U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000


Skip to content
Facebook iconYouTube iconTwitter iconFlickr iconLinkedInInstagram

Policy and Governmental Affairs
Office of Highway Policy Information

FHWA Home / Policy & Governmental Affairs / Highway Policy Information / Highway Statistics Series / 1998 / Office of Highway Policy Information

Table MF-121T Office of Highway Policy Information (OHPI) – FHWA

Highway Statistics Series

Highway Statistics 1998


Printable Excel Version [79 KB]
Printable PDF Version [22 KB]

To view PDF files, you can use the Acrobat® Reader®.
To view XLS files, you can use the Excel Viewer

TAX RATES ON MOTOR FUEL – 1998 1/

TABLE MF-121T
October 1999

(CENTS PER GALLON))

STATE GASOLINE DIESEL LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS GASOHOL 2/
RATE EFFECTIVE DATE RATE EFFECTIVE DATE RATE EFFECTIVE DATE RATE EFFECTIVE DATE EXEMPTION
Alabama * 18 06/01/92 19 06/01/92 17 06/01/92 18 06/01/92 -
Alaska * 8 07/01/61 8 07/01/61 8
Arizona * 18 07/01/90 27 07/01/90 18 07/01/90 18 07/01/90
Arkansas * 18.6 07/01/96 18.6 07/01/96 16.5 04/01/91 18.6 07/01/96
California * 18 01/01/94 18 01/01/94 6 01/01/76 18 01/01/94
Colorado * 22 01/01/91 20.5 01/01/92 20.5 01/01/92 22 01/01/91
Connecticut * 36 07/01/97 18 09/01/91 07/01/96 35 07/01/97 1
  32 07/01/98         31 07/01/98  
Delaware 23 01/01/95 22 01/01/95 22 01/01/95 23 01/01/95
D.C. 20 10/01/94 20 10/01/94 20 10/01/94 20 10/01/94
Florida * 13 01/01/98 25 01/01/98 16 01/01/98 13 01/01/98
Georgia 7.5 07/01/71 7.5 07/01/71 7.5 07/01/71 7.5 07/01/71
Hawaii * 16 07/01/91 16 07/01/91 11 07/01/91 16 07/01/91
Idaho * 25 04/01/96 25 04/01/96 18.1 04/01/96 22.5 07/01/94 2.5
Illinois * 19 01/01/90 21.5 01/01/90 19 01/01/90 19 01/01/90
Indiana * 15 04/01/88 16 04/01/88 15 04/01/88
Iowa * 20 01/01/89 22.5 01/01/89 20 01/01/89 19 01/01/89 1
Kansas * 18 07/01/92 20 07/01/92 17 07/01/92 18 07/01/92
Kentucky * 16.4 07/15/94 13.4 07/15/94 15 07/01/86 16.4 07/15/94
Louisiana * 20 01/01/90 20 01/01/90 16 07/01/93 20 01/01/90
Maine * 19 07/17/91 20 04/01/89 18 07/17/91 19 07/17/91
Maryland 23.5 05/01/92 24.25 07/01/93 23.5 07/01/93 23.5 05/01/92
Massachusetts 21 01/01/91 21 01/01/91 9.5 01/01/97 21 01/01/91
          8.1 10/01/98      
Michigan * 19 08/01/97 15 01/01/84 15 01/01/84 19 08/01/97 ^-
Minnesota * 20 05/01/88 20 05/01/88 15 07/01/95 20 05/01/88
Mississippi * 18.4 07/01/93 18.4 07/01/93 17 01/01/89 18.4 07/01/93
Missouri * 17 04/01/96 17 04/01/96 17 04/01/96 17 04/01/96
Montana * 27 07/01/94 27.75 07/01/94 27 07/01/94
Nebraska * 24.6 01/01/98 24.6 01/01/98 24.6 01/01/98 24.6 01/01/98
  22.80 04/01/98 22.80 04/01/98 22.80 04/01/98 22.80 04/01/98  
  23.50 07/01/98 23.50 07/01/98 23.50 07/01/98 23.50 07/01/98  
Nevada 24.75 01/01/97 27.75 01/01/97 ^22 07/01/97 24.75 01/01/97
New Hampshire * 19.5 07/01/95 19.5 07/01/95 18 06/16/91 19.5 07/01/95
New Jersey * 10.5 07/01/88 13.5 07/01/88 5.25 07/01/88 10.5 01/01/92
New Mexico * 18.875 07/01/96 19.875 07/01/96 6 01/01/98 18.875 07/01/96
  18.5 10/01/98 19.5 10/01/98     18.5 10/01/98  
New York * 22.65 01/01/98 21.85 01/01/98 8 10/01/90 22.65 01/01/98
North Carolina * 22.3 01/01/98 22.3 01/01/98 22.3 01/01/98 22.3 01/01/98
  21.6 07/01/98 21.6 07/01/98 21.6 07/01/98 21.6 07/01/98
North Dakota * 20 01/01/98 20 01/01/98 20 01/01/98 20 01/01/98
Ohio * 22 07/01/93 22 07/01/93 22 07/01/93 22 07/01/93
Oklahoma * 17 07/01/89 14 07/01/89 17 07/01/89 17 07/01/89
Oregon * 24 01/01/93 24 01/01/93 24 01/01/93 24 09/01/93
Pennsylvania * 25.9 05/01/97 30.8 10/01/97 18.9 10/01/97 25.9 10/01/97
Rhode Island * 29 07/08/94 29 07/08/94 29 07/08/94 29 07/08/94
South Carolina 16 01/01/89 16 01/01/89 16 01/01/89 16 01/01/91
South Dakota * 21 05/01/97 21 05/01/97 19 05/01/97 19 05/01/97 2
  18 10/01/98 18 10/01/98 16 10/01/98 16 10/01/98  
Tennessee * 20 04/01/89 17 04/01/90 14 04/01/89 20 04/01/89
Texas * 20 10/01/91 20 10/01/91 15 01/01/87 20 10/01/91
Utah * 24.5 07/01/97 24.5 07/01/97 24.5 07/01/97 24.5 07/01/97 ^-
Vermont * 20 08/01/97 17 07/01/89 20 08/01/97 ^-
Virginia * 17.5 07/01/92 16 07/01/92 10 01/01/94 17.5 07/01/92
Washington * 23 04/01/91 23 04/01/91 ^23 05/01/94 ^-
West Virginia * 25.35 05/01/93 25.35 05/01/93 25.35 05/01/93 25.35 05/01/93
Wisconsin * 25.4 04/01/98 25.4 04/01/98 25.4 04/01/98 25.4 04/01/98
Wyoming * 9 07/01/89 9 07/01/89 9 01/01/95
  14 07/01/98 14 07/01/98     14 07/01/98
Mean 19.966   20.149   14.948   19.679    
Weighted Avg. 19.067   19.725   13.94   19.777    
Federal Tax 18.4 10/01/97 24.4 10/01/97 13.6 10/01/97 13.0 10/01/97 5.4

1/ This table shows motor-fuel tax rates in effect as of December 31, and any subsequent changes that have occurred through the date shown in the title. Only taxes that are levied as a dollar amount per volume of motor fuel are included on sheet 1. Taxes that apply to all petroleum products without distinguishing motor fuel are omitted. Local option taxes are included only when they have been adopted uniformly Statewide. For States marked with an asterisk, see the notes on next page:

October 1999
Table MF-121T
Sheet 2 of 3

STATE SALES TAX
PERCENT REMARKS
Alabama 4 Applies to fuel not taxable under volume tax laws.
Arizona 5 Applies to fuel not taxed under the motor-fuel or use-fuel taxes. Liquefied petroleum gas sold, used or stored in State is exempt.
Arkansas 4.5 Special fuel for municipal buses and gasoline are exempt.
California 6 Applies to sales price including Federal and State motor-fuel taxes.
Colorado 3 Applies to fuel not taxable under volume tax laws.
Connecticut 5 A Petroleum Products Gross Earnings tax is applied to many petroleum products, in addition to the per gallon taxes shown on Sheet 1.
D.C. 5.75 Applies to fuel not taxable under volume tax laws.
Georgia 4 A 3-percent "second motor-fuel tax" and a 1-percent sales tax apply to sales price including Federal motor-fuel tax.
Hawaii 4 Applies to sales price excluding Federal and State motor-fuel taxes. Alcohol fuels are exempt.
Idaho 5 Fuels subject to the motor fuel volume tax are exempt.
Illinois 6.25 Applies to sales price excluding Federal and State motor-fuel taxes. For gasohol, only 70 percent of the price is subject to sales tax.
Indiana 5 Applies to sales price excluding Federal and State motor-fuel taxes.
Iowa 5 Applies to fuel not taxable under fuel tax laws, including those fuels taxable, then subject to refund.
Kansas 4.9 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Kentucky 6 Applies to sales price, exclusive of Federal tax, of fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Louisiana 4 Fuels subject to volume tax are exempt. Gasohol is exempt if alcohol produced in State.
Maine 6 Applies to motor fuel not taxed at the maximum rate for highway use under the volume tax laws.
Maryland 5 Applies to motor fuel not taxed under other Maryland laws.
Massachusetts 5 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Michigan 6 Applies to sales price including Federal volume tax except when used in a passenger vehicle with capacity of 10 or more for hire over regularly scheduled routes in State.
Minnesota 6 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Nebraska 5 Gasoline is exempt. Diesel and alternative fuels subject to the volume tax are exempt.
New Mexico 5 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws. Ethanol blends deductible under the gasoline tax laws are exempt.
New York 4 Applies to sales price including Federal motor-fuel tax.
North Dakota 5 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Ohio 5 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Oklahoma 4.5 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Pennsylvania 6 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
South Carolina 5 Applies to sales price of aviation gasoline only.
South Dakota 4 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Tennessee 6 Gasoline on which the volume tax has been paid and not refunded and motor fuel subject to the use fuel tax are exempt.
Texas 6.25 Applies to fuels not taxed or exempted under other laws.
Utah 4.875 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Washington 6.5 Applies fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws. Certain providers of public transportation of handicapped persons are exempt.
Wisconsin 5 Applies to fuels not taxable under the volume tax laws.
Wyoming 4 Applies to sales price of LPG. Gasoline and diesel subject to volume tax are exempt.

1/ This table shows motor-fuel tax rates in effect as of January 1, and any subsequent changes that have occurred through the calendar year shown in the title. Only taxes that are levied as a dollar amount per volume of motor fuel are included on sheet 1. Taxes that apply to all petroleum products without distinguishing motor fuel are omitted. Local option taxes are included only when they have been adopted uniformly Statewide.

* Footnotes with asterisk:

Alabama The gasoline, gasohol, and diesel rates include a 2¢ per gallon inspection fee. Alabama-registered LPG vehicles pay an annual fee based on vehicle type in lieu of the volume tax.
Arizona The fuel tax on diesel remains at 18 cents per gallon for light and exempt vehicles, but is set at 27 cents per gallon if used to propel a truck with more than two axles or with a declared gross vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds.
Arkansas The gasoline, gasohol, and diesel rates include 0.2 ¢ per gallon Environmental Assurance Fee. Applicants for LPG user permits must pay a fee in lieu of the volume tax.
California LPG users may pay an annual fee in lieu of the volume tax.
Colorado Owners of LPG vehicles registered in the State must pay an annual fee in lieu of the volume tax.
Connecticut The tax is computed at 5% of the gross earnings from the first sale of a petroleum product in the State.
Delaware Rates are variable, adjusted annually.
Florida Tax rates are variable, adjusted annually. For gasoline and gasohol, in addition to the rates shown, there is a State-imposed State Comprehensive Enhanced Transportation System (SCETS) tax that varies by county from 0-5.0¢ per gallon. All but 1 county levy the SCETS tax on gasoline, but 10 levy less than the maximum rate. LPG vehicles registered in the State pay an annual fee in lieu of the tax on alternative fuels and the SCETS tax.
Idaho LPG users may pay an annual fee based on vehicle weight in lieu of volume tax.
Illinois Motor carriers pay an additional 6.3¢ per gallon on gasoline, 6.5¢ on diesel, and 5.9¢ on LPG.
Indiana Motor carriers pay an additional 11¢ per gallon. LPG vehicles pay an annual fee.
Kansas LPG users may pay an annual fee based on mileage and gross vehicle weight in lieu of the volume tax.
Kentucky Tax rates are variable, adjusted quarterly. A 2% surtax is imposed on gasoline and 4.7% on special fuels for any vehicle with 3 or more axles. The gasoline, gasohol, and diesel rates include 1.4¢ per gallon Petroleum Environmental Assurance Fee.
Louisiana Owners of LPG vehicles of 10,000 pounds or less gross vehicle weight pay an annual fee based on mileage.
Massachusetts Tax rates are variable, adjusted quarterly.
Maine Rates are variable, adjusted every February based on past years Consumer Price Index. Rates are effective on the following July 1.
Michigan For vehicles defined under the Motor Carrier Fuel Tax Act, diesel fuel is discounted 6 cents per gallon at the pump; and is assessed a 12 cents per gallons surcharge on a quarterly return, with a provision for a 6 cent per gallon refund on fuel purchased in Michigan.
Minnesota There is a credit to the wholesaler of 15¢ per gallon of alcohol used to make gasohol.
Mississippi The gasoline, gasohol, and diesel rates include 0.4¢ per gallon dedicated to the Groundwater Protection.
Missouri LPG vehicles 18,000 pounds or less gross vehicle weight registered in the State pay an annual fee in lieu of the volume tax.
Montana LPG vehicles registered in the State pay an annual fee based on gross weight in lieu of the volume tax. Out-of-State vehicles purchase trip permits. There is an alcohol distiller credit of 30¢ per gallon of alcohol produced in the State with State agricultural products and used to make gasohol.
Nebraska Rates are variable, adjusted quarterly. The gasoline and gasohol include 0.6¢ per gallon and diesel rate includes 0.2¢ per gallon Petroleum Release Remedial Action Fee.
New Hampshire The gasoline, gasohol, and diesel rates include 0.7¢ per gallon Oil Discharge and Disposal Cleanup Fee. Alternative fuel vehicles pay twice the usual registration fee in lieu of the volume tax..
New Jersey In addition to the rates shown, there is a Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax. The tax is computed on a cents-per-gallon basis and is applicable to a wide variety of petroleum products.
New Mexico Effective October 1, 1998, the gasoline, gasohol, and diesel rates include the Petroleum Products Loading Fee of $1.5 cents per gallon. Owners of LPG-powered vehicles up to 54,000 pounds gross vehicle weight may pay an annual fee in lieu of the volume tax.
New York Rates are variable, adjusted annually. There is an additional tax on motor carriers of 8.5¢ per gallon of gasoline and 9.6¢ on diesel. Rates include the Petroleum Business Tax of 14¢ per gallon. The gasoline rate includes a 0.5 mill (0.05¢) per gallon Petroleum Testing Fee.
North Carolina Rates are variable, adjusted semiannually.
North Dakota A special excise tax of 2% is imposed on all sales of special fuel (diesel or LPG) that are exempted from the volume tax if the fuel is sold for use in the State. There is a producer credit of 40¢ per gallon of agriculturally derived alcohol produced in the State and used to make gasohol.
Ohio Commercial vehicles formerly subject to the highway use tax pay an additional 3¢ per gallon. Dealers are refunded 10¢ per gallon of each qualified fuel (ethanol or methanol) blended with unleaded gasoline.
Oklahoma Rates shown include 1¢ per gallon tax dedicated to the Petroleum Underground Tank Release Environmental Cleanup Indemnity Fund. When the Fund reaches specified balance, future tax revenues will be deposited in a highway fund. The gasoline, gasohol, and LPG rates include 0.08¢ for fuel inspection. LPG users may pay an annual fee in lieu of the volume tax.
Oregon The diesel and LPG rates shown are paid by users for vehicles not under the jurisdiction of Public Utility Commissioner. Vehicles under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commissioner and paying motor-carrier fees are exempt from payment of the motor-fuel tax.
Pennsylvania The rates include the Oil Franchise Tax for Maintenance and Construction, a variable rate tax adjusted annually. LPG rate is based on the gasolie gallon equivalent.
Rhode Island Rates are variable, adjusted quarterly. Rates includes 1¢ per gallon tax for the Underground Storage Tank Financial Responsibility Fund.
South Dakota There is a credit at the rate of the gasoline tax to distributors blending gasoline with ethanol to produce gasohol. There is also a producer incentive payment of 20¢ per gallon.
Tennessee LPG users without permits must pay in advance at the beginning of the fiscal year; others pay quarterly. Fee is based on vehicle weight and fuel efficiency. Sales tax rate on aviation fuel is 4.5 percent.
Texas Owners of LPG vehicles registered in the State must pay an annual fee in lieu of the volume tax.
Utah LPG is tax exempt if user purchases annual exemption certificate.
Vermont Diesel vehicles 10,000 pounds and over pay 26¢ per gallon. LPG vehicles are subject to a registration fee 1.75 times the usual fee. The gasoline, gasohol, and diesel rates include 1¢ per gallon for the Petroleum Cleanup Fund.
Virginia Vehicles weighting 26,000 pounds or more or having 3 or more axles pay an additional 3.5¢ per gallon.
Washington Owners of LPG vehicles pay an annual fee.
West Virginia Rates are variable, adjusted annually.
Wisconsin Rates are variable, adjusted annually.
Wyoming LPG is subject to sales tax. The gasoline, gasohol, and diesel rates include 1¢ for the Underground Storage Tank Corrective Action Account.
Page last modified on November 7, 2014
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000