Trucks fuel at a Georgia TA Express. Georgia’s average price of motor fuel as of March 20 was $5.25 for a gallon of diesel and $3.791 for gas, according to AAA figures. (TravelCenters of America via Facebook)
March 20, 2026 5:30 PM, EDT
Key Takeaways:
- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on March 20 signed a law suspending motor fuel excise taxes for 60 days to ease rising pump prices.
- Officials cited war-driven market instability as diesel jumped 49% and gas rose 40% month over month.
- The suspension is expected to save $400 million over 60 days and also covers liquefied petroleum and special fuels.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law March 20 to suspend for 60 days motor fuel taxes to help residents cope with rising pump prices.
The Iran war has triggered average motor fuel prices in the state to skyrocket 49% for diesel compared with last month’s $3.535 per gallon and soar 40% above the $2.703 average per gallon of gas.
Prices at the pump have been climbing nationally. According to AAA, the national average price per gallon is $5.159 for diesel, up from $3.605 last year, and $3.912 for gas, up from $3.121 in 2024.
“In the coming days and weeks as retailers get new shipments of motor fuel, those prices on the billboards will not include the 33-cent excise tax on gasoline and the 37-cent tax on diesel fuel,” Kemp said during a ceremony enacting the fuel relief measures.
House Speaker Jon Burns told of recently meeting “hardworking Georgians in the trucking industry who are facing nearly a $2-per-gallon increase in diesel fuel prices.”
Burns credited the General Assembly with delivering critical financial relief to Georgians.
“We’re all feeling the pain as instability in the global oil markets causes the cost of fuel to rise across this country,” he said. “While every driver across the state feels the strain of these rapidly rising gas prices, we are anticipating and prayerful for a quick and successful end to the conflict overseas that is causing these increases.”
RELATED: How the Iran War Is Affecting Diesel and Gasoline Prices
Burns said the fuel tax suspension would result in $400 million in savings over the next 60 days. Kemp earlier thanked state legislators in the General Assembly for passing House Bill 1199 to provide “immediate relief for families by suspending the motor fuel tax.”
The bill called for suspending the collection of excise taxes for 60 days upon Kemp’s signature. Per-gallon prices will fall 37.3 cents for diesel and 33.3 cents for gas.
The temporary excise tax halt also will apply to the current 33.3-cent rate for liquefied petroleum and special fuel, such as compressed natural gas.
Prices at the pump are lower in Georgia than elsewhere in the country.
Georgia’s average price of motor fuel as of March 20 was $5.25 for a gallon of diesel and $3.791 for gas, according to AAA figures.
Georgia lawmakers credited their state for being the first to offer relief at the pump for consumers.
In the meantime, legislators in Maryland and California also have called for temporarily lifting motor fuel taxes.
