ATLANTA, GA — Georgia drivers and businesses will keep getting a break at the pump after Gov. Brian Kemp extended the state’s motor fuel excise tax suspension through Nov. 5. The new executive order also adds temporary relief for people who sell, deliver or use off-road dyed diesel in on-road vehicles during the emergency.
The governor’s office says the changes are intended to help Georgians cope with higher fuel costs tied to petroleum supply disruptions and volatile prices. State leaders said the move should also ease pressure on trucking, farming and the transportation of everyday goods.
Tax break pushed to Nov. 5 as state emergency continues
The updated order signed Tuesday keeps Georgia’s statewide emergency in place until 11:59 p.m. Nov. 5 unless Kemp renews it again or ends it sooner. The tax suspension had originally been set to expire Oct. 29.
Under the executive order, Georgia will continue to suspend its motor fuel excise taxes, which normally add 33.3 cents per gallon to gasoline and 37.3 cents per gallon to diesel. The governor’s office said the delayed expiration gives fuel retailers time to adjust at the pump.
For motorists, that means the temporary relief remains tied to the emergency declaration rather than ending on the earlier date. The office framed the extension as another step in a series of aid measures the state has used in recent years.
What the amended order changes for dyed diesel
One of the most notable additions in the amended order is a waiver of state penalties connected to off-road dyed diesel. During the emergency, Georgia will not penalize the selling, delivering or use of dyed diesel in on-road vehicles.
The governor’s office said that change is meant to provide extra relief for truckers and farmers, two groups that often face heavy fuel costs and tight operating margins. Dyed diesel is usually reserved for off-road use, so the temporary waiver is unusual and directly tied to the emergency response.
The administration did not present the move as a permanent policy shift. Instead, it is part of the broader emergency order and applies only while the state response remains in effect.
Officials say prices have started to ease
Citing AAA, the governor’s office said Georgia’s average price for regular gasoline has dropped by about 33 cents per gallon since the tax suspension began Sept. 29. Average diesel prices have fallen by more than 42 cents per gallon over the same period.
Those figures were offered as evidence that the tax break is providing immediate relief. The office also pointed to earlier statewide averages of $4.19 per gallon for regular gasoline and $6.24 per gallon for diesel when Kemp first announced the suspension.
While fuel prices can move for many reasons, the state used the AAA numbers to show how the tax action is affecting what drivers see at the pump. The governor’s office did not say the declines were caused only by the tax suspension.
Emergency order also bars price gouging
Along with suspending the fuel tax, the executive order prohibits price gouging on motor fuel and other goods and services needed to respond to the emergency. That language is meant to protect consumers as the state responds to disruptions in the fuel supply.
The order also gives qualifying commercial vehicles more flexibility. Vehicles traveling for emergency-related purposes may operate above normal weight and size limits on state-maintained roads, though interstates are excluded from the waiver.
Even with that flexibility, bridge weight limits still apply. Commercial operators must also secure permits through the Georgia Department of Public Safety before using the exemption.
State leaders frame the move as help for families and farms
Kemp said Georgia has spent several years using state resources to provide relief to residents, noting that billions of dollars in help have been delivered with support from the General Assembly. He said the state remains committed to helping families and small businesses through difficult periods.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, House Speaker Jon Burns and Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper also backed the suspension in the governor’s release. They pointed to pressure on families, businesses and farmers and said the tax break can help blunt the cost of fuel and freight.
State leaders also tied the order to broader costs beyond gasoline and diesel. The transportation changes, they said, are intended to help lower the price of moving everyday goods, including groceries, across Georgia.
How long the relief could last and what comes next
The fuel tax suspension is now scheduled to last through late Nov. 5, but it could end sooner if the governor terminates the emergency or continue longer if he renews it again. For now, the state is making clear that the relief remains temporary and tied to emergency conditions.
That means drivers, truckers and farm operators should watch for additional action before the current deadline. The executive order gives the administration flexibility to respond if fuel markets remain unsettled or if conditions change.
For now, the extension offers another few weeks of lower pump prices and added operational flexibility for some commercial users. State officials are presenting it as a direct response to fuel disruptions and the strain they are creating for Georgia households and businesses.