RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s 41-cent-per-gallon state gas tax is set to be suspended beginning Saturday, Oct. 10, under a temporary law signed Friday by Gov. Josh Stein. The suspension lasts through Nov. 30, 2026. The General Assembly passed House Bill 3 during a special session on Oct. 7, with a 111-1 vote in the House and unanimous approval in the Senate, 41-0. Stein’s signature completed the law’s passage. The tax break comes as fuel prices have climbed. North Carolina’s average price for regular gasoline was $4.09 per gallon on Oct. 9, according to AAA—28 cents below the national average of $4.37, but $1.21 higher than the state average a year earlier and about 20 cents higher than a month earlier. The full 41-cent tax reduction may not translate directly into lower prices at the pump. Economists cited in the report estimated drivers would save about 30 to 35 cents per gallon, and said it could take roughly a week for the savings to appear. “Rising grocery, utility, and gas prices are making the costs too high for people across our state,” Stein said in a statement announcing the signing. He described the suspension as temporary relief and said he wanted to continue working on affordability beyond the measure. North Carolina’s motor fuel tax rate for 2026 was 41 cents per gallon, the highest in state records cited in the report. The suspension offers drivers short-term relief, but it is scheduled to end Nov. 30.