North Carolina Gas Tax
What North Carolina and the federal government charge per gallon of gasoline, from U.S. Energy Information Administration data as of July 2026.
What makes up North Carolina’s 59.7¢
| North Carolina state excise tax | 41.0¢ |
| Other North Carolina taxes & fees sales/use taxes, inspection and environmental fees | 0.3¢ |
| Total North Carolina state tax | 41.3¢ |
| Federal excise + LUST fee 18.3¢ excise + 0.1¢ LUST, unchanged since 1993 | 18.4¢ |
| Combined state + federal | 59.7¢ |
Gasoline and Oil Inspection fee: $0.0025/gal on all motor fuels.
How much of a gallon in North Carolina is tax
North Carolina gasoline currently averages $4.09 a gallon. Against that, the 59.7¢ of combined state and federal tax is about 14.6% 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.
North Carolina vs. the other 50 states
North Carolina’s state gas tax of 41.3¢ is 7.5¢ above the 33.8¢ average across 50 states and D.C. — the 10th-highest, or equivalently the 42nd-lowest.
North Carolina gas tax, answered
- What is the gas tax in North Carolina?
- North Carolina charges 41.3¢ per gallon in state gasoline taxes — 41.0¢ of state excise tax plus 0.3¢ in other state taxes and fees. Adding the 18.4¢ federal tax brings the total to 59.7¢ 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 North Carolina's gas tax compare to other states?
- North Carolina's state gasoline tax of 41.3¢ per gallon ranks 10th-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 North Carolina?
- The federal gasoline tax is 18.4¢ per gallon in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina is tax?
- With North Carolina gasoline averaging $4.09 per gallon, the 59.7¢ of combined state and federal tax is about 14.6% of the pump price. Local taxes, where they apply, are on top of that.
- Does North Carolina charge local gas taxes too?
- EIA does not flag North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.