Fixed and single rate of ICMS on fuels comes into force today

This Thursday (1st), the single and fixed rate of the Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS) on gasoline and ethanol came into force. The charge will be R$ 1.22 per liter throughout the national territory. Currently, the rates are proportional to the value and are defined by each state, generally varying between 17% and 23%.

The change in the tax rule was instituted by the Complementary Law No. 192 of 2022. With it, the billing system went from to value (charge based on a rate that affects the value of the transaction) for to the (Charge with a single value that focuses on the amount of liters). Thus, the ICMS will no longer vary fortnightly, according to fuel prices at pumps.

According to the text, the fuels on which the ICMS will apply only once, whatever its purpose, are gasoline and anhydrous ethanol fuel; diesel and biodiesel; and liquefied petroleum gas, including that derived from natural gas. ICMS is a state tax and is part of the price of most products sold in the country.

The change will impact the final consumer, since the tax amount is included in the resale price. In practice, the fixed value ended up being higher than what taxpayers paid.

According to the National Federation of Trade in Fuels and Lubricants (Fecombustíveis), in the second half of May, only in Amazonas, Piauí and Alagoas were prices with variable rates higher and, now, there should be a reduction in values ​​at the pumps.

A definition of the rates for gasoline and ethanol was made by the National Council for Finance Policy (Confaz) in March of this year. In the case of diesel and cooking gas, the change has been in force since May 1, with a charge of R$ 0.94 per liter and R$ 1.28 per kilo, respectively.