Fuel levy: the relief that ends and what you pay in a year
The general fuel levy is +279c a litre on petrol and +116c on diesel until 1 December, down from +429c and +416c. Enter your monthly litres.
Example: 150 litres a month· change a figure to see yours
Fuel levy and RAF levy in a year
R11,772
at the full rates (+429c and +225c a litre)
| Fuel levy (full rate) | R7,722 |
| Road Accident Fund levy | R4,050 |
| Saved this month by the relief | R225 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the estimate is made
The general fuel levy is a tax of a fixed number of cents on each litre of petrol and diesel, paid into the National Treasury’s revenue fund. It is set in the national budget and is, with the Road Accident Fund levy of +225c, the main tax in the fuel price, since petrol and diesel carry no VAT. Its full rate in the second half of 2026 is +429c a litre on petrol and +416c on diesel. In the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement of 21 October 2026, the Minister of Finance cut it temporarily by +150c on petrol and +300c on diesel, from 4 November 2026 to 1 December. Unless that relief is extended, the levy returns to its full rate on 2 December 2026, which adds those amounts to the December price. A driver who buys 150 litres of petrol a month pays about R7,722 of fuel levy a year at the full rate, and R225 less for the month of relief. 2026 already had a longer relief, from April to June.
Fuel levy in 2026, statement by statement
The general fuel levy in force after each change of 2026, as printed in the Central Energy Fund statements. The Road Accident Fund levy is shown beside it: it went from +218c to +225c with the April change and has not moved since.
| From | Fuel levy, petrol | Fuel levy, diesel | RAF levy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 January 2026 | +415c | +402c | +218c |
| 4 February 2026 | +415c | +402c | +218c |
| 4 March 2026 | +415c | +402c | +218c |
| 1 April 2026 | +129c | +116c | +225c |
| 6 May 2026 | +129c | +23c | +225c |
| 3 June 2026 | +279c | +219c | +225c |
| 1 July 2026 | +429c | +416c | +225c |
| 5 August 2026 | +429c | +416c | +225c |
| 2 September 2026 | +429c | +416c | +225c |
| 7 October 2026 | +429c | +416c | +225c |
| 4 November 2026 | +279c | +116c | +225c |
The table shows the two relief periods: April to June, when the levy fell as low as +23c on diesel in May, and November. It also shows the full rate rising between March (+415c on petrol) and July (+429c), as set in the 2026 budget.
What the fuel levy costs you
Because the levy is a fixed amount per litre, what you pay depends only on how much you buy. At the full rate, 150 litres of petrol a month carry R644 of fuel levy and R338 of Road Accident Fund levy, R11,772 a year together. A diesel bakkie using 250 litres a month pays R19,230 a year.
All the taxes in your litres
Example: 50 litres in Gauteng· change a figure to see yours
Taxes and levies in 50 litres of petrol 95
R322
21% of R1,512 (Gauteng, 4 November 2026 structure)
| Fuel itself, landed (Basic Fuel Price) | R922 |
| General fuel levy | R140 |
| Road Accident Fund levy | R113 |
| Slate levy | R68 |
Fuel levy relief and the December price
The end of the relief is a known, fixed step in the December change. The Central Energy Fund figures to 11 November 2026 point to an over-recovery that pulls petrol down by about +382c; adding back the +150c of levy leaves a net cut of +232c. On diesel the over-recovery is smaller than the +300c coming back, so the price rises. The December estimate lets you switch the relief on or off.
The fuel levy is not earmarked: it goes into the National Revenue Fund with other taxes. The litre breakdown sets the levy against every other line of the price, and the slate levy page explains the other levy that changes often.