Dunwoody and Brookhaven drivers will pay about 33 cents less per gallon starting Tuesday, Sept. 29. Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order suspending Georgia's motor fuel excise tax for 30 days.

Kemp declared a state of emergency on Monday, Sept. 28, citing volatile global markets and surging fuel costs, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. The suspension runs through Thursday, Oct. 29, and cuts 33.3 cents per gallon on regular gasoline and 37.3 cents per gallon on diesel.

Metro Atlanta's average regular gas price hit $4.21 per gallon on Sept. 28, according to a GasBuddy survey of more than 2,100 area stations. That was up 19.6 cents from the prior week and $1.36 higher than a year ago. AAA pegged the Atlanta average even higher, at about $4.24.

The savings won't appear at every pump right away. The tax is collected at the distributor level, so fuel already sitting in station tanks was taxed at the full rate, the Georgia Recorder reported. Prices should drop as stations cycle through that inventory.

Once the tax-free fuel arrives, filling a 15-gallon tank would cost roughly $57.90 instead of $62.85 at current prices, according to the Georgia Recorder.

Diesel drivers face even steeper costs.

Diesel averaged $6.24 per gallon statewide on Sept. 28, according to the governor's office, as Rough Draft Atlanta reported. Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said in a statement that diesel prices have more than doubled in recent weeks, squeezing farmers. The diesel suspension saves 37.3 cents per gallon.

This marks the third time in 2026 that Kemp has ordered a fuel tax suspension, according to Rough Draft Atlanta. He signed a 60-day suspension bill in March after it passed the state House 163-4 and the Senate unanimously, then extended relief through early June via a separate emergency order. Prior suspensions have cost the state about $200 million per month, according to Rough Draft Atlanta. Kemp also suspended the tax in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

"We've remained committed to helping them and our small businesses fight through the tough times, and that's why I'm taking this action … to give further relief," Kemp said when he signed the order.

The executive order also lifts weight restrictions on commercial transport vehicles. The governor's office said the change should lower delivery costs for grocery stores and other retailers.

Georgia's gas tax is earmarked for roads and bridges. The state plans to cover the lost revenue from its accumulated surplus, CBS News Atlanta reported.

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and House Speaker Jon Burns backed the order. A spokesman for Kemp's office told Rough Draft Atlanta that lawmakers can ratify the suspension when they next convene. The regular legislative session starts in January.

State officials have not said whether they will extend the suspension.