Georgia drivers are set to receive some relief at the pump after Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency and suspended the state’s motor fuel excise tax for 30 days.
The suspension takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, September 29, and will remain in place through October 29. The Kemp administration said the brief period before the suspension begins gives fuel retailers time to factor the change into their pricing.
Georgia currently collects 33.3 cents per gallon in state excise taxes on gasoline and 37.3 cents per gallon on diesel fuel. At the time of the announcement, the statewide average stood at $4.19 per gallon for regular gasoline and $6.24 per gallon for diesel.
Kemp said the action comes in response to global market volatility and is intended to provide additional relief to Georgia families and businesses dealing with higher costs.
“Over the past several years, with the help of our partners in the General Assembly, we’ve been able to give billions of dollars in relief to hardworking Georgians,” Kemp said. “We’ve remained committed to helping them and our small businesses fight through the tough times, and that’s why I’m taking this action today to give further relief.”
The executive order also suspends state weight limits on commercial vehicles. State officials say that provision is intended to help reduce transportation costs associated with everyday goods, including products delivered to grocery stores.
This is not the first motor fuel tax suspension in Georgia this year. A previous suspension began in March, with Kemp later extending the relief through June 3.
While the state tax suspension removes 33.3 cents per gallon from gasoline and 37.3 cents from diesel at the tax level, the price motorists ultimately see at individual stations can also be affected by wholesale fuel costs and other market factors.
The latest 30-day suspension remains in effect through October 29.