An update of data by the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows the average of taxes and fees on gasoline across the U.S. is 30 cents a gallon.
That means on average, a motorist filling up a vehicle at the gas pump is paying 30 cents of every dollar for a tax or a state fee.
The EIA said the taxes range from a low of 8.95 cents a gallon in Alaska to a high of 58.7 cents a gallon from gas pumps in Pennsylvania. The taxes are in addition to the federal gasoline tax of 18.4 cents per gallon. The federal tax has remained unchanged since 1993.
Oklahoma levies excise taxes on gasoline and diesel at 19 cents per gallon. Rates were increased in 2018 (the first increase since 1987) from 16 cents per gallon of gasoline and 13 cents per gallon of diesel.
In its Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, EIA estimates that federal and state taxes accounted for 19% of the average retail gasoline price as of February 2021, or about 48¢ of the $2.50/gal monthly retail average gasoline price. Taxes made up a larger share than other cost components such as refining (13%) and distribution and marketing (12%) but much less than the largest price component, the price of crude oil (56%).
EIA compiles state-level taxes and fees for motor gasoline and diesel as of January 1 and July 1 of each year and publishes these values in its Petroleum Marketing Monthly. In the most recent update, gasoline taxes remained unchanged in 30 states, increased in 13 states, and decreased in 8 states since January 1, 2020.
New Jersey’s state gasoline tax increased by 9.3¢/gal starting October 1, 2020—the largest increase among states last year.
Virginia’s state gasoline tax increased by 5.0¢/gal on July 1, 2020, and is set to increase by another 5.0¢/gal on July 1, 2021.