Washington Gas Tax
What Washington and the federal government charge per gallon of gasoline, from U.S. Energy Information Administration data as of July 2026.
What makes up Washington’s 78.6¢
| Washington state excise tax | 56.5¢ |
| Other Washington taxes & fees sales/use taxes, inspection and environmental fees | 3.7¢ |
| Total Washington state tax | 60.2¢ |
| Federal excise + LUST fee 18.3¢ excise + 0.1¢ LUST, unchanged since 1993 | 18.4¢ |
| Combined state + federal | 78.6¢ |
Oil Spill Administration Tax: $0.0400/bbl ($0.0009523/gal). Oil Spill Response tax: $0.0100/bbl ($0.000238/gal). Hazardous Substance tax on petroleum products that can be measured on per-barrel basis: $1.4900/bbl ($0.0355/gal). "Border Zone Area Motor Fuel Tax" $0.01/gal in counties bordering Canada. Petroleum Products Tax (PPT) reinstated as of 1/1/20: rate is based on the wholesale value of the petroleum product multiplied by .0030.
How much of a gallon in Washington is tax
Washington gasoline currently averages $5.50 a gallon. Against that, the 78.6¢ of combined state and federal tax is about 14.3% 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 vs. the other 50 states
Washington’s state gas tax of 60.2¢ is 26.4¢ above the 33.8¢ average across 50 states and D.C. — the 4th-highest, or equivalently the 48th-lowest.
Washington gas tax, answered
- What is the gas tax in Washington?
- Washington charges 60.2¢ per gallon in state gasoline taxes — 56.5¢ of state excise tax plus 3.7¢ in other state taxes and fees. Adding the 18.4¢ federal tax brings the total to 78.6¢ 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's gas tax compare to other states?
- Washington's state gasoline tax of 60.2¢ per gallon ranks 4th-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?
- The federal gasoline tax is 18.4¢ per gallon in Washington, 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 is tax?
- With Washington gasoline averaging $5.50 per gallon, the 78.6¢ of combined state and federal tax is about 14.3% of the pump price. Local taxes, where they apply, are on top of that.
- Does Washington charge local gas taxes too?
- Yes — EIA flags Washington as a state where local option taxes are allowed, so some counties and cities add their own tax on top of the 60.2¢ state rate. EIA's table covers state taxes of general application and excludes county and local taxes, so a driver in some Washington cities pays more than the figure shown here.
Related to Washington 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.