State gas taxes · EIA figures for July 2026
Colorado gas tax
The 27th highest state gas tax of 51, and 3.6¢ below the state average. With the 18.4¢ federal tax, Colorado drivers pay 48.58¢ a gallon in fuel tax, about 12% of this week's price.
What makes up the tax on a gallon
| State excise tax | 22.00¢ |
|---|---|
| Other state taxes and fees | 8.18¢ |
| Federal excise tax | 18.40¢ |
| Total per gallon | 48.58¢ |
| On a 15-gallon fill | $7.29 |
| Over a typical year (480 gallons) | $233 |
| Regular gas this week | $4.068 |
From the EIA’s notes for Colorado: Bridge and Tunnel Impact (BTI) Fee: $0.0700/gal, diesel only. Environmental Response Surcharge (ERS): $0.0125/gal, gasoline and diesel.
Source: EIA federal and state motor fuel taxes, July 2026. The federal rate has not changed since 1993. County and city taxes are not included, so some drivers pay a little more.
Fuel tax in Colorado and its neighbours
Across the line in New Mexico, state tax is 11.3¢ a gallon lower, which is $1.70 less tax on a 15-gallon fill.
| State | State tax | Versus CO | On a 15-gal tank |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 18.9¢ | −11.3¢ | −$1.70 |
| Oklahoma | 20.0¢ | −10.2¢ | −$1.53 |
| Wyoming | 24.0¢ | −6.2¢ | −$0.93 |
| Kansas | 25.0¢ | −5.1¢ | −$0.77 |
| Colorado | 30.2¢ | — | — |
| Nebraska | 32.7¢ | +2.5¢ | +$0.38 |
| Utah | 38.5¢ | +8.4¢ | +$1.26 |
Where Colorado sits in the ranking
| 25. Vermont | 31.26¢ |
|---|---|
| 26. Alabama | 31.00¢ |
| 27. Colorado | 30.18¢ |
| 28. Iowa | 30.00¢ |
| 29. South Dakota | 30.00¢ |
Ranked by total state tax per gallon, highest first. See all 51 ranked.
What this means for your driving
Tax is a fixed number of cents on every gallon, so the less fuel you burn, the less of it you pay. A car that gets 30 mpg pays $194 a year in fuel tax over 12,000 miles in Colorado; a pickup at 19 mpg pays $307.
Work out a trip or a year of driving with the Colorado fuel cost calculator, or see Colorado gas prices this week.
Colorado gas tax questions
- What is the gas tax in Colorado?
- Colorado charges 30.18¢ per gallon of gasoline in state tax: 22.00¢ of excise tax plus 8.18¢ in other per-gallon taxes and fees, according to the EIA's table updated July 2026. Add the 18.4¢ federal tax and drivers pay 48.58¢ a gallon in fuel tax.
- How does Colorado's gas tax compare with other states?
- It is the 27th highest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), and 3.6¢ a gallon below the average state tax of 33.8¢.
- How much gas tax does a Colorado driver pay in a year?
- About $233 in state and federal fuel tax for a typical year of 480 gallons (roughly 12,000 miles at 25 mpg), of which $145 goes to the state. A 15-gallon fill carries $7.29 of tax.
- Is gas tax included in the price at the pump?
- Yes. Federal and state per-gallon fuel taxes are built into the price posted on the sign; they are not added at the register. That is why tax differences between neighbouring states show up directly in pump prices.
- Which neighbouring state has a lower gas tax than Colorado?
- New Mexico has the lowest state gas tax of Colorado's neighbours, at 18.88¢ a gallon. That is 11.3¢ less, or $1.70 on a 15-gallon fill.