FEE INFORMATION FOR DISTRIBUTORS
OVERVIEW
The Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund (USTIF) is funded in part by the gallon fee, also known as the throughput fee. This fee applies to owners and operators of regulated underground storage tanks (UST’s) storing certain substances. Please see the breakdown of substances below.
| The gallon fee does apply to these substances: | The gallon fee does not apply to these substances: | ||
| Gasoline | Gasohol | Diesel (Except Farm Diesel*) | Kerosene |
| New Motor Oil | Aviation Fuel | Heating Oil | Unknown Substances |
| Hazardous Substances | Mixtures | Used Motor Oil |
|
| Other Regulated Substances | Farm Diesel* |
| |
*Farm diesel is diesel fuel stored on a farm for noncommercial purposes in a UST with a capacity greater than 1,100 gallons.
Distributors are responsible for collecting the gallon fee on deliveries to UST’s in Pennsylvania. The fee is set at $0.011 per gallon delivered. Gallon fees paid by an owner or operator of a nonretail bulk storage or wholesale distribution UST storing gasoline are capped at $5,000 per UST per year.
After collecting the gallon fee, the distributor must remit it to the USTIF. Each month, distributors are required to submit a delivery report and remit all fees collected on deliveries made in the prior month. Reports and payments are submitted via the USTIF website (https://ustif.pa.gov).
Frequently asked questions
Below are some frequently asked questions from distributors. If you have additional questions, please contact the USTIF at 717-783-8093 or ra-ustif@pa.gov
Please complete the new distributor form and return it by email to ra-ustif@pa.gov.
Please refer to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) tanks database.
Please refer to the delivery report upload instructions for common errors.
Please refer to the delivery report manual entry instructions for common errors.
Please email any revisions to ra-ustif@pa.gov. Your balance will be adjusted to reflect the underpayment or overpayment.
Please click the “No Deliveries to Report” button on the report submission page and confirm that no deliveries were made.
Credit card and e-check payments are preferred because they are immediately applied to the participant’s account. They can be made via the USTIF website (https://ustif.pa.gov/). Paper checks are discouraged because mailing errors or delays can lead to untimely payments, which may cause a gap in USTIF participation.
State and federal government entities are exempt from participating in the USTIF and paying the associated fees. However, municipal and county government entities are not exempt.
GALLON FEE HISTORY
| Year | Rate Per Gallon |
| 2004–Present | $0.011 |
| 2003 | $0.01 |
| 4/1/2002–12/31/2002 | $0.001 |
| 2000–3/31/2002 | $0.0005 |
| 1999 | $0.001 |
| 1998 | $0.005 |
| 1996–1997 | $0.01 |
| 1994–1995 | $0.02 |