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

Gasoline:
30.00¢ per gallon		 Cigarettes:
$2.00 per pack		 Liquor:
$5.79 per gal		 Wine:
60¢ per gal		 Beer:
35¢ 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 Maine 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 Maine Sales Tax.

The Maine 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.

Maine's excise taxes, on the other hand, are flat per-unit taxes that must be paid directly to the Maine 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 Maine merchants pass on the excise tax to the customer through higher prices for the taxed goods.

Maine per capita excise tax

Maine collects an average of $476 in yearly excise taxes per capita, higher then 56% of the other 50 states.

Maine General Excise Taxes - Gasoline, Cigarettes, and More

Maine 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 tanning salons, gas guzzlers, firearms, transportation tickets, vehicle sales, and more.

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

Maine Gas Tax

18th highest gas tax

The Maine excise tax on gasoline is 30.00¢ per gallon, higher then 64% of the other 50 states. Maine's excise tax on gasoline is ranked #18 out of the 50 states. The Maine gas tax is included in the pump price at all gas stations in Maine.

Tax on buying cigarettes in Maine - Maine cigarette excise taxes

Maine Cigarette Tax

11th highest cigarette tax

The Maine excise tax on cigarettes is $2.00 per 20 cigarettes, higher then 78% of the other 50 states. Maine's excise tax on cigarettes is ranked #11 out of the 50 states. The Maine cigarette tax of $2.00 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 Maine - Maine phone taxes

Maine Cellphone Tax

40th highest cellphone tax

The average tax collected on cell phone plans in Maine is $7.16 per phone service plan, one of the lowest cellphone taxes in the country. Maine's average cellphone tax is ranked #40 out of the 50 states. The Maine 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 Maine - Maine car road tax

Maine Car Tax

Maine 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 Maine Department of Transportation and receive documentation (registration and title papers) proving the fees were paid.

Maine Alcohol Excise Taxes - Liquor, Wine, and Beer

Maine 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 Maine's alcohol taxes in the final purchase price.

Tax on beer in Maine - Maine beer excise taxes

Maine Beer Tax

17th highest beer tax

The Maine excise tax on beer is $0.35 per gallon, higher then 66% of the other 50 states. Maine's beer excise tax is ranked #17 out of the 50 states. The Maine beer tax is already added to the purchase price of all beer bought in Maine, whether in kegs, bottles, or cans.

Tax on buying wine in Maine - Maine wine excise taxes

Maine Wine Tax

31st highest wine tax

The Maine excise tax on Wine is $0.60 per gallon, lower then 62% of the other 50 states. Maine's excise tax on wine is ranked #31 out of the 50 states. The Maine wine tax is already added to the purchase price of all wine bought in Maine.

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

Maine Liquor Tax

24th highest liquor tax

The Maine excise tax on liquor is $5.79 per gallon, higher then 52% of the other 50 states. Maine's excise tax on Spirits is ranked #24 out of the 50 states. Because all liquor stores in Maine are state-owned, excise taxes for hard alcohol are set by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). The Maine 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.

Maine Excise Tax Deductions & Refunds

Can I deduct my Maine Excise taxes?

Unlike the Maine Sales Tax, excise taxes are not generally deductible on Maine 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
Maine 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 Maine Excise Tax Refund?

While sales tax refunds are available for goods that are purchased in Maine and exported, Maine 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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Maine Excise Tax - References

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