No, your truck will be alright on this diesel. The main variation is in color, not in the components. It’s strictly for off-road use, as indicated by the red colour. It’s coloured red to make it visible to government officers if you’re using it illegally. Be aware that if you’re discovered driving on US highways, you could face a ticket and a hefty fine.
Off-road diesel will run your automobile if it runs on diesel. However, as previously said, if you use it illegally and are detected, you will be penalized by both the state and federal governments. Because that is sometimes the only fuel available in the event of a natural disaster, you are unlikely to be penalized.
Technically, you can, because the color is the only difference. We’ve heard of cases where someone bought a truck that ran on off-road diesel and then switched to regular diesel. In that situation, the new owner just switched to regular diesel and the vehicle performed admirably.
The distinguishing red dye is the most noticeable variation, and there may also be a difference in sulfur levels. Furthermore, because this agricultural fuel is designed for heavy machinery, it heats up quickly.
Driving until the tank is completely empty is the simplest way to get rid of the red dye. Then pour in a couple gallons of or normal diesel and let it run for a while. Repeat this process numerous times. If you want to be sure it’s gone, have your repair flush the gasoline system.
No, it isn’t possible. Except for the colour, it’s identical as on-road diesel. If you have a diesel engine, you can use farm fuel to power it. Just make sure you’re not breaking any laws when you use it.
Some people believe it is “tax-free,” but depending on the state, it may or may not be. Here’s a list of states with information on gasoline tax exemptions. When you’re permitted to use this type of fuel off-road, you’ll either pay less at the pump or get a refund on your fuel tax.
You could be charged with “Motor Fuel Tax Evasion” if you’re caught and convicted. Is it really worth it to save money on gas? Here’s what the IRS has to say about it:
“What are the Consequences?” In general, no coloured fuel should be used in highway vehicles. The Internal Revenue Code stipulates a penalty of $1,000 or $10 per gallon, whichever is larger, with payment of the tax for each violation. Additional fines may be imposed by states.”
Mixing the two types of diesel fuels is not a problem, however red diesel has a higher sulfur level than green. It’s also known as green fuel because it’s environmentally beneficial. It’s either light green or transparent in appearance.
This is subject to change. If you’re unsure, you can dip a tube in your tank and pull out a sample to see what color it is; there are also manual dipstick kits and black lights available. However, the gas does not remain in your tank; it passes through your fuel system. If you’re worried, take it to your mechanic to have the system flushed.
Can red diesel damage my engine?
Red diesel will not harm your car because it is the same gasoline as white diesel with the addition of a red colour. There are a few circumstances in which you can put red diesel in a car, such as if your vehicle has completed a SORN (Statutory Off-Road-Notification) – but even if you do this, your fuel tank will be stained, and removing the SORN from the car will cause legal issues if you ever want to get it back on the road.
Is red diesel better than normal diesel?
If you’re new to buying diesel fuel or haven’t done it in a while, you may notice that your purchases are a little more colorful than they used to be.
That’s because the US government now mandates that diesel be sold in one of three colors: clear, red, or blue dyed. If you’re going to buy diesel fuel, it’s important to know the tax and legal distinctions between these three types.
- Clear diesel – Clear diesel is an on-road vehicle-grade fuel sold at petrol stations across the United States. This type of fuel is intended for vehicles that travel the roads on a daily basis – cars, trucks, SUVs, and so on – as well as maritime vehicles. Clear diesel has a low sulfur level and is taxed in the United States. This fuel must be used in any diesel-powered vehicle that is licensed for on-road use.
- Most colored diesel sold in the United States is red in color, and it is dyed with the chemical ingredient Solvent Red 26 or 164. Only off-road vehicles and applications, such as farm tractors, heavy construction equipment, and generators, are permitted to utilize red-dyed gas. The sulfur level of red-dyed diesel is higher than that of clear diesel. This gasoline is not taxed in the United States because it is not intended for use in on-road vehicles.
- Blue-dyed diesel is identical to red-dyed diesel, with the exception that it is solely used in US government vehicles.
Dyed diesel regulations
Because colored diesel is not taxed and contains more sulfur, it is strictly regulated by federal and state legislation; penalties for unauthorized use of dyed fuel range from steep fines to lengthy prison sentences. Distributors cannot intentionally transport colored fuel with the intention of supplying on-road cars, and gasoline retailers cannot knowingly sell dyed diesel for use in on-road vehicles.
You cannot intentionally use colored diesel in an on-road vehicle if you are a retail diesel customer; if dye is found in an on-road vehicle, the consequences can be severe. Be astute!
Will red diesel mess up a truck?
In 2007, non-road diesel fuel had to be reduced to 500 parts per million of sulfur, and then to ULSD in 2010. So, since LSD is practically unheard of these days, whether you get red-dye or not, there’s a near-100 percent chance you’ll receive ULSD, and your engine will be OK with that.
How can you tell if someone is using red diesel?
HMRC must conduct dip testing to find a marker dye within the fuel or tank in order to test for the usage of gas oil. The red color is introduced to help people recognize it as red diesel. What is blue diesel, exactly?
What happens if I get caught with red diesel?
The HMRC will charge you for the restoration of your vehicle’s system to clean your tank and filters to remove the marker dye if you’re caught using it illegally. For its removal, you will be charged a price. Your vehicle may be impounded, or you may be charged back for the cost difference between red diesel and road diesel for the time you’ve been driving it.
Is red diesel getting banned?
Fuel duty applies to both motor and heating fuels, with only fuel taxed at the full amount of duty authorized to be used in road vehicles. Because fuel duty was originally meant to be a levy on road vehicles, some oils and fuels are charged at a lower (rebated) rate. This includes gas oil (diesel), which is chemically marked and coloured to allow law enforcement agencies to recognize it as rebated fuel and detect when the incorrect type of diesel is being used, deterring fuel fraud. This fuel is known as’red diesel’ because of the color of the dye. The fuel duty rate for gas oil intended for use in diesel engine road vehicles, also known as ‘white diesel’ (due to the lack of marking or colour), is 57.95 pence per litre (ppl). Red diesel is eligible for a 46.81ppl rebate, resulting in an effective duty rate of 11.14ppl.
With the exception of agriculture (as well as horticulture, forestry, and fish farming), rail, and non-commercial heating, the government declared in Budget 2020 that it will remove entitlement to use red diesel from most sectors on April 1, 2022.
Last summer, the government held a consultation to ensure that it had not forgotten any compelling reasons why other industries should be allowed to use red diesel beyond April 2022. The summary of replies to the consultation, which was published alongside Budget 2021, summarizes the results of the consultation.
The government announced in Budget 2021 that it will not change the treatment of private pleasure craft in the United Kingdom, where they will be able to use red diesel and pay their fuel supplier the difference between the red diesel and white diesel rates on the proportion they intend to use for propulsion. The government’s response to the summer 2020 consultation also stated that private pleasure vessels in Northern Ireland will be required to use white diesel as of June this year. This would guarantee that the UK complies with its international duties under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement, as determined by the Court of Justice of the European Union in 2019. It will also be in line with private pleasure vessel fuel use in the Republic of Ireland, making it easier for private pleasure craft users to get the fuel they need if they sail between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (and vice versa).
Along with this move, the government will implement a new relief program under which private pleasure craft users in Northern Ireland will be able to claim a relief for the percentage of their fuel that will be used for non-propulsion, avoiding paying a higher rate of tax than they do now. Changes to the taxation of diesel used in private pleasure craft in Northern Ireland will be enacted separately, and a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) will be published alongside secondary legislation for that measure.
Why is red diesel cheaper?
Because of the lower fuel duty rate, red diesel is much less expensive. Many people who use red diesel work in the construction or agricultural industries, and they use it to power their vehicles and machinery. Businesses can avoid costly gasoline bills and gain profits thanks to the lower costs.
Can farmers use red diesel on the road?
The use of red diesel is frequently referred to as a grey area in farming circles, but the laws are actually quite clear, and the Memorandum of Agreement in HMRC’s Notice 75 on the Gov.uk website makes it extremely difficult to say otherwise.
Agriculture contributes for roughly 7% of total rebated fuel consumption in the UK, with major tax benefits for the agricultural business, and it is critical that the industry follows the guidelines scrupulously to help ensure future use of the fuel.
A general guideline is that any usage of red diesel on the road must be part of an agricultural, horticultural, or forestry enterprise, and it cannot just be for haulage.
Also, if you use the vehicle on public roads for both agricultural and non-agricultural purposes, it no longer qualifies as an agricultural vehicle “excepted vehicle” that must always be fueled with white fuel.
To assist explain many of the common grey areas, the following questions will focus on where utilizing red diesel for farming activities is authorized.
These questions should be read in combination with HMRC Notice 75, which explains what qualifies as a deduction “What qualifies as “agricultural use” and what sorts of agricultural vehicles do.
How far can I travel using red diesel?
The use of red diesel in agricultural vehicles engaged in agricultural work has no distance restrictions. If you’re transporting product, you’ll need to figure out if you’ll require an operator’s license if you’re going more than 15 miles from your base.
I am a contractor, travelling to farms to carry out cultivations work, including ploughing, harrowing and drilling. Can I travel to and from the farms on red?
Contractors are permitted to use red diesel if they are traveling to or from farms to perform agricultural work, or if they are transporting materials or equipment for such operation.
The Council has invited me to tender to cut roadside verges and hedges using a tractor. Do I need to include an extra charge for using white diesel?
No, as long as you don’t use your car for any non-agricultural use on the road. Agricultural tractors can use rebated fuel to cut hedges, trees, and verges that border public highways, according to the law.
How far can I travel if I’m using red diesel to haul straw that I buy in swath and bale before taking it off the field over the few weeks after harvest?
The usage of red diesel has no distance restrictions. However, if you are participating in the agricultural operation that created the straw, such as baling, you can only use rebated fuel.
How do I prove that I have been an “integral part of the agricultural operation”?
Maintaining accurate records is essential because it is the only method to establish that you were participating in an agricultural project. A trail of contracts, job sheets, invoices, and receipts is required. This is critical, especially for contractors, in order to prove that all work done in red is valid.
I have new tenants in a farm cottage and need to move some furniture with my tractor and trailer?
This is not a proper application of red diesel. It is not an agricultural operation, which is defined as the planting, harvesting, or rearing of crops or animals for food, wool, leather, fur, or other purposes.
I use my tractor for farm work, but also haul materials for a local building firm and move soils from construction sites. How do I stay within the law? Can I use dual tanks, or perhaps just pay the extra tax when I should be using white diesel?
Only a tractor used primarily for agricultural purposes is permitted to utilize red diesel. This means that if you work in non-agricultural jobs as well as agricultural jobs, you must utilize white fuel for all of your labor, whether agricultural or not.
A tractor that is taxed as an agricultural vehicle must also be utilized exclusively for agricultural purposes. So you can’t be agriculturally taxed if it isn’t agricultural without breaching the law and risking prosecution.
It’s also dangerous to switch fuels because it’s impossible to get all traces of red out of the tank, especially now that hidden markers are being employed to identify gasoline. If your gasoline is tested on a non-agricultural operation, your tractor will most likely be seized if any fuel indicators are found.
If all non-agricultural labor is done off-road, one option is to transport the tractor on a low loader. Red diesel can be used off-road regardless of the activity for fuel duty purposes as long as you exclusively utilize the road for agricultural activities.
Dual tanks are prohibited and not an option, therefore the short answer is that if you use public highways for both agricultural and non-agricultural activities, you cannot have an agricultural tractor. It must either be re-taxed and painted white to be utilized on public highways purely for agricultural purposes.
If I am caught out using the wrong fuel, how far can HMRC trace my business back?
HMRC has the authority to assess extra duty for a period of four years. It might get very expensive if it is discovered that you were utilizing tractors on red for non-agricultural operations during that time.
I am running a classic tractor charity rally around local country roads. I have been told it isn’t appropriate to use red diesel for this?
This isn’t an agricultural enterprise, to be sure. The tractors must run on white fuel because it is a recreational activity.
I have diversified and have a livery stables within the farmyard. Can I use red diesel to move manure in and out of the yard for my equine clients?
No, maintaining animals for the sake of sport or leisure is not considered agricultural.
My farm contracting business has grown considerably due to our local AD plant. I have two self-propelled forage harvesters and am involved in contracting services planting and harvesting the maize feedstock and taking it into the AD plant. I sometimes harvest and move the maize to a farm field-side clamp, then move it into the plant when it is required. Can I used red diesel?
Yes, because your services are an important component of the farming operation. If you were merely hired to transport maize to the AD factory and weren’t personally involved in cultivating or harvesting the maize, you’d have to use white diesel because you’d be hauling it.
I have been asked by my local sports club if I can use my tractor to keep the sports pitches maintained, fertilised and mowed. Can I used red diesel to travel to the playing fields?
No. Because HMRC does not consider sports pitch maintenance to be horticultural, it must be fuelled with white diesel if it travels on the roadways for this purpose. Off-road work can be done on red if the tractor is mounted on a low loader.
A self-propelled mower, on the other hand, can be run on red at all times.
I need to use my tractor for drainage work and clearing ditches which run across my farmland.
Red diesel can be utilized as long as the job is done for the benefit of agricultural land.
I have also been asked to do additional ditch clearing for a neighbouring housing estate to prevent flooding. Can I use red?
No. Because red diesel cannot be used for flood protection, any extra flood protection/non-agricultural drainage work would necessitate switching the tractor to white diesel (assuming the work does not require the use of public roadways).
I want to tow a van behind my tractor/trailer to the field to get staff back to base to avoid unnecessary journeys to and from the field with big heavy slow machinery. Can it be towed using red diesel?
No, utilizing red diesel in a non-agricultural vehicle (van, automobile, caravan) is not permitted because it is not intended for agricultural usage.
I am employed by a farmer to move sugar beet from a field clamp to a factory. Can I use a tractor licensed as an agricultural machine and running on red diesel on the public road?
Unless you were actively involved in producing or harvesting the sugar beet, this is a haulage operation.
I need to fetch some roof sheets to fix my farm store and need to collect them from the local agricultural country store. Can I take my tractor and trailer on red?
Yes, because you are permitted to transport supplies and equipment for the repair and maintenance of your own farm structures using red diesel (but not the farmhouse).
I was stopped by an “HMRC officer” but I am not sure it was legitimate. How can I be sure?
To begin with, HMRC is unlikely to flag down and halt your vehicle. It’s more likely that it’ll be tested for gasoline as part of a larger vehicle inspection by the police or Vosa.
HMRC officers would generally be in uniform and driving identifiable vehicles and would be able to show you a form of identity.
How much is the fine for red diesel?
Yes, using red diesel in a car on a public road might result in a fine because it is deemed tax evasion.
Farmers are an exception to this rule. They can travel up to 1.5 kilometers on the public highway with red diesel in an automobile.
The HMRC will charge you for the restoration of your vehicle’s system to clean your tank and filters to remove the marker dye if you’re caught using it illegally.