Report: Gas Taxes in Hawai‘i Among Highest in Nation

Hawai‘i ranks fourth in the nation among the states with the highest gas taxes, according to a new report released by GasBuddy.

The report found that Hawai‘i residents pay an average tax surcharge of 65.32 cents per gallon of gas in 2018, up from 2.70 cents per gallon in 2017. That number equates to $391.92 per year, up $16.20 from last year.

The rise in gas taxes this year reflects a nationwide trend. The GasBuddy report revealed that motorists will shell out $4 billion more in gas taxes at the pump in 2018 than they did in 2017. That will amount to $76 billion in 2018, up from the $72 billion total in 2017. Nationally, the average rise in gas taxes is roughly 2.6 cents per gallon, according to GasBuddy.

“While motorists fill up and see the final price on their receipt, it’s not always clear just how much of that goes to gas taxes,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “What’s clear is that most states have recently raised gas taxes using the current environment of lower prices as cover. An additional concern is that the federal gas tax has not been touched in decades and may be an attractive revenue option for the federal government if it moves forward on improving infrastructure.”

DeHaan said motorists can lower their fuel bill through common sense by shopping around for lower prices and saving through various payment options or loyalty programs.

GasBuddy advises motorists to be aware of a possible rise in the federal gas tax rate, which has remained unchanged at 18.4 cents per gallon since 1993. For every penny increase in the tax, America’s annual spending on fuel would rise by $1.46 billion.

According to the API, these U.S. states have the highest combined gasoline taxes and the yearly cost of gas taxes. Table courtesy of GasBuddy.