonly 1 July, so verify against an official source before relying on a figure.