RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina drivers have been watching the pump since the state stopped collecting its gas tax, and the state is now following up on their tips. Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s office has sent its first round of inquiry letters to 31 gas stations accused of pocketing the tax break instead of passing it along.
The tax holiday came fast. Lawmakers voted Oct. 7 to suspend the 41-cent-per-gallon motor fuel tax, Gov. Josh Stein signed the measure, Session Law 2026-62, on Oct. 9, and the break took effect Oct. 10. It covers both gasoline and diesel and runs through Nov. 30.
Jackson said in a statement that any station holding on to the savings is breaking the law and that his office is reviewing every complaint. The letters notify each station of the concerns and ask it to explain its pricing quickly. The Department of Justice stressed that getting a letter is not a finding that a station did anything wrong, and a second wave of inquiries aimed at more stations is expected next week.
The complaints came through N.C. Fuel Check, a tip line the attorney general opened earlier in October so drivers could flag stations whose prices did not seem to drop. Hundreds of complaints poured in within days of the suspension taking effect, and the office says it keeps reviewing new reports as they arrive.
How to report a station: submit a tip online at ncdoj.gov/ncfuelcheck or call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. A useful report lists the station name and address, the date and time you stopped, the fuel grade and price, and a photo of the price sign or your receipt.
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