Oil Severance Tax
Oil Severance Tax Overview
Most (but not all) oil producing states levy a severance tax on its oil production. This tax is based on either the volume or value of the production. Royalty and mineral owners pay their pro rata share of these oil severance taxes. You’ll notice these severance taxes deducted on your monthly royalty revenue statements.
There’s No Standard Oil Severance Tax

Various incentives through credits or lower tax rates are often allowed in situations where the tax rate might be burdensome enough such that wells might be plugged and abandoned. Examples might be: periods of low commodity prices, low production stripper wells, or with fields deemed as enhanced oil recovery projects.
Royalty Owners Pay Their Share of the Oil Severance Tax
Just as the Working Interest parties within a well must pay their pro rata share of oil severance taxes, so must the royalty owners. Royalty owners will notice this deduction shown on their monthly royalty owner revenue statement. For further reading on your royalty owner revenue statement, see Oil and Gas Royalty Statement.
State Oil Severance Taxes
Click on the links below to locate oil severance tax by state. Iowa, New York, and Pennsylvania do not currently have an oil severance tax
- Alabama Oil Severance Taxes
- Arkansas Oil Severance Taxes
- California Oil Severance Taxes
- Colorado Oil Severance Taxes
- Florida Oil Severance Taxes
- Illinois Oil Severance Taxes
- Indiana Oil Severance Taxes
- Kansas Oil Severance Taxes
- Kentucky Oil Severance Taxes
- Louisiana Oil Severance Taxes
- Michigan Oil Severance Taxes
- Mississippi Oil Severance Taxes
- Montana Oil Severance Taxes
- Nebraska Oil Severance Taxes
- New Mexico Oil Severance Taxes
- North Dakota Oil Severance Taxes
- Ohio Oil Severance Taxes
- Oklahoma Oil Severance Taxes
- South Dakota Oil Severance Taxes
- Texas Oil Severance Taxes
- Utah Oil Severance Taxes
- West Virginia Oil Severance Taxes
- Wyoming Oil Severance Taxes
The Severance Tax Balancing Act
Each state attempts to balance its need for revenue to run state government with the off putting of the oil industry by placing yet another tax upon its operations within that state. This of course makes for regular political debate within each state. Most states argue this on a regular basis, attempting to find the right balance for their particular circumstances.
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