10 States with the Highest Gas Taxes
COVID-19 has made us appreciate driving our cars more, but filling up the tank will cost you more in these state.
Road trips are fun until you have to stop and get gas. Fortunately for drivers, the federal government's gas tax hasn't budged from 18.4 cents per gallon since 1993. However, states and the District of Columbia levy their own gas taxes.
And thanks to the pandemic, folks have been using their cars a lot more since public transportation and flying are viewed as hot-spots for COVID-19. But if you're traveling cross-country, filling up in certain states can cost you more than others. Here are the 10 states with the highest gas taxes, including a look at how the states do on other big tax metrics, such as sales tax. (A reminder, though: U.S. gas taxes are still among the world’s lowest.)
Gas and diesel prices are from the American Petroleum Institute. Sales taxes are from the Tax Foundation and, when listed as "average," represent a population-weighted value meant to capture local option taxes. Tobacco and vapor taxes are from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids as well as individual state tax websites.
Michigan
State Fuel Tax: 41.98¢ per gallon of gasoline, 43.18¢ per gallon of diesel
State Sales Tax: 6% state levy. No local taxes.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes: $2 per pack
- Premium cigars (more than $1.56/piece wholesale): $0.50 per cigar.
- Other tobacco products: 32% of wholesale price
For details on other state taxes, see the Michigan State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
Florida
State Fuel Tax: 42.29¢ per gallon of gasoline, 35.27¢ per gallon of diesel (both gasoline and diesel taxes will increase by 0.3¢ per gallon in 2021)
Average Sales Tax: 6% state levy. Localities can add as much as 2.5%, and the average combined rate is 7.05%, according to the Tax Foundation.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes: $1.34 a pack
- Cigars: no tax
- All other tobacco products: 85% of the wholesale price
For details on other state taxes, see the Florida State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
New York
State Fuel Tax: 43.12¢ per gallon of gasoline, 43.43¢ per gallon of diesel
Average Sales Tax: 4% state levy. Localities can add as much as 4.875%, and the average combined rate is 8.52%, according to the Tax Foundation. In the New York City metro area, there is an additional 0.375% sales tax to support transit.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes and little cigars: $4.35 per pack (in New York City, an extra $1.50 per pack)
- Snuff: $2 per container one ounce or less, $2 per ounce for larger containers
- Cigars and other tobacco products: 75% of the wholesale price
- Vapor products: 20% of retail price
For details on other state taxes, see the New York State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
Hawaii
State Fuel Tax: 46.28¢ per gallon of gasoline, 49.25¢ per gallon of diesel
Average Sales Tax: 4% state levy. Localities can add as much as 0.5%, but the average combined rate is only 4.44%, according to the Tax Foundation.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes and little cigars: $3.20 per pack
- Large cigars: 50% of the wholesale price
- Other tobacco products: 70% of the wholesale price
For details on other state taxes, see the Hawaii State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
Indiana
State Fuel Tax: 47.62¢ per gallon of gasoline, 52¢ per gallon of diesel
State Sales Tax: 7% state levy. No local taxes.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes: $1 per pack
- Snuff: $0.40 per ounce
- Other tobacco products: 24% of wholesale price
For details on other state taxes, see the Indiana State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
Washington
State Fuel Tax: 49.4¢ per gallon of gasoline, 49.4¢ per gallon of diesel
Average Sales Tax: 6.5% state levy. Municipalities can add up to 4% to that, with the average combined rate at 9.23%, according to the Tax Foundation.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes and little cigars: $3.03 per pack
- Cigars: 95% of sale price, with a cap of $0.75 per cigar
- Moist snuff: $2.53 per 1.2-ounce container
- Other tobacco products: 95% of sale price
- Vapor products: Closed products, $0.27 per ml. Open containers greater than 5 ml, $0.09 per ml
For details on other state taxes, see the Washington State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
New Jersey
State Fuel Tax: 50.7¢ per gallon of gasoline, 57.7¢ per gallon of diesel
State Sales Tax: 6.625% state levy. That rate is cut in half (3.3125%) for in-person sales in designated Urban Enterprise Zones located in disadvantaged areas. Salem County, which borders no-tax Delaware, also charges the reduced 3.3125% rate.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes: $2.70 per pack
- Moist snuff: $0.75 per ounce
- Other tobacco products: 30% of the wholesale price
- Vapor products: $0.10 per ml for closed containers. Bulk nicotine liquid is taxed at 10% of retail price.
For details on other state taxes, see the New Jersey State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
Illinois
State Fuel Tax: 52.01¢ per gallon of gasoline, 58.44¢ per gallon of diesel
Average Sales Tax: 6.25% state levy. Localities can add as much as 4.75%, and the average combined rate is 8.8%, according to the Tax Foundation.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes and little cigars: $2.98 per pack, Cook County has an additional tax of $3. Three localities, all in Cook County, add to that. According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, a pack purchased in Chicago has the highest total tax in the country: $7.16.
- Snuff: $0.30 per ounce
- Other tobacco products: 36% of the wholesale price
- Vapor products: 15% of wholesale price; localities have additional taxes
For details on other state taxes, see the Illinois State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
Pennsylvania
State Fuel Tax: 58.7¢ per gallon of gasoline, 75.2¢ per gallon of diesel
Average Sales Tax: 6% state levy. Philadelphia has a local sales tax of an additional 2%, and Allegheny County (Pittsburgh's home county) adds a local sales tax of 1%, and the combined rate is 6.34%, according to the Tax Foundation.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes and little cigars: $2.60 per pack. The City of Philadelphia levies an additional $2 local tax per pack of cigarettes
- Other tobacco products: 55 cents per ounce. Additional taxes due in Philadelphia.
- Vapor products: 40% of wholesale price
For details on other state taxes, see the Pennsylvania State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
California
State Fuel Tax: 62.47¢ per gallon of gasoline, 81.28¢ per gallon of diesel
Average Sales Tax: 7.25% state levy. Localities can add as much as 2.5%, and the average combined rate is 8.68%, according to the Tax Foundation.
Tobacco Taxes:
- Cigarettes: $1.08 per pack
- All other tobacco products: 59% of manufacturer’s price
- Vapor products: $0.05 per ml of consumable product
For details on other state taxes, see the California State Tax Guide for Middle-Class Families.
