To alleviate the financial strain caused by Hurricane Helene, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency and temporarily suspended the Georgia gas tax.
This means Georgians are seeing some relief from the state’s excise tax on motor fuel.
Citing Georgia residents’ well-being, Kemp issued an executive order extending the Georgia State of Emergency through October 9, 2024. As part of this order, the collection of motor fuel and diesel fuel taxes is suspended for the duration of the emergency declaration.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
"As Georgians recover from Hurricane Helene, with the support of our legislative partners, I have suspended the gas tax for the duration of this State of Emergency, bringing relief to communities who continue to rely on fuel to power their homes and necessary equipment,” Kemp said.
President Biden also declared a federal state of emergency for Georgia and other states impacted by Helene, saying, "Our job is to help as many people as we can as quickly as we can and as thoroughly as we can."
Gas tax suspension Georgia
The Georgia gas tax suspension went into effect on Thursday, October 3, 2024, and will last for the duration of the State of Emergency, which is currently set to end on October 9, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
According to AAA, the average cost of a gallon of regular gas in Georgia is $3.18, lower than the national average of $3.74, as of Oct. 6, as of Oct. 6, of $3.74.
(The gas tax in Georgia is 31.2 cents per gallon of regular gasoline and 35 cents per gallon of diesel fuel.)
Georgia tax deadline extension due to Helene
Also, in the wake of Hurricane Helene's devastating impact on Georgia, the state's Department of Revenue has extended several key tax deadlines for those impacted.
The new May 1, 2025 tax deadline (also announced by the IRS for federal tax returns and other tax payments) encompasses a range of tax obligations, from individual and business income tax returns to quarterly estimated payments and payroll tax returns.
While not all tax-related actions fall under this relief umbrella, the move aligns with federal tax deadline relief designed to support impacted residents.
Related: Hurricane Helene Aftermath: IRS Tax Relief and How to Help
For more information, visit the IRS disaster relief website and see Kiplinger's report: States With Tax Deadline Extensions.
Related Content
-
Harris vs Trump on Medicare Drug Price Negotiations: Fact CheckA fact check of what the Trump and Biden-Harris administrations did around Medicare drug price negotiations.
-
How to Create a Retirement Plan That Checks All Your BoxesYou might consider starting with a model retirement plan that has already been assembled and is ready to be refined to meet your objectives.
-
IRS Sued for Millions Over Employee Retention Credit (ERC) DelaysTax Credits The pandemic-era tax refunds for businesses have been a contention point for the agency, now employers are fighting for their cash.
-
Election 2024 Childcare Debate: Harris-Walz vs. Trump-Vance PlansElection As Election Day approaches, the Republican and Democratic tickets present different ideas for childcare and family tax credits. Here's what to know.
-
Does Kansas Tax Social Security Benefits?Social Security The Sunflower State’s new tax package will have a widespread impact on retirees and young families. Here’s what you can expect.
-
Will EVs Drive the Vote in Election 2024 Swing States?Tax Credits Electric vehicle tax credits have somehow become controversial. So car buyer attitudes in swing states might make a difference.
-
Only Five States Offer No Sales TaxState Tax Is your state’s ban on sales tax actually saving you money? Probably not as much as you might think.
-
Colorado’s New Property Tax Reform Could Save You HundredsProperty Tax The Centennial State just signed a new property tax bill into law. Here’s what you need to know.
-
Six New Tax Credits in Harris' Economic Plan: What to KnowElection 2024 Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed several tax breaks.
-
New York Sending School Tax Relief (STAR) ChecksTax Relief Are you receiving a NY STAR credit or exemption for your property taxes?
