10 States with the Highest Gas Taxes

Inflation is hitting hard – especially at the gas pump. But crossing state lines to avoid higher gas taxes is one way to soften the blow.

picture of frustrated man pumping gas
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Road trips are a lot less fun now that inflation and the Ukraine crisis have sent gas prices through the roof. Of course, part of the price you pay for each gallon of gas goes to the government in the form of fuel taxes. There's the federal government's gas tax, which hasn't budged from 18.4 cents per gallon since 1993. But states and the District of Columbia also levy their own gas taxes.

As a result, if you're traveling cross-country, or just visiting a neighboring state, filling up can cost you even more just by crossing a state line. To help you get a better handle on the projected costs of your trip, here are the 10 states with the highest gas taxes (the state with the highest tax is last). We also include a look at how the states on our list do on other big tax metrics, such as sales tax. Hopefully, the sky-high gas prices won't last much longer, but save where you can until they drop down again.

Gas and diesel prices are from the American Petroleum Institute, as revised for changes after January 1, 2022. 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 individual state tax agency websites.

Rivan V. Stinson
Ex-staff writer, Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Rivan joined Kiplinger on Leap Day 2016 as a reporter for Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. A Michigan native, she graduated from the University of Michigan in 2014 and from there freelanced as a local copy editor and proofreader, and served as a research assistant to a local Detroit journalist. Her work has been featured in the Ann Arbor Observer and Sage Business Researcher. She is currently assistant editor, personal finance at The Washington Post.