IFTA Tax Rates in Virginia (2026)
Virginia's fuel taxes rose again on July 1, 2026: gasoline is now 32.6 cents a gallon and diesel 33.6 cents, per the Virginia DMV. On the I-95, I-81 and I-64 corridors those pennies compound fast — here is the full rate picture, the annual indexing behind it, and the highway use fee everyone asks about.
By the HaulMath editorial team · Updated $1
Key numbers at a glance
| Fuel | Jul 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2026 | Jul 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2027 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | 31.7¢/gal | 32.6¢/gal | Virginia DMV |
| Diesel | 32.7¢/gal | 33.6¢/gal | Virginia DMV |
| Federal excise (not part of IFTA) | 24.4¢ diesel / 18.4¢ gasoline | Outside IFTA entirely | |
IFTA tax rates in Virginia
Rates below are as of Q4 2026 — confirm the current official IFTA matrix before filing. Virginia is jurisdiction code 51 on your IFTA return.
| Fuel | Jul 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2026 | Jul 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2027 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | 31.7¢/gal | 32.6¢/gal | Virginia DMV |
| Diesel | 32.7¢/gal | 33.6¢/gal | Virginia DMV |
| Federal excise (not part of IFTA) | 24.4¢ diesel / 18.4¢ gasoline | Outside IFTA entirely | |
Three things to know about these numbers. First, Virginia indexes: a formula tied to fuel prices and the Consumer Price Index resets the rates every July 1, and the 2026 adjustment added 0.9 cents to each fuel. Because the change lands exactly on the IFTA Q3 boundary, your Q3 and Q4 2026 returns use 32.6/33.6 with no mid-quarter splitting. Second, ignore headline numbers that show Virginia at 42.4 cents — that Tax Foundation July 2026 figure folds in the regional motor fuels sales tax that funds transit in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads; your IFTA return uses the statewide DMV rates. Third, at these levels Virginia is a prepaid-tax state for southern runs: fueling there before Tennessee miles (diesel at 21 cents, per the Tennessee Department of Revenue) means you have already paid tax you would owe anyway. Compare all 49 jurisdictions on our IFTA rates by state hub.
Quick arithmetic for a diesel truck at 6.5 MPG: 1,000 Virginia miles burn 153.8 gallons and accrue $51.69 at 33.6 cents. The same miles cost $32.31 in Tennessee, $30.77 in Texas and $36.92 in Wyoming — but $91.54 in Washington. Run your own lanes through the IFTA calculator before the quarter closes.
How Virginia IFTA affects your filings
Whether Virginia is your base state or a pass-through, the return logic is identical: taxable gallons equal Virginia miles divided by your MPG, tax equals gallons times 0.336 on diesel, and pump-prepaid tax comes off the bottom line. The Virginia DMV's Motor Carrier section administers IFTA accounts (its fuel tax line is (804) 249-5130, option 3), and its fuels tax rates page is the authoritative source for the current figures alongside the IFTA Inc. matrix.
The highway use fee question deserves a straight answer. Virginia levies a Highway Use Fee on fuel-efficient and electric vehicles — $116.49 a year for EVs in FY2026, with fuel-efficient cars paying on an MPG scale — and offers a per-mile Mileage Choice Program as an alternative, per the Virginia DMV. It exists because efficient vehicles skip the fuel tax that funds roads. For IFTA-registered trucks, nothing changes: your road usage settles through the fuel tax on your quarterly return, and Virginia does not run a separate per-mile truck tax alongside IFTA.
The rest is discipline. Deadlines are fixed, and returns are due even at zero net:
| 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) |
Keep fuel receipts matched to ELD or GPS distance records for every Virginia mile, accrue roughly 5.2 cents per mile of diesel fuel tax at 6.5 MPG inside your cost model, and make sure your fuel surcharge recovers it. Verify the current rates at the DMV fuels tax rates page each quarter — with annual indexing, last year's Virginia number is always wrong by nine-tenths of a cent or so, and those fractions are real money at 100,000 miles a year.
FAQ
What are Virginia's IFTA tax rates for Q4 2026?
32.6 cents per gallon on gasoline and 33.6 cents on diesel, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, per the Virginia DMV's fuels tax rates page. Confirm the figures on the current official IFTA matrix before filing.
How often does Virginia change its fuel tax rates?
Annually, every July 1. Virginia uses a variable-rate formula tied to fuel prices and the Consumer Price Index, so the rate that applied last winter is not the rate that applies now — the July 1, 2026 change raised gasoline from 31.7 to 32.6 cents and diesel from 32.7 to 33.6 cents.
Is Virginia's fuel tax really 42.4 cents a gallon?
Some tables, including the Tax Foundation's July 2026 figures, show Virginia at roughly 42.4 cents because they add the regional motor fuels sales tax that funds transit in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. The IFTA rate on your return is the statewide 32.6/33.6 cent figure published by the Virginia DMV.
What is the Virginia highway use fee, and do truckers pay it?
Virginia charges a Highway Use Fee on fuel-efficient and electric vehicles — $116.49 a year for EVs in FY2026, with fuel-efficient vehicles paying based on their MPG, per the Virginia DMV. It exists to recover road revenue those vehicles don't pay at the pump; IFTA-registered commercial trucks keep settling through the fuel tax instead.
Who handles IFTA in Virginia?
The Virginia DMV's Motor Carrier section administers IFTA accounts and quarterly returns — carriers can reach the fuel tax line at (804) 249-5130, option 3. Pull current rates from the DMV fuels tax rates page or the IFTA Inc. matrix each quarter.
Should I buy fuel in Virginia before running other states?
Virginia's 33.6-cent diesel rate is above Tennessee's 21 cents and near Vermont's 33, so fueling in Virginia before long low-tax miles (Tennessee, Texas at 20 cents, Wyoming at 24 cents) usually prepay tax you would owe anyway — it nets out or comes back as credit on the return.