Monday, Sep 21, 2026
Has Wisconsin’s tax on gas and diesel stayed the same for 20 years?
Wisconsin’s state tax on gasoline and diesel is 30.9 cents per gallon, which has not increased or decreased since 2006.
In 2005, lawmakers repealed annual gas tax increases tied to inflation. That law took effect in April 2006, so the 30.9 rate has stayed the same for the last 20 years.
The gas tax, also called the motor vehicle fuel tax, is the largest source of revenue for the state’s transportation fund. In July 2026 alone, Wisconsin’s gas and diesel tax generated nearly $99 million.
While some states have waived their gas taxes amid high prices, Wisconsin has never done so. In Wisconsin, a gas tax holiday would have to pass in the Legislature and get the governor’s approval.
In addition to the state rate, federal tax is 18.4 cents per gallon of gasoline and 24.4 for diesel, which haven’t changed since 1993.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue: Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax
- Wisconsin State Legislature: 2005 Wisconsin Act 85
- Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau: Motor Vehicle Fuel and Alternative Fuel Tax
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue: Fuel Tax Statistical Report: July 2026
- Indiana Department of Revenue: Gasoline Use Tax: Gas Tax Holiday
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Some states are waiving gas taxes as prices soar. Could Wisconsin?
- Congressional Budget Office: Increase Excise Taxes on Motor Fuels and Index Them for Inflation
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Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network.
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