North Carolina Launches Fuel Check to Enforce Gas Tax Savings
Attorney General Jeff Jackson launched the N.C. Fuel Check program to ensure gas stations pass a 41-cent-per-gallon tax suspension to consumers.
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson launched the N.C. Fuel Check program on October 13 to ensure gas stations pass savings from a temporary state gas tax suspension to consumers. Governor Josh Stein signed the law suspending the 41-cent-per-gallon tax on gasoline and diesel, which is effective from October 10 through November 30.
Jackson notified major fuel retailers and distributors that they are legally required to pass these savings to customers. He warned that failing to do so could violate rules against unfair and deceptive trade practices, potentially resulting in civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation. Because stations pay the tax upon delivery, officials expect prices to drop at most locations within one week as they restock tax-free fuel.
The N.C. Fuel Check program, managed by the North Carolina Department of Justice and the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, monitors public price data for outliers and allows drivers to report suspected noncompliance via a website or phone line. While Republican legislative leaders argued that market competition would naturally lower prices, Democrats had previously sought an amendment explicitly requiring the pass-through of savings, which was blocked by Republican leadership.
