IFTA Tax Rates in Texas (2026)
Texas keeps it simple: a flat 20 cents per gallon on diesel and the same 20 cents on gasoline, administered by the Texas Comptroller. For a carrier running the I-10, I-20 or I-35 corridors, that predictability is worth money — here is how the numbers work on an IFTA return.
By the HaulMath editorial team · Updated $1
Key numbers at a glance
| Fuel | Rate (cents/gal) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 20.0 | Flat rate on diesel removed from a terminal, imported, blended or positionally transferred in Texas, per the Texas Comptroller |
| Gasoline and gasohol | 20.0 | Same flat rate; roughly 15 cents of it flows to the state Highway Fund |
| Federal excise (not part of IFTA) | 24.4 diesel / 18.4 gas | Outside IFTA — never include it on your quarterly return |
IFTA tax rates in Texas
Rates below are as of Q4 2026 — confirm the current official IFTA matrix before filing. Texas is jurisdiction code 48 on your IFTA return.
| Fuel | Rate (cents/gal) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 20.0 | Flat rate on diesel removed from a terminal, imported, blended or positionally transferred in Texas, per the Texas Comptroller |
| Gasoline and gasohol | 20.0 | Same flat rate; roughly 15 cents of it flows to the state Highway Fund |
| Federal excise (not part of IFTA) | 24.4 diesel / 18.4 gas | Outside IFTA — never include it on your quarterly return |
Twenty flat cents is the benchmark the whole country measures against. It is below Tennessee's 21-cent diesel rate (Tennessee Department of Revenue), barely above nothing compared with Virginia's 33.6-cent diesel rate (Virginia DMV, effective July 1, 2026), and less than half of Washington's 59.5 cents (Washington Department of Revenue). The practical reading: Texas is a low-tax state for IFTA purposes, so long Texas miles with fuel bought out of state still settle cheap, and buying in Texas before running high-tax states leaves a balance due at filing. Our IFTA rates by state hub puts all 49 jurisdictions side by side.
The per-mile cost is easy to hold in your head: at 6.5 MPG you burn about 15.4 gallons per 100 miles, and at 20 cents a gallon that is roughly 3.1 cents per mile of Texas fuel tax. A 600-mile day across the state accrues about $18.50; a full Texas month at 8,000 miles accrues about $246. Plug your actual lanes and MPG into the IFTA calculator to see the quarter before it happens.
How Texas IFTA affects your filings
The Comptroller's IFTA program covers licensing, decals and the quarterly return. If Texas is your base state, you file once with the Comptroller for all member jurisdictions; the agency publishes an annual interest rate — 9 percent recently — that applies to late or underpaid tax. If Texas is a pass-through, your only job is accurate Texas miles and gallons on the return you file with your own base state. What trips carriers up is not the rate, which barely moves, but distance records: fuel receipts with no matching trip miles, or trip miles with no receipts, are the classic audit findings.
Deadlines are the same nationwide:
| Quarter | Period | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | April 30 |
| Q2 | Apr 1 – Jun 30 | July 31 |
| Q3 | Jul 1 – Sep 30 | October 31 |
| Q4 | Oct 1 – Dec 31 | January 31 (next year) |
Fuel strategy in Texas is a sticker-price game more than a tax game. Because the tax is identical at 20 cents almost everywhere in the state, the pump spread between truck stops is real money — compare retail price minus tax when you plan fuel stops, and let your fuel surcharge collections cover the tax you accrue on Texas miles. One watch item: a 2025–26 bill (HB 326) proposed letting the flat rates float with highway costs. It had not become law as of Q4 2026, but check the Comptroller's IFTA page and the IFTA Inc. matrix each quarter rather than trusting last quarter's numbers.
FAQ
What is the IFTA tax rate on diesel in Texas?
20 cents per gallon, per the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas charges the same flat rate on diesel and gasoline, and it has not moved in decades — but confirm the current official IFTA matrix each quarter.
Does Texas tax gasoline and diesel at the same rate?
Yes. Both are taxed at a flat 20 cents per gallon, so for a diesel truck the gasoline rate mostly matters for reference. A 2025–26 legislative proposal (HB 326) would have indexed the rate to highway costs, but the flat 20 cents stands as of Q4 2026.
Who administers IFTA in Texas?
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. It issues IFTA licenses and decals, processes quarterly returns and publishes an annual interest rate (recently 9 percent) that applies to late or underpaid amounts.
How many gallons of Texas fuel tax do I owe per mile?
Taxable gallons equal Texas miles divided by your truck's MPG. At 6.5 MPG that is about 15.4 gallons per 100 miles, so Texas fuel tax costs roughly 3.1 cents per mile on diesel at the 20-cent rate.
Where do I verify current Texas IFTA rates?
Pull the quarterly tax matrix from IFTA Inc. or the Comptroller's IFTA page before every filing. Rates for current and prior periods are published at iftach.org; Texas member-jurisdiction rates appear in the same matrix.