Mexico trims fuel-tax relief on Magna and Premium for Oct. 17–23; diesel still pays no IEPS
The excise tax collected per liter rises about 32 centavos on Magna and 29 on Premium this week, while diesel's extra subsidy more than doubles.
Mexico's Finance Ministry (SHCP) reduced its tax relief on gasoline for the week of October 17–23, 2026, according to the agreement published on October 16 in the federal Official Gazette (DOF). As a result, the special excise tax on fuels (IEPS) actually charged per liter goes up for Magna (regular) and Premium, while diesel remains fully exempt and gets a larger complementary subsidy than last week.
What changed this week
According to the DOF, these are the amounts in effect from October 17 to 23, compared with October 10–16:
| Fuel | Relief (% of IEPS) | IEPS charged per liter | Previous week | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline under 91 octane (Magna) | 59.48% | 2.7149 pesos | 2.3910 pesos | +0.32 |
| Gasoline 91 octane or higher (Premium) | 66.19% | 1.9128 pesos | 1.6246 pesos | +0.29 |
| Diesel | 100% | 0.0000 pesos | 0.0000 pesos | no change |
For Magna, the government is absorbing 3.9852 pesos per liter of the tax this week (down from 4.3091); for Premium, 3.7451 pesos (down from 4.0333). Diesel keeps its full 7.3634-peso-per-liter relief plus a complementary subsidy of 2.3533 pesos per liter, more than double the previous week's 1.0923 pesos.
Why it happens
The IEPS relief is the federal government's tool to cushion swings in fuel costs: when international benchmarks rise, the Finance Ministry waives a larger share of the tax; when they fall, it pulls back. The percentages are reviewed weekly and published in the DOF, usually on Fridays, taking effect the following Saturday.
Will you pay more at the pump in Cancún?
Not necessarily. A higher IEPS is not automatically passed on to the final price. Since 2025 the federal government has kept a voluntary agreement with gas-station owners to hold regular gasoline below 24 pesos per liter and diesel below 27 pesos; the agreement was renewed in late August and runs through March 2027. Final prices also depend on each station, so they can differ between stations in the same area.
What the smaller relief does signal is less fiscal room to absorb increases in coming weeks, and more cost pressure on Premium — the grade often used by rental cars, upscale taxis and tourist vehicles in the Hotel Zone — than on regular.
For truckers, fishers and businesses moving goods around the Peninsula on diesel, the news runs the other way: the higher complementary subsidy aims to keep that fuel from getting more expensive.
What you can do
- Compare before you fill up: the federal consumer protection agency (Profeco) publishes station-by-station prices through its Quién es Quién en los Precios program and flags stations priced within the agreement on its website.
- Ask for your receipt and check that the pump starts at zero.
- If you get shorted on liters or overcharged, you can file a complaint with Profeco by phone (55 5568 8722 or 800 468 8722) or online.
- Watch for the next adjustment: the Finance Ministry will publish the next relief percentages in the DOF around Friday, October 23, effective October 24.
Related
The national average was 26.99 pesos and 87.7% of stations honor the voluntary 27-peso cap; the consumer agency also compared remittances and a basic food basket.
The per-liter IEPS tax falls to 2.39 pesos for regular and 1.62 for premium; diesel keeps a 100% credit.
The Treasury dropped the Premium subsidy and trimmed the one for Magna; diesel keeps most of its support. Here is the per-liter tax already baked into your fill-up in Cancun.
Federal monitoring places the station with the highest regular price in the city; here's how to compare before you fill up.