Why is Pennsylvania's gas tax so high?

Pennsylvania does not levy a traditional per-gallon excise at the pump. Instead it applies the Oil Company Franchise Tax to wholesale fuel, which works out to roughly 57.6 cents per gallon of gasoline — among the highest combined state rates in the nation. The revenue funds road and bridge maintenance.

Does Pennsylvania add the federal gas tax too?

Yes. The federal excise tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline (24.4 cents on diesel) is collected on top of the state tax. This calculator adds both so you see the full tax burden per gallon.

How much is the diesel tax in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania taxes diesel at a higher franchise-tax rate than gasoline, around 74.1 cents per gallon. With the 24.4 cent federal diesel excise, the combined tax is nearly a dollar per gallon.

Is sales tax charged on gasoline in Pennsylvania?

No. Pennsylvania exempts motor fuel from the 6% state sales tax. The franchise tax replaces it, so you do not pay sales tax on top of the per-gallon fuel taxes.

How is gas tax per mile calculated?

Divide the tax per gallon by your vehicle's fuel economy. At 57.6 cents state tax and 30 MPG, you pay about 1.9 cents of state gas tax for every mile you drive.

Pennsylvania Gas Tax Calculator

Email me this result

Get this tool's output sent to your inbox, plus one useful tool a week. No spam, unsubscribe any time.

The Pennsylvania gas tax calculator shows the real tax baked into every gallon you buy. Pennsylvania funds its roads through the Oil Company Franchise Tax rather than a pump excise, and that pushes the state rate to roughly 57.6 cents per gallon of gasoline — frequently the highest combined state gasoline tax in the country.

How it works

Two taxes stack on every gallon:

state tax    = franchise-tax rate per gallon (gasoline ~57.6c, diesel ~74.1c)
federal tax  = federal excise (gasoline 18.4c, diesel 24.4c)
total/gallon = state tax + federal tax

per fill-up  = total/gallon x tank gallons
per year     = total/gallon x (annual miles / MPG)

Pennsylvania exempts motor fuel from the 6% sales tax, so the franchise tax is the only state charge — no sales tax is layered on top.

Worked example

A 14-gallon fill-up of gasoline:

State tax: 14 x $0.576 = $8.06
Federal tax: 14 x $0.184 = $2.58
Total tax per fill-up: $10.64

Over 12,000 miles a year at 28 MPG (about 429 gallons), the state-plus-federal gas tax is roughly $326 per year.

Tips and notes

Diesel costs more. Pennsylvania’s diesel franchise rate is higher than gasoline, and the federal diesel excise is 24.4 cents, so commercial drivers pay close to $1/gallon in tax.
Rates adjust annually. The franchise tax floats with an average wholesale price formula, so the per-gallon figure shifts each year — update the rate if your state publishes a new one.
Per-mile cost depends on MPG. A thirstier vehicle pays far more gas tax per mile; improving fuel economy directly cuts your tax burden.