California currently has the highest gas tax among U.S. states, at about 71 cents per gallon of gasoline as of 2025 data, edging out Illinois and Washington.

Quick Scoop: Which state has the highest gas tax?

  • Top state: California – gas tax about 70.92 cents per gallon in 2025.
  • Close behind are:
    • Illinois – about 66.40 cents per gallon.
* Washington – about 59.04 cents per gallon.
  • Pennsylvania and Indiana also sit near the top with gas taxes above 54 cents per gallon.

Simple view in numbers

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Rank (gas tax) State Gas tax (¢/gallon, 2025)
1 California 70.92
2 Illinois 66.40
3 Washington 59.04
4 Pennsylvania 58.70
5 Indiana 54.50

Why this is a trending topic

Whenever gas prices rise, people start asking “which state has the highest gas tax” because it becomes a shorthand way to talk about why filling up hurts more in some places than others. States like California often debate whether these high taxes are necessary for maintaining roads and funding transportation projects or whether they push too much cost onto drivers. On forums, you’ll see drivers comparing receipts, complaining about crossing state lines to find cheaper fuel, and arguing over whether high gas taxes really improve infrastructure or just pad state budgets.

Mini context: gas tax vs total price

Gas taxes are only one piece of what you pay at the pump:

  • Base gasoline price (driven by crude oil and refining).
  • Federal gas tax (18.4 cents per gallon).
  • State gas tax (where California is currently highest).

That means even if your state doesn’t have the very highest gas tax, a combination of local rules, environmental fees, and market prices can still make it feel like you’re paying “California prices” at the pump.

TL;DR: California has the highest state gas tax right now, at about 71 cents per gallon, followed by Illinois and Washington, which helps explain why filling up in those states stings more than most.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.