Rental Car Taxes by State, 2025
Americans may be surprised to see just how much they are taxed for renting a car.
5 min read
Expert
Jacob Macumber-Rosin
Excise Tax Policy Analyst
Latest Work
How to Refuel the Highway Trust Fund
Examples from other countries and US states show that well-designed user fees can fund transportation infrastructure effectively.
19 min read
Cigarette Smuggling Continues to Cost States Billions in Forgone Excise Tax Revenue
Cigarette tax avoidance costs states billions in forgone tax revenue and necessitates additional spending on enforcement of the ineffective policies.
6 min read
Beer Taxes in Europe, 2025
With much of the continent celebrating Oktoberfest, it is a great time to examine beer taxes across Europe. Hefty beer taxes increase the price consumers pay for their libations.
5 min read
Online Sports Betting Taxes by State, 2025
Legal sports betting has grown rapidly since the Supreme Court granted states the ability to establish online sports betting markets in Murphy vs. NCAA in 2018.
6 min read
Poor Tax Policy Is Worsening Cigarette Smuggling in the EU
Countries and global organizations should recognize the harms caused by cigarette smuggling and the fact that this illicit trade is a direct result of exorbitant tax policies.
5 min read
Gas Taxes by State, 2025
California levies the highest tax on gasoline at 70.9 cents per gallon (cpg), followed by Illinois at 66.4 cpg and Washington at 59.0 cpg.
8 min read
Cigarette Taxes in Europe, 2025
Cigarette smokers in the European Union pay far more in excise taxes than they do for the cigarettes themselves. Our latest map illustrates the wide variance in cigarette excise taxes across EU Member States.
5 min read
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Creates Unequal Tax Treatment for Gambling Losses
In a surprising tax code alteration that has frustrated Americans who enjoy gambling, a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act limits gambling losses that can be used to offset gambling winnings to 90 percent of their value. This provision introduces a steep tax penalty for professional gamblers and certain casual bettors.
5 min read
Electric Vehicle Taxes by State, 2025
As the market share of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road grows, the gas tax’s ability to fund road projects and decrease traffic congestion erodes. Both federal and state real tax revenue per vehicle mile traveled has been on a steady decline for decades, creating a fiscal gap for road expenditures even as the demand for road infrastructure improvements has grown.
5 min read
Diesel and Gas Taxes in Europe, 2025
Fuel taxes continue to be a central policy consideration for European countries amid geopolitical conflicts, increased emphasis on environmental policy, and economic conditions experienced by average consumers.
5 min read
Cigarette Taxes and Cigarette Smuggling by State, 2023
Growing cigarette tax levels and differentials have made cigarette smuggling both a national problem and a lucrative criminal enterprise.
6 min read
State Tax Changes Taking Effect July 1, 2025
Summer has arrived, and states are beginning to implement policy changes that were enacted during this year’s legislative session (or that have delayed effective dates or are being phased in over time).
28 min read
Vaping Taxes by State, 2025
The vaping industry has grown rapidly in recent decades, becoming a well-established product category and a viable alternative to cigarettes for those trying to quit smoking. US states levy a variety of tax structures on vaping products.
7 min read
Beer Taxes by State, 2025
In the United States, taxes are the single most expensive ingredient in beer. The tax burden accounts for more of the final price of beer than labor and materials combined—the many different layers of applicable taxes combining to total as much as 40.8 percent of the retail price.
6 min read
Distilled Spirits Taxes by State, 2025
The significant disparity in tax rates across states underscores the complex tax and regulatory environment governing distilled spirits.
6 min read
Exorbitant Sports Betting Taxes Could Kill the Legal Market
The unique complexities of tax design for sports betting excise taxes make optimal tax design particularly challenging. Any reforms to the federal sports betting tax should ensure that both bettors and operators find legal markets more attractive than illicit markets.
6 min read
Tax Treatment of Hemp and Other Intoxicants
Hemp, intoxicating or otherwise, is a growing market that needs to be addressed with tax policy. A well-designed tax will generate tax revenues for states while improving public health by shifting consumers away from illicit markets.
5 min read
A Carbon Tax on Cigarettes in Washington State?
Among the many other tax proposals being considered in Washington this year, policymakers have proposed separate bills that would impose a carbon tax on cigarettes and implement a state-wide flavor ban on tobacco products.
3 min read
Recreational Marijuana Taxes by State, 2025
Many states regulate and tax legal marijuana sales and consumption, despite the ongoing federal prohibition. Explore the data here.
8 min read