Heating Oil Tax - Repealed
City Council repeals heating oil tax
The Seattle City Council passed a repeal of the Heating Oil Tax on Nov. 29, 2022 and Mayor Bruce Harrell signed it into law on Dec. 2, 2022. Since it was originally passed in 2019, the tax had been delayed by the City Council three times due to the COVID emergency.
The 24-cents-per-gallon tax would have been imposed on heating oil providers and gone into effect beginning Jan. 1, 2023. At the time the tax was originally passed, the City intended to use the oil tax revenues to help households transition from oil to energy-efficient electric heat pumps. The newly passed 2023-2024 City of Seattle budget will fund oil conversions using Payroll Expense Tax revenues instead.
If you have any questions about the heating oil tax, please contact Christine Bunch in the Office of Sustainability & Environment, via email at Christine.bunch@Seattle.gov or via phone at (206) 615-1633.
Background on legislation and programs
Read about the City of Seattle's legislation for taxing the distributors of heating oil and the programs funded by the tax.
Get more information
Read the original ordinance.