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Hawaii State Excise Taxes 2024 - Fuel, Cigarette, and Alcohol Taxes

Gasoline:
17.00¢ per gallon		 Cigarettes:
$3.20 per pack		 Liquor:
$5.98 per gal		 Wine:
$1.38 per gal		 Beer:
93¢ per gal

What is an Excise Tax?

An excise tax is a tax directly levied on certain goods by a state or federal government. The most prominent excise taxes collected by the Hawaii state government are the fuel tax on gasoline and the so-called "sin tax" collected on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.

An excise tax is not the same thing as the Hawaii Sales Tax.

The Hawaii Sales Tax is collected as a percentage of the final purchase price of all qualifying sales, and is collected directly from the end consumer of the product.

Hawaii's excise taxes, on the other hand, are flat per-unit taxes that must be paid directly to the Hawaii government by the merchant before the goods can be sold. Merchants may be required to attach tax stamps to taxable merchandise to show that the excise tax was paid.

Even though excise taxes are collected from businesses, virtually all Hawaii merchants pass on the excise tax to the customer through higher prices for the taxed goods.

Hawaii per capita excise tax

Hawaii collects an average of $650 in yearly excise taxes per capita, one of the highest average per capita excise taxes in the country.

Hawaii General Excise Taxes - Gasoline, Cigarettes, and More

Hawaii collects general excise taxes on the sale of motor fuel (gasoline and diesel), cigarettes (per pack), and cell phone service plans. Other general taxes, similar to excise taxes, may be collected on other items including gas guzzlers, transportation tickets, firearms, vehicle sales, tanning salons, and more.

Gas sales tax in Hawaii - Hawaii oil and gasoline excise taxes

Hawaii Gas Tax

4th highest gas tax

The Hawaii excise tax on gasoline is 17.00¢ per gallon, one of the highest gas taxes in the country. Hawaii's excise tax on gasoline is ranked #4 out of the 50 states. The Hawaii gas tax is included in the pump price at all gas stations in Hawaii.

Tax on buying cigarettes in Hawaii - Hawaii cigarette excise taxes

Hawaii Cigarette Tax

5th highest cigarette tax

The Hawaii excise tax on cigarettes is $3.20 per 20 cigarettes, one of the highest cigarettes taxes in the country. Hawaii's excise tax on cigarettes is ranked #5 out of the 50 states. Hawaii's cigarette excise tax was raised from $3.00 to $3.20 in 2011. The Hawaii cigarette tax of $3.20 is applied to every 20 cigarettes sold (the size of an average pack of cigarettes). If a pack contains more then 20 cigarettes, a higher excise tax will be collected.

Tax on phone service in Hawaii - Hawaii phone taxes

Hawaii Cellphone Tax

37th highest cellphone tax

The average tax collected on cell phone plans in Hawaii is $7.75 per phone service plan, lower then 74% of the other 50 states. Hawaii's average cellphone tax is ranked #37 out of the 50 states. The Hawaii cellphone tax is already included in the service plan price you pay to your service provider, and may be listed as "Misc. taxes and Fees" or "Other" on your monthly bill.

Automobile / Vehicle Tax In Hawaii - Hawaii car road tax

Hawaii Car Tax

Hawaii collects a registration fee and a title fee on the sale or transfer of cars and motorcycles, which are essentially renamed excise taxes. Unlike standard excise taxes, however, the end consumer must pay the tax directly to the Hawaii Department of Transportation and receive documentation (registration and title papers) proving the fees were paid.

Hawaii Alcohol Excise Taxes - Liquor, Wine, and Beer

Hawaii collects special excise taxes on the sale of all types of alcohol, subdivided into specific taxes on wine, beer, and liquor (hard alcohol other then wine and beer). Alcohol taxes are sometimes collectively referred to as "sin taxes", which also include excise taxes on cigarettes, gambling, drugs, and certain other items.

Please note that the IRS also collects a federal excise taxes on alcoholic beverages, which are included separately from Hawaii's alcohol taxes in the final purchase price.

Tax on beer in Hawaii - Hawaii beer excise taxes

Hawaii Beer Tax

5th highest beer tax

The Hawaii excise tax on beer is $0.93 per gallon, one of the highest beer taxes in the country. Hawaii's beer excise tax is ranked #5 out of the 50 states. The Hawaii beer tax is already added to the purchase price of all beer bought in Hawaii, whether in kegs, bottles, or cans.

Tax on buying wine in Hawaii - Hawaii wine excise taxes

Hawaii Wine Tax

12th highest wine tax

The Hawaii excise tax on Wine is $1.38 per gallon, higher then 76% of the other 50 states. Hawaii's excise tax on wine is ranked #12 out of the 50 states. The Hawaii wine tax is already added to the purchase price of all wine bought in Hawaii.

Tax on buying liquor in Hawaii - Hawaii Liquor & Spirits excise taxes

Hawaii Liquor Tax

23rd highest liquor tax

The Hawaii excise tax on liquor is $5.98 per gallon, higher then 54% of the other 50 states. Hawaii's excise tax on Spirits is ranked #23 out of the 50 states. The Hawaii liquor tax applies to all hard alcohol (alchoholic beverages other then beer and wine), and is already included in the purchase price by the retailer.

Hawaii Excise Tax Deductions & Refunds

Can I deduct my Hawaii Excise taxes?

Unlike the Hawaii Sales Tax, excise taxes are not generally deductible on Hawaii income tax returns or on your federal tax return. However, the IRS occasionally allows certain excise taxes to be deducted for certain tax years.

Vehicle Tax Deduction
Hawaii sales and excise taxes on cars or vehicles bought during 2009 may be deducted once from your federal tax return. You cannot deduct excise taxes for vehicles bought during other years.
Phone Tax Deduction
You may deduct excise taxes paid on long-distance phone calls between the years of 2003 and 2006 from your federal tax return.

Can I get a Hawaii Excise Tax Refund?

While sales tax refunds are available for goods that are purchased in Hawaii and exported, Hawaii excise taxes paid on goods are generally non-refundable. Incentives may exist allowing certain state of federal excise taxes to be refunded on goods bought for specific uses, but such incentives change frequently.

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Hawaii Excise Tax - References

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