Trucking News · North Carolina · November 3, 2026

North Carolina Investigates 31 Gas Stations Over Complaints They Did Not Pass On a 41-Cent Fuel Tax Break, What Truckers Fueling There Should Know

By Big Rig Daily Staff

North Carolina's attorney general says 31 gas stations are under investigation after consumers complained that the stations did not lower their prices to match a suspended state fuel tax. The investigation was announced on Oct. 30, 2026, according to CDL Life. The stations are under investigation only. No station has been found to have broken the law, and this report does not name any.

The tax break

North Carolina's 41-cent-per-gallon tax on gasoline and diesel is suspended from Oct. 10 through Nov. 30, 2026. On a 100-gallon fill-up, 41 cents a gallon comes to $41, which is Big Rig Daily's arithmetic and not a figure from officials. The suspension is meant to show up at the pump as a lower price.

What the attorney general said

Attorney General Jeff Jackson said some consumers reported to state officials that stores had not reduced the cost per gallon to reflect the savings. On Oct. 30, he announced that 31 stations were under investigation and that more stations were expected to receive inquiries the following week.

The stations were sent letters saying officials had concerns and demanding a prompt explanation of their pricing. Jackson said in the announcement:

"Any gas station not passing their tax savings onto customers is violating the law, and we are reviewing every single complaint we receive."

He added that escalation letters had started going out and that more were coming. "You are our eyes and ears, and we are acting on your reports," he said of the people who have been sending in what they see at the pump.

How to report a price concern

Drivers who believe a North Carolina gas station is breaking the law are asked to report it to the North Carolina Department of Justice's dedicated reporting page, ncdoj.gov/ncfuelcheck.

What is not known

The announcement did not name the 31 stations or say where they are. It did not say how large the price gaps were, how many complaints officials have received in total or when the investigation might finish. It also did not say what penalties a station could face. Big Rig Daily is not guessing at any of these details.

Other states and the tax break

North Carolina is not the only state that has paused a fuel tax this fall. Big Rig Daily has covered Georgia's fuel tax suspension, which Gov. Kemp extended through Nov. 30, and the latest national diesel price figures in a report on the federal diesel forecast. Those reports are separate from the North Carolina investigation.

Quick facts

• Who: North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
• What: 31 gas stations under investigation over complaints about fuel tax savings.
• When announced: Oct. 30, 2026; more letters expected the following week.
• Tax suspended: 41 cents per gallon on gasoline and diesel, Oct. 10 through Nov. 30, 2026.
• Report concerns: ncdoj.gov/ncfuelcheck.

FAQ

Have any gas stations been found guilty of breaking the law?

No. The stations are under investigation, and the attorney general asked them for a prompt explanation of their prices.

How long does the fuel tax suspension last?

North Carolina's 41-cent-per-gallon tax on gasoline and diesel is suspended from Oct. 10 through Nov. 30, 2026.

Where can a trucker report a price concern?

The attorney general asked people to use the North Carolina Department of Justice's reporting page at ncdoj.gov/ncfuelcheck.

A question for readers

Truckers who fuel in North Carolina, have you noticed the 41-cent cut on the price per gallon at the diesel pump?

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