Excise transparency — how much of Romanian fuel price goes to the state
How much of each leu paid at a Romanian pump goes to the state budget as excise and VAT, how much remains for refinery cost, and how much goes to the retailer as commercial markup. Live calculation refreshed several times a day, citable for press under Creative Commons BY 4.0.
In short: in 2026 the excise is 3.06 RON/L on petrol (3,059.80 RON per 1,000 litres) and 2.80 RON/L on diesel (2,804.29 RON per 1,000 litres), temporarily cut by 25% to 2,103.22 RON per 1,000 litres for standard diesel during 1–15 October 2026. On auto LPG it is 984.60 RON/tonne, and on natural gas used as motor fuel 19.96 RON/GJ. 21% VAT, the standard rate since 1 August 2025, is applied on top — see the full table and the 2025 comparison.
Price breakdown — live calculation
Current average pump price in Romania (01.10.2026, 22:27):
| Component | Petrol 95 | Diesel | Auto LPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pump price (avg) | 10.02 | 10.95 | 4.71 |
| Excise (diesel: temporarily cut by 25%) | 3.06 | 2.10 | ≈0.53 |
| VAT 21% (included in price: 21/121) | 1.74 | 1.90 | 0.82 |
| Total to state | 4.80 (47.9%) | 4.00 (36.5%) | ≈1.35 (28.7%) |
| Refinery cost + commercial markup | 5.22 | 6.95 | ≈3.36 |
For diesel, the calculation uses the temporarily reduced excise of 2,103.22 RON per 1,000 litres, in force during 1–15 October 2026. With the standard excise of 2,804.29 RON per 1,000 litres, the state's share at the same price would be 4.70 RON (42.9%).
For LPG, the Ministry of Finance publishes the excise per tonne (984.60 RON/tonne). Per litre it depends on the density of the LPG delivered; the calculation assumes 0.54 kg/litre, so the LPG column is an estimate.
Methodology: Refinery cost + markup are grouped because no public real-time data separates them at national level. Estimates based on Platts Rotterdam ARA quotes + OMV Petrom quarterly reports suggest a ~70:30 (petrol) / 75:25 (diesel) refinery-to-markup ratio. OUG 19/2026 caps the markup portion.
The full formula
Pump price = (Ex-refinery cost + Distributor markup + Station markup + Excise) × 1.21
Where:
- Ex-refinery cost = Platts Rotterdam ARA quote + transport + logistics
- Distributor markup = wholesale margin (typical 0.15 - 0.30 RON/L)
- Station markup = retail margin (typical 0.40 - 0.90 RON/L, capped by OUG 19/2026)
- Excise = fixed amount in 2026: 3.0598 RON/L petrol, 2.80429 RON/L diesel
(temporarily cut for standard diesel, see below), 984.60 RON/tonne LPG
- 1.21 = 21% VAT applied on the net total (standard rate since 1 August 2025)Excise is computed on the value excluding VAT, but VAT applies on top of excise. In other words, you pay VAT on excise too — a small fiscal detail many miss.
Excise rates in 2026
Per the Romanian Tax Code (Law 227/2015), Title VIII, Annex 1, as amended by Law 141/2025, and the tables published by the Ministry of Finance:
| Fuel | 2026 excise | 2025 excise (from 1 August) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unleaded petrol | 3,059.80 RON/1,000 L (3.06 RON/L) | 2,781.64 RON/1,000 L | +10.0% |
| Diesel | 2,804.29 RON/1,000 L (2.80 RON/L) | 2,549.35 RON/1,000 L | +10.0% |
| Auto LPG (motor fuel) | 984.60 RON/tonne | 927.78 RON/tonne | +6.1% |
| Aviation kerosene | 0 RON/L (exempt) | 0 RON/L | — |
| Natural gas (motor fuel, CNG) | 19.96 RON/GJ | 18.81 RON/GJ | +6.1% |
From 1 January to 31 July 2025 the excise was 2,528.76 RON per 1,000 litres on petrol and 2,317.59 RON on diesel. Law 141/2025 raised it by 10% from 1 August 2025 and set the 2026 levels directly, another 10% higher; for 2026 the same law rules out inflation indexation (Art. V(1)).
Temporary cuts on standard diesel
Under Law 162/2026, the Ministry of Finance reviews Platts quotes and the average pump price every two weeks and may temporarily cut the excise on standard diesel. The levels below are the ones announced by the ministry; the full calendar, with price changes, is on the when will diesel get cheaper page.
| Period | Cut | Excise applied |
|---|---|---|
| 16–31 August 2026 | −20% (−560.86) | 2,243.43 |
| 1–15 September 2026 | −25% (−701.07) | 2,103.22 |
| 16–30 September 2026 | −25% (−701.07) | 2,103.22 |
| 1–15 October 2026 (in force) | −25% (−701.07) | 2,103.22 |
EU excise comparison
At 2026 levels, Romanian excise (about 0.58 EUR/L on petrol and 0.53 EUR/L on diesel) is no longer among the lowest in the EU; on petrol it sits mid-table in the selection below. Both levels are above the EU floor of 0.359 EUR/L on petrol and 0.330 EUR/L on diesel.
| Country | Petrol excise | Diesel excise |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 0.82 | 0.52 |
| Italy | 0.73 | 0.62 |
| Germany | 0.65 | 0.47 |
| France | 0.68 | 0.59 |
| Spain | 0.47 | 0.38 |
| Romania (EUR equiv, NBR rate for 01.10.2026: 5.2777 RON) | ~0.58 | ~0.53 (~0.40 with the temporary cut) |
| Bulgaria | 0.36 | 0.33 |
| Poland | 0.38 | 0.32 |
| Czechia | 0.49 | 0.40 |
| EU minimum (2003/96/EC) | 0.359 | 0.330 |
For direct pump-price comparison see European prices.
How OUG 19/2026 affects the calculation
Romanian Emergency Ordinance 19/2026 (Official Gazette 237 of 26 March 2026) caps the commercial markup portion at 2025 average levels during 1 April – 30 June 2026.
- Excise and VAT are unaffected — they remain at statutory levels.
- Ex-refinery cost continues to fluctuate with Platts.
- Only the commercial markup is capped (estimated ~1.00 RON/L petrol, ~0.95 diesel).
- Major networks display nationwide-uniform prices as a result — Petrom Cluj has the same price as Petrom Constanța for 95 petrol.
See the live OUG 19/2026 tracker for per-network compliance monitoring.
Journalistic use and citation
Data on this page is published under Creative Commons BY 4.0. Free to use in press articles, academic papers or your own apps with visible attribution: "Source: PretCarburant.ro / excise-transparency".
For an academically citable reference, use the Zenodo dataset DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19560194.
For real-time data (single-hour snapshot for an article), use the public REST API v1: returns JSON at /api/v1/preturi and /api/v1/preturi/minime.
Frequently asked questions
How much goes to the state per litre of petrol?
In 2026 the state collects, on every litre of petrol, the fixed excise of 3.06 RON (3,059.80 RON per 1,000 litres) plus 21% VAT. VAT is applied on top of the net price, excise included, so it is 21/121, i.e. 17.4% of the pump price. At the average price of 10.02 RON/L on 01.10.2026, the state receives 4.80 RON: 3.06 RON excise and 1.74 RON VAT, i.e. 47.9% of the price.
What's the diesel excise in 2026?
The standard diesel excise in 2026 is 2,804.29 RON per 1,000 litres, i.e. 2.80 RON/L. Under Law 162/2026, the Ministry of Finance temporarily cuts it for standard diesel in two-week segments: 16–31 August 2026 by 20%, to 2,243.43 RON/1,000 L; 1–15 September 2026 by 25%, to 2,103.22 RON/1,000 L; 16–30 September 2026 by 25%, to 2,103.22 RON/1,000 L; 1–15 October 2026 by 25%, to 2,103.22 RON/1,000 L. At the average price of 10.95 RON/L on 01.10.2026, the state receives 4.00 RON per litre (36.5%), with the reduced excise and 21% VAT.
How high is Romania's diesel excise duty?
In Romania, diesel excise is a fixed amount per litre set in the Tax Code (Title VIII, Annex 1): 2,804.29 RON per 1,000 litres in 2026, up from 2,549.35 RON from 1 August 2025 and 2,317.59 RON in January–July 2025. At the NBR rate for 01.10.2026 (5.2777 RON per euro), 2.80 RON/L is about 0.53 EUR/L, above the EU floor of 0.330 EUR/L set by Directive 2003/96/EC.
What's the petrol excise in 2026?
The excise on unleaded petrol (RON 95 and RON 98) is 3,059.80 RON per 1,000 litres in 2026, i.e. 3.06 RON/L. That is 10% above the 2,781.64 RON level applied from 1 August 2025 and 21% above the 2,528.76 RON of January–July 2025. 21% VAT is applied on top of the excise.
What's the gas station markup?
The network + station commercial markup (distribution, transport, retail margin) averages 0.80-1.20 RON/L in Romania. Capped by OUG 19/2026 between 1 April and 30 June 2026 at the 2025 average.
Why is petrol more expensive than diesel when diesel excise is lower?
The difference isn't excise-driven, it's ex-refinery cost. Petrol has higher production costs (more complex refining), and global demand differences (diesel demand spikes in winter) influence the Platts Rotterdam quote that drives the ex-refinery price.
What's the legal basis for excise calculation?
The Romanian Tax Code (Law 227/2015), Title VIII — Excise duties, Annex 1. The 2025 and 2026 petrol and diesel levels were set by Law 141/2025, which also ruled out inflation indexation for 2026; the Ministry of Finance publishes them on its excise regime page. Temporary cuts for standard diesel are decided under Law 162/2026. EU floors are set by Directive 2003/96/EC.
See also
Page updated live at 2026-10-01T23:14+03:00. For questions or corrections, write to contact@pretcarburant.ro. Educational representation based on public data; for specific tax matters consult the Tax Code or a tax advisor.
