Massachusetts Turnpike Fuels Excise Refund Program

Learn about the Massachusetts Turnpike Fuels Excise Program administered by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

Updated: September 14, 2022

Under Massachusetts General Laws, motorists and commercial motor carriers who consume fuel while traveling on the Massachusetts Turnpike generally are entitled to a reimbursement of any Massachusetts fuels excise paid that corresponds to actual Turnpike use. For example, if you purchase gasoline in Massachusetts and have 100 miles of Massachusetts Turnpike usage weekly, you are eligible for a reimbursement of the Massachusetts fuels excise paid for those 100 miles.

For purposes of this program, fuel includes gasoline, gasohol, or "special fuels," e.g., propane, diesel, etc.

Any motorist or commercial motor carrier is eligible for the fuels excise refund program. To qualify, the fuel must have been purchased in Massachusetts and consumed in travel on the Massachusetts Turnpike within three days of the date of fuel purchase.

Table of Contents

Claiming a Refund

To claim the fuels excise refund, you must file Department of Revenue (DOR) Form Form GT-9T-B, Gasoline Refund Application for Massachusetts Turnpike Use, or Form SFT-9T-B, Special Fuels Refund Application for Massachusetts Turnpike Use.

Please Note: Form GT-9T-B, Form SFT-9T-B and Form ST-10, Business Use Tax Return, can only be filed using a paper return. All other fuels forms are available at MassTaxConnect.

All forms must be supported by the proper documentation, including toll receipts and sales receipts for fuel used on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Account activity for FAST LANE or similar transponder accounts such as EZ Pass may be downloaded and printed by the account holder and retained as supporting documentation for toll receipts.

Claims for the refund, other than those made by IFTA filers, are made on a calendar half-year basis and must be filed within two years of the date of fuel purchase.

Commercial motor carriers who belong to the International Fuels Tax Agreement (IFTA) will claim their refund as a deduction from the Massachusetts taxable miles reported on their quarterly fuels excise return. Carriers claiming a refund through their IFTA returns must file Form ST-10 to calculate the use tax due as explained under "Refund adjustments."

Refund Adjustments

Adjustments to the refund can be made. Fuel that is used in a manner that is not subject to fuels excise, such as fuel used on the Massachusetts Turnpike, may be subject to the 6.25% Massachusetts use tax. The use tax is based on the applicant's cost of fuel. The use tax is due only if the fuel was exempt from the fuels excise when purchased or if the fuels excise has been refunded. There is no refund if the price of the gasoline or the special fuel is greater than $4.08 per gallon. Applicants that are exempt from the sales and use tax, e.g., governmental agencies or organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, may file for a refund in all instances, including situations where the purchase price of the gasoline or the special fuel is greater than $4.08 per gallon. Exempt applicants do not calculate the use tax adjustment.

Disclaimer

This page provides taxpayers with general information about Massachusetts tax laws and Department of Revenue policies and procedures. It is not designed to address all questions in detail, and taxpayers are encouraged to seek further guidance as described throughout this guide. Nothing contained within this publication supersedes, alters or otherwise changes any provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, Massachusetts Department of Revenue Regulations or Rulings or any other sources of the law.

Contact   for Massachusetts Turnpike Fuels Excise Refund Program

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