From 1 to 31 October 2026, Spain’s hydrocarbon tax (Impuesto sobre Hidrocarburos) is €272.69 per 1,000 litres of 95-octane unleaded petrol (€231.15 general rate plus €41.54 special rate) and €179.00 per 1,000 litres of road diesel (€144.99 plus €34.01). In September petrol was taxed at €422.69 per 1,000 litres, and diesel was already taxed at €179.00 per 1,000 litres. The rates are set by Article 13 of Royal Decree-law 25/2026 of 29 September (Official State Gazette, BOE No. 241 of 30 September 2026).
What changes
| Fuel | September 2026 | 1–31 October 2026 | Effect per litre, incl. 21% VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95-octane unleaded petrol | €422.69 | €272.69 | −18.15 cents |
| Road diesel | €179.00 | €179.00 | unchanged |
What it means at the pump
For petrol the cut is €150 per 1,000 litres, or 15 cents per litre; with 21% VAT that is about 18.15 cents less per litre, if the pre-tax price stays the same. Diesel already had a 20-cent-per-litre cut in September and keeps it in October. In the European Commission’s Weekly Oil Bulletin, the Spanish average on 5 October 2026 was €1.849 per litre of 95-octane petrol and €1.918 per litre of diesel. The tax does not apply in the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla.
Why it changes
Royal Decree-law 7/2026 of 20 March cut the tax rates in response to the crisis in the Middle East. According to Royal Decree-law 25/2026 itself, in September the cut was 20 cents per litre for diesel and 5 cents per litre for petrol. In October both fuels are 20 cents per litre below the pre-March rates, which were €472.69 (petrol) and €379.00 (diesel) per 1,000 litres.
How long
The Article 13 rates apply until 31 October 2026. For November the same decree-law sets a smaller cut of 13 cents per litre: €342.69 per 1,000 litres of petrol and €249.00 per 1,000 litres of diesel. If the September consumer price index for petrol or diesel, which the national statistics institute (INE) publishes in October, is more than 15% above September 2025, that fuel keeps the October rates in November. In December the general cut falls to 6 cents per litre, with a similar clause.
Official source
Con efectos desde el 1 de octubre y vigencia hasta el 31 de octubre de 2026, los tipos impositivos regulados en la Tarifa 1.ª del apartado 1 del artículo 50 de la Ley 38/1992, de 28 de diciembre, de Impuestos Especiales, serán los siguientes: […] Epígrafe 1.2.2 Las demás gasolinas sin plomo: 231,15 euros por 1.000 litros de tipo general y 41,54 euros por 1.000 litros de tipo especial. Epígrafe 1.3 Gasóleos para uso general: 144,99 euros por 1.000 litros de tipo general y 34,01 euros por 1.000 litros de tipo especial.
Royal Decree-law 25/2026 of 29 September, Article 13 (BOE No. 241, 30 September 2026; applies 1–31 October 2026). September: Royal Decree-law 18/2026 of 29 June, Article 7 (BOE No. 158). The quote is in Spanish: “with effect from 1 October and in force until 31 October 2026 … other unleaded petrol: 231.15 euros per 1,000 litres general rate and 41.54 euros special rate; gas oils for general use: 144.99 euros general rate and 34.01 euros special rate”.
More on fuel-prices.eu
Calculation: change in tax × (1 + 21% VAT), at an unchanged pre-tax price. Prices are the European Commission’s weekly averages of 5 October 2026.