Fact #794: August 26, 2013 How Much Does an Average Vehicle Owner Pay in Fuel Taxes Each Year?

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the average fuel economy for all light vehicles on the road today is 21.4 miles per gallon (mpg). A person owning a gasoline vehicle with that fuel efficiency pays between $137 and $296 in fuel taxes each year, depending upon the state in which the fuel is purchased. The Federal tax on gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon, and each state has a gasoline tax ranging from 7.5 cents in Georgia to 37.5 cents in the state of Washington. Since taxes are based on a per-gallon rate, someone with a more efficient vehicle will pay less in taxes over the course of a year and someone with a less efficient vehicle will pay more.

Average Annual Gasoline Tax Paid per Vehicle
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Notes:
Includes Federal and State taxes on gasoline.
Assumptions: 11,318 annual miles of travel and 21.4 miles per gallon.

Supporting Information

Average Annual Gasoline Tax Paid per Vehicle
StateAverage Annual
Gasoline Tax Paid
(Dollars)
Georgia$137
Alaska$140
New Jersey$153
Wyoming$172
South Carolina$182
Florida$183
Hawaii$188
Missouri$188
Oklahoma$188
Virginia$190
Alabama$193
Arizona$193
California$193
Indiana$193
Mississippi$195
New Mexico$197
Illinois$198
Michigan$198
New Hampshire$201
Louisiana$203
Tennessee$203
Texas$203
Vermont$203
Iowa$209
Massachusetts$209
Arkansas$211
Colorado$214
South Dakota$214
Delaware$219
North Dakota$219
D.C.$222
Maryland$222
Kansas$225
Nevada$225
Utah$227
Connecticut$230
Idaho$230
New York$230
Nebraska$237
Kentucky$237
Montana$244
Minnesota$246
Ohio$246
Maine$254
Oregon$256
Wisconsin$261
Pennsylvania$263
Rhode Island$267
West Virginia$268
North Carolina$284
Washington$296
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2011, Tables MF-121T, VM-1, and FE-21B.

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