Missourians can get some money back on gas taxes through Sept. 30. Here’s how
Missouri’s tax on fuel is increasing. The current tax is 19.5 cents, the seventh cheapest fuel tax in the nation. However, that price tag will go up to 22 cents on July 1. The state gas tax will increase by 2.5 cents each year until it reaches 29.5 cents in 2025.
The increases may feel daunting as gas prices skyrocket across the country, but you can get a refund on the extra 2.5 cents in taxes.
Missouri’s fuel tax bill outlines that most drivers in Missouri will be eligible for a tax refund on each gallon of gas they purchase during the year.
Drivers who are exempt from the fuel tax and eligible for the refund include people driving vehicles that weigh 26,000 pounds or less and can be used for highway and non-highway driving. Out-of-state drivers can also file for the refund so long as they are filing for gas that was purchased in Missouri and have the receipts to prove it.
How to get the refund
To access this refund, the driver must submit form 4923-H to the Missouri Department of Revenue. In the form drivers need to include the vehicle identification number for the car that received the gas, the date of sale for the car, plus the name and address of both the purchaser and the seller.
Next, the driver must present the number of gallons that were charged the Missouri fuel tax. The state senate bill suggests that people keep records supporting their refund claim for at least three years to substantiate the refund. These records include invoices and sales receipts for gas.
That’s right: To get this refund, you need to keep your receipts.
Since the gas tax was increased in October from 17 cents to 19.5, this year people will be able to claim 2.5 cents on each gallon of gas bought in Missouri over the past nine months.
Folks interested in getting that refund have to file a claim between July 1 and Sept. 30 each year, and they must file for gas purchased within one year of the original purchase date.
AN EASIER WAY TO GET YOUR GAS TAX REFUND
To help make the process of filing easier, St. Louis resident Tammi Hilton developed an app, called NoMOGasTax to help Missouri driver’s keep track of their gas expenses and get the most from their gas tax refund.
The NoMOGasTax app is available on the Apple app store for $4.99. Users can enter their personal information, including name, address and VIN number for the different vehicles in the house. Businesses with multiple vehicles under 26,000 pounds can also set the app up for all the cars in the fleet.
To use the app, you upload a picture of the receipt and enter some details about the gas station you purchased from. The app will store the receipts and the frequently used gas stations. The app will also automatically fill out the 4923-H form for you with the data submitted.
Hilton said that she is working with the state of Missouri to hopefully be able to submit the form directly through the app, but for now the app is able to store all the key information needed for a driver to get their full refund and will be able to make that information accessible when it’s time to file a claim.
“There are 6.2 million registered vehicles in the state of Missouri and over 5 million of those vehicles are eligible for this refund,” Hilton said. “The state of Missouri is looking at bringing in over $500 million. So there’s quite a bit of money that we could put back into [drivers] pockets.”
WHAT KIND OF REFUND CAN YOU GET ANYWAY?
This year’s refund will cover gas bought between Oct. 2021 and June 2022, for a total of 2.5 cents per gallon purchased. Drivers who do file a claim could see up to $15 to $20 dollar in refunds for that nine month period.
By July 1, the fuel tax will increase an additional 2.5 cents, so eligible drivers who file in 2023 will see a 5 cent refund for each gallon of gas they purchase during the year.
“When it’s up to 12.5 cents, you’re looking at $150 to $200 per registered vehicle,” Hilton said.
Hilton began working on the NoMOGasTax app in 2021 and felt that it was necessary to roll out the app this year to help driver’s who could benefit from getting that cash back.
“We’re faced with rising costs everywhere, and we’ve got some very difficult times ahead of us, whether it be with the war that we’re facing in Ukraine, or just natural inflation,” Hilton said. “My goal is to provide a solution for Missourians that are looking for a better way to track these data points and then get that refund for them.”
Hilton said she hopes NoMOGasTax will be able to help Missourians tract data for multiple kinds of refunds and lead the way in digitizing more tax forms, but for now they are hopeful that the app can start to make the process easier.
“Even if you’re not going to use the NoMOGasTax app to track those receipts. It is important for Missourians to know that they can get their refund,” she said.
For more information on how to claim a motor fuel tax refund for your vehicle or equipment, email excise@dor.mo.gov or visit dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/motor-fuel/.
Do you have other questions? Ask us at kcq@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published June 24, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
