California gas tax to increase to 59.6 cents per gallon July 1

Photo byThe HD Post

CALIFORNIA – The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) announced to retailers that the gas tax for motor vehicles would increase from 57.9 cents to 59.6 cents per gallon on July 1.

The tax on diesel fuel will increase from 44.1 cents per gallon to 45.4 cents per gallon.

According to CalTax, California motorists pay a federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, and state costs for the low-carbon fuel standard, the cap-and-trade program, state and local sales tax, and the underground storage fee.

All totaled, for motor vehicle fuel priced at $5 per gallon, taxpayers pay approximately $1.21 per gallon in state and federal taxes and fees.

Gas tax more than doubled since 2017

The annual gas tax increase is part of a law enacted in 2017 under Senate Bill 1 – the Road Repair and Accountability Act.

One of the provisions of SB 1 is that it includes an annual adjustment for inflation. This means that every July 1, the gas tax is adjusted based on the California Consumer Price Index (CPI) to ensure that the revenue keeps pace with inflation.

The state says this automatic adjustment is to maintain consistent funding for road maintenance and other transportation-related projects.

The gas tax has more than doubled since June 2017, when it was 27.8 cents per gallon.

For more information on the gas tax visit https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/fuel-tax-and-fee-guides/

RELATED: Assembly members voice concerns over proposed 47 cent per gallon gas increase in 2025