Northwest Fishing Reports

Had a buddy at work tell me about the Washington state fuel tax refund did some looking at the web site I am not sure how much of a refund you would get as of yet. Just filled out the application and will be sending it off on Monday. Have any of you guys looked into this or are doing it?

Here is a link to the web site.

http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistrati ... funds.html

Have been doing this for years, not just boat fuel, any off road fuel use qualifies but if you don't use much fuel, not worth your time. Biggest refund I've gotten was around $30 - $35. Sometimes I only get $15 - $18.

It's a matter of principle for me, shouldn't have to pay road tax for fuel not used on roads. I would submit if I only got $1 back.

I probably go thru at least 50 to 75 gal a month.

beerbohm wrote:I probably go thru at least 50 to 75 gal a month.

I'd do it if I burned that much in the jetboat. I spend more time drifting now, burns a little less but it's all on the road.

beerbohm wrote:I probably go thru at least 50 to 75 gal a month.

lol wow. I might go through 40-50 a year. lol.

Same here. We might use 50 gals/year at the most. Looks like the refund is around $.45/gal at the moment, minus sales tax, so we would get maybe $20 or so if we did the refund.

beerbohm wrote:I probably go thru at least 50 to 75 gal a month.

Worth your time to file. I got a $9.66 refund last year for 88gals used. This year won't be much different for me.

This is great idea. Thanks for posting, I did noticed you can file online as well has anyone tried that? Not sure how much I use but easy enough to keep track of.

hewesfisher wrote:

beerbohm wrote:I probably go thru at least 50 to 75 gal a month.

Worth your time to file. I got a $9.66 refund last year for 88gals used. This year won't be much different for me.

Why so little? I thought the refund was about $ .45/gal?

Larry3215 wrote:

hewesfisher wrote:

beerbohm wrote:I probably go thru at least 50 to 75 gal a month.

Worth your time to file. I got a $9.66 refund last year for 88gals used. This year won't be much different for me.

Why so little? I thought the refund was about $ .45/gal?

Kicker motors don't burn much. Unless you do a lot of cruising, not much is burned.

No, he said he used 88 gallons of fuel and only got $9.66 in refund. I thought the refund rate was around $ .45/gallon which would be more like $40 in refund before they deduct sales tax. Just curious if I am reading the website wrong or what.

Larry3215 wrote:No, he said he used 88 gallons of fuel and only got $9.66 in refund. I thought the refund rate was around $ .45/gallon which would be more like $40 in refund before they deduct sales tax. Just curious if I am reading the website wrong or what.

I'm not sure what the rate is now but I can tell you that "road tax" only makes up a small portion of all the taxes.

I guess thats why Im confused. From the website linked above where you apply for the refund.

At the top of the page it says:

You may be eligible for a refund of the Washington State fuel tax if you:

Then lower on the page under Refund amount, it says:

Tax type...............Motor fuel.......Special fuel.........Aircraft fuel
DOL average cost ......$2.83............$2.83................$2.83
State fuel tax.............$.445............$.445.................$.11

It would be the Motor Fuel amount we pay so that should be the amount refunded - I thought?

If not - why do they list those numbers under Refund Amount?

Larry3215 wrote:I guess thats why Im confused. From the website linked above where you apply for the refund.

At the top of the page it says:

You may be eligible for a refund of the Washington State fuel tax if you:

Then lower on the page under Refund amount, it says:

Tax type...............Motor fuel.......Special fuel.........Aircraft fuel
DOL average cost ......$2.83............$2.83................$2.83
State fuel tax.............$.445............$.445.................$.11

It would be the Motor Fuel amount we pay so that should be the amount refunded - I thought?

If not - why do they list those numbers under Refund Amount?

That is confusing. Last time I did it, it was mail in and wait. I sent copies of all my receipts with the form and was surprised at how little the "road tax" portion was but to be honest, gas was more like $4.00 a gal then. We have all sorts of taxes stuck on each gallon.
That looks to be part the state is now claiming as the refundable or "road tax" part, maybe, .445 which is far from all the taxes we pay per gallon. The Fed is grabbing .18 per gallon on the finished product, and who knows about the crude end. I never know when it come to paying the blood sucking DOR, they've taken "New Math" to an absurd level. I just pucker up and pay as they're holding all the cards.
Looks like it's a sign up for the permit (another new one) and then follow the step by step. Then be happy if they send you any money and not send you an additional bill.
I have no idea if it's worth the trouble for anyone to do anything. It's a personal level of pain and patience dealing with bureaucrats of which I have very little. People whos motto is to get by with the minimum generally disgust me but that's another story.

The actual refund you received is a portiuon of the total tax charged by the State, not the total/combined tax rate. If you dig through the RCWs, you can find all the various taxes which are applied to fuel sold in Washington State. I find it ironic that the State will impose sales tax on your refund as well.

G-Man wrote:The actual refund you received is a portiuon of the total tax charged by the State, not the total/combined tax rate. If you dig through the RCWs, you can find all the various taxes which are applied to fuel sold in Washington State. I find it ironic that the State will impose sales tax on your refund as well.

That's what I'm saying, you don't get it all back, only the "road tax" part. Not all the State tax go to roads. They intentionally make it difficult to find the part that refundable.

You could be correct, but they dont mention "Road tax" anywhere. They say they refund the "State Fuel Tax" and then they list the amount of the State Fuel Tax. They dont say they only refund part of the tax.

Still hoping Phil (hewesfisher) will respond with details about why he got so little back.

G-Man wrote:The actual refund you received is a portiuon of the total tax charged by the State, not the total/combined tax rate.

This is correct, you do not get a refund of the full tax rate, only a portion.

Also, unless the process has changed since last year, you MUST file your claim with the original receipts, not copies. I am unaware of a change permitting receipt submission electronically.

WAC 458-20-126(5) covers fuels taxed for highway use and consumed off highway

Refunds are available for fuel taxes paid when fuel is consumed off the highway. If a person purchases motor vehicle fuel or special fuel and pays the fuel taxes of chapter 82.36 or 82.38 RCW, and then consumes the fuel off the highway, the person is entitled to a refund of these taxes under the procedures of chapter 82.36 or 82.38 RCW. However, a person receiving a refund of vehicle fuel taxes because of the off-highway consumption of the fuel in this state is subject to use tax on the value of the fuel. The department of licensing administers the fuel tax refund provisions and will deduct from the amount of a refund the amount of use tax due.

hewesfisher wrote:

G-Man wrote:The actual refund you received is a portiuon of the total tax charged by the State, not the total/combined tax rate.

This is correct, you do not get a refund of the full tax rate, only a portion.

Also, unless the process has changed since last year, you MUST file your claim with the original receipts, not copies. I am unaware of a change permitting receipt submission electronically.

WAC 458-20-126(5) covers fuels taxed for highway use and consumed off highway

Refunds are available for fuel taxes paid when fuel is consumed off the highway. If a person purchases motor vehicle fuel or special fuel and pays the fuel taxes of chapter 82.36 or 82.38 RCW, and then consumes the fuel off the highway, the person is entitled to a refund of these taxes under the procedures of chapter 82.36 or 82.38 RCW. However, a person receiving a refund of vehicle fuel taxes because of the off-highway consumption of the fuel in this state is subject to use tax on the value of the fuel. The department of licensing administers the fuel tax refund provisions and will deduct from the amount of a refund the amount of use tax due.

As usual, I concur. Last time I did it I had to bundle all the original receipts with the form and wait.....

I guess I was kind of rambling but yeah, you don't get all of the taxes back.

No problemo.

The reason why the refund is lower than the full rate is due to the last two sentences in the quote. Someday WA legislators will find a way to tax us for the air we breathe.....