Starting Tuesday, your wallets will start to feel a bit of a squeeze as the six-cent gas tax increase kicks in.
This is the first increase of its kind in nearly a decade.
However, gas prices aren’t the only thing impacted by the hikes. There are also multiple fee increases, too.
Starting Tuesday, the gas tax will rise from 49.4 cents to 55.4 cents per gallon. Diesel fuel taxes will also increase by 3 cents this year and another 3 cents in 2027. After mid-2026, both gas and diesel taxes will grow by 2% annually to keep pace with inflation.
The increase kicked in at 12:01 Tuesday morning, nudging prices closer to $5.00 per gallon in many Washington cities.
Drivers like Jacque Chang say they felt the gas prices were already too high to begin with, now this feels like tipping over the edge.
“I just don’t see an end to it, and that’s the problem, how much further can you go, really?” questioned Chang.
Drivers we spoke with say they are considering alternatives such as buying an electric vehicle or taking public transportation instead.
“Soon I might not be able to afford gas and have to go hybrid, where gas isn’t required,” said Caedan.
“I’ve thought about EV, but I’m mostly thinking about a public train or something,” Clement Medina said.
Lawmakers say this tax will bring in around $3.2 billion over the next six years. They tell us that money will be set aside for road and bridge projects.
The Washington GOP disagrees with the tax, with WAGOP Chairman Jim Walsh saying, “Let’s focus on common-sense transportation projects and give Washington taxpayers a break by reversing the latest gas tax hikes.”
Some state democrats say this is the only way to fix the unbalanced budget.
“We’re asking Washingtonians to pay some more to fund our transportation system, but we’re spending it on keeping our promises, on preserving and maintaining highways, and on safety,” said Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds).
Besides the gas and diesel tax hikes, SB 5801 raises a range of fees. Vehicle weight fees will increase by $10 to $24 annually starting in January, depending on the size of the vehicle. The state’s special sales tax on motor vehicles will jump from 0.3% to 0.5%. A new 8% luxury tax will hit vehicles sold for over $100,000, and a 10% tax will apply to aircraft valued above $500,000.
Rental car taxes will temporarily more than double, from 5.9% to 11.9% in 2026, before settling at 9.9% in 2027. Tire replacement fees will also rise from $1 to $5 per tire.
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