Ohio freight haulers and highway drivers can legally fill their tanks with agricultural red diesel following an emergency administrative order from Gov. Mike DeWine. The policy shift arrives as fuel costs squeeze transportation networks across the state, bringing immediate relief to logistics operators facing high pump prices.
Under Executive Order 2026-05D, signed on Wednesday, the state has opened public roadways to dyed diesel—a fuel traditionally restricted to off-road farm machinery, construction equipment, and tractors. Cleveland.com reported that the state’s diesel prices sat at $6.18 per gallon as of October 19, closely tracking a national average of $6.28. WFMJ noted that AAA’s Weekly Fuel Report placed current diesel averages at $6.17 a gallon, which sits 65 cents lower than a month prior but remains significantly elevated compared to previous years.
Federal Actions and the Mechanics of Red Diesel
Ohio’s policy follows an October 5 executive order issued by President Donald Trump, which permitted red-dyed diesel for highway use nationwide and deferred federal excise taxes through the end of 2026. The Internal Revenue Service announced on October 14 that it would not penalize dyed diesel sold or used on highways between October 1 and December 31, though the underlying federal excise tax was not officially waived. Because federal directives left state tax laws intact, individual states had to issue their own proclamations to legalize on-road use without risking state penalties.
Dyed diesel carries a distinct red tint specifically designed for law enforcement to identify fuel that has evaded standard highway taxes. Chemically, however, the fuel is nearly identical to the clear diesel found at standard retail pumps. Without temporary executive orders, burning red diesel in a highway vehicle constitutes tax evasion.
Ohio Slashes Motor Fuel Taxes Until 2027
Governor DeWine’s order is paired with a broader state effort to slash fuel expenses. Ohio previously suspended its normal motor fuel taxes for 90 days. According to the Ohio Department of Taxation, the reduced rate dropped the per-gallon tax from 47 cents for diesel and 38.5 cents for gasoline down to a nominal one-hundredth of one cent, effective from 12:01 a.m. on October 4 through 11:59 p.m. on January 2, 2027. Overdrive noted that Ohio International Fuel Tax Agreement taxpayers must still report all miles traveled and fuel purchased during this tax-relief window.
Ohio joins more than a dozen states adapting their rules to counter the supply crunch. WFMJ pointed out that rising fuel prices have emerged as a central political discussion point in ongoing mid-term elections, with critics debating the impact of international conflicts and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz on domestic energy markets. States have taken varying approaches to the crisis, ranging from Missouri’s broad authorization for all motor vehicles to use dyed diesel through December 31 to South Dakota’s narrower agricultural exemptions.
