Washington, D.C. Gas Tax
What Washington, D.C. and the federal government charge per gallon of gasoline, from U.S. Energy Information Administration data as of July 2026.
What makes up Washington, D.C.’s 54.1¢
| Washington, D.C. state excise tax | 23.5¢ |
| Other Washington, D.C. taxes & fees sales/use taxes, inspection and environmental fees | 12.2¢ |
| Total Washington, D.C. state tax | 35.7¢ |
| Federal excise + LUST fee 18.3¢ excise + 0.1¢ LUST, unchanged since 1993 | 18.4¢ |
| Combined state + federal | 54.1¢ |
Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Surcharge/Local Transportation Surcharge: $0.1220/gal as of 10/1/25.
How much of a gallon in Washington, D.C. is tax
Washington, D.C. gasoline currently averages $4.55 a gallon. Against that, the 54.1¢ of combined state and federal tax is about 11.9% of what a driver pays — with local taxes, where they apply, on top.
Tax rate from EIA as of July 2026; pump price is the current EIA weekly average. The two are published on different schedules, so the share moves as prices move even when the tax does not.
Washington, D.C. vs. the other 50 states
Washington, D.C.’s state gas tax of 35.7¢ is 1.9¢ above the 33.8¢ average across 50 states and D.C. — the 17th-highest, or equivalently the 35th-lowest.
Washington, D.C. gas tax, answered
- What is the gas tax in Washington, D.C.?
- Washington, D.C. charges 35.7¢ per gallon in state gasoline taxes — 23.5¢ of state excise tax plus 12.2¢ in other state taxes and fees. Adding the 18.4¢ federal tax brings the total to 54.1¢ per gallon, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data as of July 2026. These are state and federal taxes only and exclude county and local taxes.
- How does Washington, D.C.'s gas tax compare to other states?
- Washington, D.C.'s state gasoline tax of 35.7¢ per gallon ranks 17th-highest of the 50 states and D.C. that EIA lists, against an average of 33.8¢. The highest is California at 73.6¢ and the lowest is Alaska at 8.9¢.
- What is the federal gas tax in Washington, D.C.?
- The federal gasoline tax is 18.4¢ per gallon in Washington, D.C., the same as in every other state — 18.3¢ of excise tax plus a 0.1¢ Leaking Underground Storage Tank fee. It has been unchanged since 1993.
- How much of the price of gas in Washington, D.C. is tax?
- With Washington, D.C. gasoline averaging $4.55 per gallon, the 54.1¢ of combined state and federal tax is about 11.9% of the pump price. Local taxes, where they apply, are on top of that.
- Does Washington, D.C. charge local gas taxes too?
- EIA does not flag Washington, D.C. as a state where local option taxes are allowed. Its table covers taxes of general application and excludes county and local taxes in every state, so treat the figures here as state and federal only.
Related to Washington, D.C. gas tax
Tax rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Federal and state motor fuels taxes”, edition July 2026 (revised August 2026) (as of July 2026), published on EIA’s Petroleum Marketing Monthly page and reissued each January and July. EIA lists taxes “of general application … exclusive of county and local taxes”; rates are for gasoline.