California Fuel Tax
California charges about 73.1 cents per gallon in state taxes and fees on gasoline and 89.5 cents on diesel. That ranks 1 of 51 states (including DC) for gasoline tax, where 1 is the highest. The figure is 39.7 cents above the national average of 33.4 cents.
State gasoline tax
73.1¢ / gal est.
Ranks 1 of 51 (1 = highest)
State diesel tax
89.5¢ / gal est.
Ranks 1 of 51 (1 = highest)
Total tax per gallon, with the federal rate
| Fuel | State | Federal | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | 73.1¢ | 18.4¢ | 91.5¢ |
| Diesel | 89.5¢ | 24.4¢ | 113.9¢ |
Estimate. Excise rose July 1, 2026; the all-in figure adds the state sales tax on fuel.
Basis: Total state taxes and fees: the state excise plus statewide fees and, where a state levies it, sales or gross-receipts tax on fuel. Excludes the federal tax and local/county taxes. Snapshot as of July 2026. Rates change and several states
re-index each year, so confirm the current figure with the California department of revenue
before relying on it. This state's figure is an estimate where a
fully reconciled number was not yet published.
Nearby on the gas-tax ranking
- Illinois 66.4¢ gas · 73.9¢ diesel
- Washington 65¢ gas · 71¢ diesel
How fuel tax works
A fuel tax is an excise: a set number of cents on each gallon, collected whether the pump reads two dollars or five. The federal rate (18.4 cents on gasoline, 24.4 on diesel) is the same in every state and has not changed since 1993. The state rate is where the pump price diverges from one state line to the next.