(The Center Square) – Missourians can begin completing documents to reclaim the 2.5 cents per gallon motor fuel tax paid during the last nine months.
Last year, the Missouri legislature passed a 2.5-cent fuel tax increase, effective Oct. 1, 2021. One of the law’s selling points was any Missourian who didn’t want to pay the increase could keep their receipts and file for a refund.
Earlier this week, the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) posted Form 4923-H on its website for reclaiming the increased amount of fuel tax paid. Personal and vehicle information, along with purchasing information of fuel for on-road vehicle use, can be entered into a PDF, printed and mailed to the taxation division in Jefferson City.
Original fuel receipts aren’t required to claim a refund of the increased fuel tax, but applicants must provide:
- date of purchase of motor fuel;
- name of the seller, address, city, state and zip code;
- gallons purchased;
- the amount to be repaid multiplying the number of gallons purchased between Oct. 1, 2021, and through June 30, 2022, by $0.025.
A separate worksheet must be completed for each vehicle used by the claimant.
The DOR’s motor fuel tax FAQ page states the department is in the process of developing an online filing system by July 1 so applicants can electronically enter a claim and receive the approved refund. The department is encouraging applicants to use the online method to ensure efficient processing of claims.
Claims must be postmarked from July 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2022. Claimants are required to retain documentation for three years.
The fuel tax will increase another 2.5 cents on July 1 and continue increasing that amount each fiscal year until 2025. The tax will be 29 cents per gallon on July 1, 2025, a 73% increase started in October 2021. Before the increase, Missouri’s fuel tax was 17 cents per gallon, the second-lowest in the nation.
The tax was expected to provide the Missouri Department of Transportation with $500 million in additional revenue to improve roads and bridges.
