This Is How Gas Prices Are Determined In Every State
Wondering why your tank of gas costs what it does? We can help.
With gas prices skyrocketing around the world and hitting record-breaking highs in the United States, you wouldn't be alone if you were wondering how, exactly, prices are set where you live. Especially if you're filling up your tank with $7 per gallon gasoline, wondering why people out in Texas are complaining about their $4.50 per gallon prices.
While there are a quite a few people in this country that firmly believe prices are raised or lowered based on the President's daily whims, it's more complicated than that. The overall price is generally dictated by the economic laws of supply and demand, which puts a price point on a barrel of crude oil. In today's world, where our oil supply has been disturbed by ongoing conflicts, demand for oil is outweighing supply, which makes each gallon of gasoline you purchase more expensive.
But the economics of state-by-state changes can be a little more obscure if you aren't familiar with all the politics that go into determining the price of gasoline. We're talking taxes, refining costs, regional concerns, distribution, and marketing — all of which vary on a state-by-state level.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, roughly 43 percent of the cost of a gallon of gas is the crude oil itself. Another 22 percent comes from federal and state tax, 25 percent goes to refining costs, and 10 percent to distribution and marketing. Those numbers vary state by state as well.
Today, we're going to walk you through all those external factors that add up at the pump in your state.
Alabama
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.28 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.29 per gallon
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Alaska
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.0895 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.0895 per gallon
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Arizona
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.19 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.27 per gallon
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Arkansas
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.248 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.288 per gallon
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California
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.533 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.68 per gallon
One study showed that Californians were also paying the following fees when filling up the tank:
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Sales Tax: $0.10 per gallon
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Low Carbon Gas Program Fee: $0.22 per gallon
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Greenhouse Gas Program Fee: $0.15 per gallon
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Underground Tank Storage Fee: $0.02 per gallon
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Colorado
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes:$0.2325 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.20625 per gallon
Extra sales tax is applied in the city of Colorado Springs.
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Connecticut
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.25 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.465 per gallon
Additional fees:
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Prices subject to 8.1 state sales tax
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Petroleum Gross Receipts Earning Tax: $0.27
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Delaware
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.23 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.22 per gallon
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District of Columbia
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.235 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.235 per gallon
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Florida
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.34396 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.35271 per gallon
Additional taxes and fees:
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Subject to local tax up to 12 cents
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Georgia
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.279 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.313 per gallon
Additional taxes and fees:
-
Subject to local sales tax
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Hawaii
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.16 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.16 per gallon
Additional taxes and fees:
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Subject to county tax of 8.8 to 18 cents
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Subject to sales tax
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Idaho
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.33 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.33 per gallon
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Illinois
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.391 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.466 per gallon
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Indiana
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.30 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.49 per gallon
Additional taxes and fees:
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Subject to seven percent sales tax
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Iowa
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.305 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.325 per gallon
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Kansas
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.2403 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.2604 per gallon
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Kentucky
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.26 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.23 per gallon
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Louisiana
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.20125 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.20125 per gallon
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Maine
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.31404 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.31404 per gallon
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Maryland
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.368905 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.375405 per gallon
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Massachusetts
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.24 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.24 per gallon
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Michigan
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.263 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.263 per gallon
Additional taxes and fees:
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Subject to six percent sales tax
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Minnesota
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.286 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.286 per gallon
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Mississippi
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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Missouri
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.1742 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.1742 per gallon
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Montana
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.3275 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.302 per gallon
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Nebraska
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.306 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.296 per gallon
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Nevada
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.23805 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.2775 per gallon
Additional taxes and fees:
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Subject to additional local taxes
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New Hampshire
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.23835 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.23825 per gallon
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New Jersey
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.414 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.485 per gallon
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New Mexico
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.18875 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.22875 per gallon
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New York
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.4045 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.3865 per gallon
Additional taxes and fees:
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Subject to sales tax to a cap of $2.00 per gallon
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Subject to local sales tax
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North Carolina
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.3635 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.3635 per gallon
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North Dakota
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.23025 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.23025 per gallon
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Ohio
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.385 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.47 per gallon
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Oklahoma
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.20 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.20 per gallon
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Oregon
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.36 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.36 per gallon
Additional taxes and fees:
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Subject to additional fees of one to five cents
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Pennsylvania
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.586 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.741 per gallon
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Rhode Island
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.35119 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.35119 per gallon
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South Carolina
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.2275 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.2275 per gallon
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South Dakota
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.30 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.30 per gallon
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Tennessee
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.274 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.284 per gallon
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Texas
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.20 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.20 per gallon
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Utah
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.3175 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.3175 per gallon
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Vermont
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.3073 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.32 per gallon
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Virginia
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.162 per gallon
Diesel
-
Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.202 per gallon
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Washington
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.519952 per gallon
Diesel
-
Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.519952 per gallon
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West Virginia
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
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State Taxes: $0.357 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.357 per gallon
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Wisconsin
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.329 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.329 per gallon
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Wyoming
Gasoline
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Federal Taxes: $0.184 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.24 per gallon
Diesel
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Federal Taxes: $0.244 per gallon
-
State Taxes: $0.24 per gallon
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