Maine Fuel Tax
A Maine fuel tax is levied on gasoline and other Fuel products at the state level. These taxes are collected by fuel vendors and are passed on to end consumers through the price of fuel. Fuel excise taxes are a key source of revenue for states to fund their transportation systems.
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Maine Fuel Tax is $0.30 per gallon on gasoline. This tax revenue goes towards the maintenance of public ferry services, which are vital for transportation to and from Maine’s many islands. The State of Maine is a member of the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). This organization streamlines fuel use tax reporting and disbursement among its members. Prior to IFTA, truckers would have to acquire individual permits from each state they traveled through. This created more work and slowed interstate commerce.
IFTA members include the 48 contiguous states and 10 Canadian provinces. IFTA registration is required for motor carriers that travel in multiple IFTA jurisdictions. IFTA licenses are valid for one year and must be displayed in each qualified vehicle. The State of Maine requires IFTA licensees to submit IFTA quarterly fuel use tax returns and maintain a copy of their original IFTA permit in each qualified vehicle.
IFTA forms can be downloaded from the Maine Revenue Services website. They should be completed and submitted to the agency as instructed on the site. Before submitting, it is important to double-check the form for accuracy and completeness. A downloadable PDF reader is required to view these forms.
Who Must File Maine Fuel Tax?
Anyone who produces, sells, or uses taxable fuel in Maine is required to file quarterly fuel tax reports with the state. These reports provide information about the amount of fuel used and the type of fuel used. These taxes contribute to the state’s Highway Fund, which is responsible for road repairs, snow plowing, and bridge maintenance. The Highway Fund also pays to remove hazardous materials from underground storage tanks and other waste sites.
How to Pay Maine Fuel Tax?
Anyone who is responsible for filing fuel tax returns should use Maine Revenue Services’ online forms. The website provides a variety of options for filing and paying fuel tax, including the ability to type text, complete fillable fields, insert images, highlight or blackout data at the assessor’s discretion, add comments, and more. A digital signature can also be added, and users can choose whether to upload a signature image or draw it on the screen using their cursor.
Maine Fuel Tax Exemptions
Retail dealers can get a refund of one half of the Maine fuel tax paid to their distributors for gasoline shrinkage, by filing an Affidavit of Exemption ST-A-126. A detailed energy study must be performed in order to determine the exact percentage of utility sales tax that can be exempted.
Maine Fuel Tax Due Dates
Fuel vendors are responsible for paying the tax and filing reports with the state. These reports must be filed quarterly. The fuel tax due dates are the 20th day of the month after the tax is accrued. The filing deadline is the next business day if the fuel tax due date falls on a weekend or legal holiday.
