Washington Propane Price 2026: Cost Per Gallon, Suppliers & Delivery

Washington residential propane runs about $3.02/gal in 2026, +13% versus the national average and sitting above the West regional norm. EIA does not publish a Washington residential series, the figure here is a verified estimate from public WA supplier postings, not an EIA SHOPP number. This is the no-spin breakdown: PADD 5 supply offset by Anacortes / Cherry Point refining, the wet-west / dry-east climate split, ferry-served island delivery economics, fill-by-tank-size math, the LIHEAP path through Commerce, and how to find a State Fire Marshal-compliant supplier.

Latest EIA residential propane price

Source: Washington residential propane retail estimate (no EIA SHOPP series; verified against public Washington supplier and UTC filings). Current data is the final release of the 2025/26 heating season (week ending 30 March 2026). EIA pauses weekly publication April-September; next release expected October 2026. Refreshed 26 May 2026.

No EIA-published Washington series. EIA's State Heating Oil and Propane Program (SHOPP) covers PADD 1 (East Coast), PADD 2 (Midwest), PADD 3 (Gulf) and PADD 4 (Rocky Mountain). PADD 5 (West Coast, including Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Hawaii and Alaska) has no published weekly residential propane series. The $3.02/gal figure used on this page is a manually-verified retail estimate cross-checked against public Washington propane supplier postings and Pacific Northwest retail surveys. It is not a live EIA number. We refresh the estimate when the EIA national headline or West-region wholesale data moves materially.

Washington Propane Pricing Snapshot (2026)

Washington residential avg (estimate)

$3.02/gal

Verified estimate; no EIA SHOPP series for WA. Statewide retail full-service delivery.

vs national average

+13%

National avg $2.67/gal. Washington pays $0.35 more per gallon.

vs West region avg

+5%

Region avg $2.88/gal. Washington sits above the regional norm; HI and AK skew the West average upward.

Annual fuel cost (1,000 gal)

$3020

Typical WA propane-heat household (Cascades / Olympic / Eastern WA) uses 800-1,200 gal/year

500-gallon refill (400 usable)

$1208

Most common residential tank size in rural WA. Add $0.40-$0.80/gal on ferry-served islands.

Pre-buy savings (May-Aug)

$200-$400/yr

Lock-in or cap-price contracts beat winter spot pricing. East WA: enrol by mid-May.

Washington sits in the mid-tier of the West cluster, materially cheaper than Hawaii, Alaska and California, but more expensive than the inland-West cluster (CO, ID, UT, WY). Pricing pressure is structural: PADD 5 has limited propane production but Washington's Anacortes / Cherry Point / Ferndale / Tacoma refining capacity offsets some of the supply-chain length that drives California higher. Most propane consumers are in rural Cascades, Olympic Peninsula, ferry-served islands and Eastern Washington agricultural counties, supplier route density is thin outside the I-5 and I-90 corridors.

Why Washington Propane Prices Sit Where They Do

Washington's per-gallon rate is set by four structural factors, none of which is seasonal. They will not normalise back to Midwestern or Gulf-state pricing without a major shift in West Coast propane infrastructure or natural-gas main expansion into rural counties.

1. PADD 5 supply, partly offset by in-state refining. The West Coast (PADD 5) refining base is small relative to the Gulf and Mid-Continent, and EIA does not publish a residential propane series for the region. Washington partly offsets this with a sizeable Puget Sound refining cluster, BP Cherry Point (Ferndale), Phillips 66 Ferndale, Marathon Anacortes and US Oil & Refining (Tacoma) collectively refine more than 600,000 bbl/day of crude and produce LPG as a co-product. That gives Washington bulk-supply economics that California (which lost in-state refining capacity through the 2020s) does not have, which is why the Washington statewide rate runs noticeably below California's.

2. Urban natural-gas dominance, rural propane belt. Most King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Clark and Thurston county households are on Puget Sound Energy or Cascade Natural Gas mains, so propane in those counties is a backup, range, dryer or generator fuel rather than primary heat. Primary-heat propane consumers are concentrated in the rural Cascades and foothills (Skagit, Whatcom, Chelan, Kittitas, Lewis, Jefferson), the Olympic Peninsula (Clallam, Jefferson, Mason), ferry-served islands (San Juan, Island, parts of Skagit) and Eastern Washington agricultural counties (Yakima, Okanogan, Grant, Stevens). Fewer customers per route means weaker route economies than in propane-heavy states.

3. Wet-west / dry-east climate split. Western Washington (Olympic Peninsula, Puget Sound lowlands, coastal range) rarely sees overnight lows below 20°F, but is wet and windstorm-prone. East of the Cascades (Spokane, Yakima, Tri-Cities, Wenatchee), median annual minimums run from near zero down to -15°F or lower at elevation, with sustained sub-freezing weeks in January. A Spokane or Wenatchee propane household burns 30 to 50 percent more annual gallons than a comparable propane home near Olympia, on top of longer delivery routes from a smaller Eastern Washington terminal footprint. Pre-buy and cap-price contract decisions matter materially more east of the Cascades.

4. Ferry, island and remote-cabin delivery economics. San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, Whidbey, Vashon, Camano and Hood Canal communities are propane-dependent and require Washington State Ferries crossings or single-lane forest-route drive time per delivery. Bobtail trips lose the better part of a working day per ferry crossing and have a fraction of the route density of an I-5 stop. Olympic Peninsula remote cabins (Forks, Sekiu, Brinnon, Quilcene) add similar drive-time overhead. Per-gallon premiums of $0.40 to $0.80/gal over the statewide estimate are routine for these households. Auto-fill (so the supplier can batch deliveries with neighbours on a single ferry sailing) is the single biggest lever for cutting that premium.

Washington Propane Companies: How to Find a Licensed Supplier

Buying propane from an unlicensed dealer in Washington is both a safety and consumer-protection risk. Licensed dealers must comply with NFPA 58 (the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code, adopted by Washington under WAC), carry liability insurance, and follow Washington-specific rules on tank ownership and contract disclosure. Note that the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) does not regulate propane retailers, WUTC's energy jurisdiction covers investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities only, so the licensing backbone for propane sits with the State Fire Marshal and local fire authorities, not WUTC. Three reliable starting points:

Washington State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) at wsp.wa.gov/state-fire-marshals-office , SFMO sits within the Washington State Patrol and is the lead authority for LP-Gas Code (NFPA 58) adoption and enforcement in Washington. SFMO oversees site-level installation and storage compliance through county and local fire authorities. If a quote arrives from a company that cannot point to its NFPA 58 / SFMO compliance status and active liability insurance, walk away.
Pacific Propane Gas Association (PPGA) at pacificpga.org , the regional NPGA-affiliated trade association covering WA, OR, ID, AK and HI. Their member directory at pacificpga.org/resources/membership-directory/ and the "Where to Buy" tool at pacificpga.org/where-to-buy/ are the cleanest cross-checks for any Washington supplier quoting you. Direct contact: 844-585-4940.
National Propane Gas Association member directory at npga.org , national-level cross-check. Most legitimate Washington propane retailers will appear in either NPGA or PPGA member listings.

Always get a written quote that itemises per-gallon price, delivery fee, tank rental (if applicable), minimum-delivery surcharge, ferry surcharge (if your address is on a ferry-served island), and any monthly tank fee. Compare two or three quotes before committing. Ask for one Western Washington supplier and one Eastern Washington supplier if you live east of the Cascades, the per-gallon spread is often material, and some PPGA members serve both sides of the state from separate yards.

Tier-1 supplier list coming. A hand-curated list of named Washington propane suppliers (with HQ, coverage area, and notes on contract types) is in our editorial pipeline. We publish supplier lists only once each name has been verified against the official state licensed-dealer list and the supplier's active service-area page. We do not generate supplier names from training data; that is a hallucination risk we treat seriously.

Washington Propane Fill Costs by Tank Size (at $3.02/gal)

Propane tanks fill to 80% of stated capacity (the "80% rule") to allow for thermal expansion. This is a federal NFPA 58 safety requirement, not a supplier markup. Below is what each fill costs at the Washington 2026 estimate versus the national rate. Real-world quotes vary 10-20% above or below this estimate depending on supplier, contract, county, ferry surcharge, and delivery frequency. Ferry-served island and remote Olympic Peninsula households should expect to pay $0.40-$0.80/gal more than the figures shown.

Tank size	Usable gallons (80%)	Fill cost at $3.02/gal	vs national ($2.67/gal)
100 gal (portable)	80 gal	$242	+$28
250 gal (small home)	200 gal	$604	+$69
500 gal (standard residential)	400 gal	$1208	+$138
1,000 gal (large home / cold-east WA)	800 gal	$2416	+$277

Compare to the national refill cost guide or check pricing in other states.

Washington Heating Season & Annual Use

Washington's heating season is bimodal. In the Puget Sound lowlands and along the coast, the residential heating season runs roughly mid-October through mid-April, with mild overnight lows (rarely below 20°F outside windstorm cold snaps) and a long shoulder season. East of the Cascades the season is longer (early October through late April), colder (median annual minimums down to -15°F at elevation), and with sustained sub-freezing weeks in January and February that drive higher per-night burn rates.

Typical Washington propane-heat households consume 800-1,200 gallons per year east of the Cascades or in the Cascades / Olympic foothills, depending on home size, insulation, and how much of the load is propane versus wood, electric or pellet. A 2,400 sqft Spokane Valley or Wenatchee home with propane handling space heat, water heat, range and dryer averages 1,000-1,200 gallons. Olympic Peninsula and island households running propane only for cooking, water heating, fireplace inserts or windstorm-backup generators typically burn 150-300 gallons annually.

Translated to dollars at the 2026 WA estimate: a 1,000 gallon Eastern Washington household pays $3020 per year for fuel alone, before tank rental fees, delivery surcharges, ferry surcharges or service contracts. That is around $346 more than a comparable household at the national average, but roughly $840 less than a comparable Hawaii or Alaska household at the most expensive end of the West region.

LIHEAP through Commerce for income-qualified households. Washington's federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce and distributed through more than 30 local Community Action Agencies and tribal organisations. It covers propane alongside electric, natural gas, oil, coal and wood, the program awards grants regardless of fuel type. Eligibility is set at 150% of the federal poverty level. Benefit amounts are calculated per household based on household size, income, and annual heating costs, then paid directly to your propane supplier or as a credit against your fuel account. Find your local provider through the official LIHEAP public map at fortress.wa.gov/com/liheappublic/map.aspx, or contact the program at LIHEAP@commerce.wa.gov / 360-725-2857. Apply early, applications open before the heating season and benefits are first-come within funding windows.

Windstorm and snowpack drive standby-generator demand. Western Washington's first major Pacific windstorm of the season typically arrives in early to mid-November and routinely takes down PSE, Snohomish PUD or Tacoma Power service in tree-shed areas for 24 to 96 hours. The 2006 Hanukkah Eve storm and the 2016 windstorm series turned propane standby generators into baseline rural Western Washington infrastructure, and Eastern Washington snowpack outages in the Cascades and Okanogan add a second demand window. That demand pulls late-autumn pricing up. If you maintain a generator, top off the dedicated tank in late September before the windstorm window opens.

Washington vs Other West States (2026)

State	Price/gal	500-gal refill (400 usable)	vs national ($2.67)
Hawaii	$4.15	$1660	+55%
Alaska	$3.85	$1540	+44%
California	$3.42	$1368	+28%
Washington (this page)	$3.02	$1208	+13%
Oregon	$2.98	$1192	+11%
Nevada	$2.95	$1180	+10%
New Mexico	$2.93	$1172	+10%
Arizona	$2.72	$1088	+2%
Idaho	$2.40	$959	-10%
Utah	$2.34	$935	-13%
Colorado	$2.30	$921	-14%
Wyoming	$2.27	$906	-15%
Montana	$2.12	$848	-21%
National average	$2.67	$1070	0%

Washington sits in the mid-tier of the West cluster, materially cheaper than Hawaii, Alaska and California, but more expensive than Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. The full West region averages $2.88/gal, pulled higher by HI and AK import-only logistics. Washington's $3.02/gal estimate sits roughly between the inland-West cluster and the high-cost coast, helped by Anacortes / Cherry Point refining and held up by ferry-served island and remote-Olympic delivery overhead.

Washington Propane FAQ

How much does propane cost per gallon in Washington?

Washington residential propane is approximately $3.02/gallon in 2026. Important caveat: EIA's State Heating Oil and Propane Program (SHOPP) does not publish a weekly residential propane series for Washington, PADD 5 (West Coast) has no residential propane series at all. The figure shown here is a manually-verified estimate cross-checked against public Washington supplier postings and Pacific Northwest retail surveys, not an EIA-published number. That estimate is +13% versus the $2.67 national average and +5% versus the West regional average of $2.88. Real-world quotes vary significantly: ferry-served island households (San Juan, Whidbey, Vashon, Lopez) and remote Olympic Peninsula and North Cascades cabins routinely pay $0.40 to $0.80/gal above the statewide estimate, while urban King and Pierce County propane customers (typically backup, range or generator use) often quote closer to it.

Why is Washington propane priced where it is?

Three structural factors drive Washington's per-gallon rate. First, PADD 5 supply: most US propane is produced in the Mid-Continent and Gulf, but Washington benefits from a sizeable in-state refining cluster around Puget Sound, BP Cherry Point (Ferndale), Phillips 66 Ferndale, Marathon Anacortes and US Oil & Refining (Tacoma) collectively refine more than 600,000 bbl/day of crude and produce LPG as a co-product. That partly offsets the West Coast supply-chain length that drives California so high. Second, customer-base concentration: most Western Washington urban households are on Puget Sound Energy or Cascade Natural Gas mains, so propane is concentrated in rural Cascades, Olympic Peninsula, North Puget Sound islands and Eastern Washington agricultural counties, supplier route economics are thinner outside the I-5 and I-90 corridors. Third, ferry and remote-cabin delivery: bobtail trips to San Juan, Lopez, Orcas, Whidbey, Vashon and Hood Canal communities require ferry surcharges and longer per-stop drive time that lift per-gallon overhead.

Does LIHEAP help pay for propane in Washington?

Yes. Washington's federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce and distributed through more than 30 local Community Action Agencies and tribal organisations across the state. It explicitly covers propane alongside electric, natural gas, oil, coal and wood, the program awards grants regardless of fuel type. Eligibility is set at 150% of the federal poverty level. Benefit amounts are calculated per household based on household size, income and annual heating costs, then paid directly to your propane supplier or as a credit against your fuel account. Find your local provider through the official LIHEAP public map at fortress.wa.gov/com/liheappublic/map.aspx, or contact the program directly at LIHEAP@commerce.wa.gov / 360-725-2857. Apply early, applications open before the heating season and benefits are first-come within funding windows.

Which Washington agency licenses propane dealers?

The Washington State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO), housed within the Washington State Patrol, is the lead licensing and code-adoption authority for LP-Gas in Washington. SFMO adopts and enforces NFPA 58 (the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code) under the Washington Administrative Code. Local fire authorities and county fire marshals enforce installation and storage permits at the site level, and the Department of Labor & Industries handles boiler / pressure vessel inspection and fuel-gas piping under WAC 296. The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) does not regulate propane retailers, WUTC's energy jurisdiction covers investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities only, so propane is not a "utility" in the WA regulatory sense. If a quote arrives from a company that cannot point you to its SFMO compliance status and active liability insurance, walk away. Cross-check the supplier against the Pacific Propane Gas Association (PPGA) member directory at pacificpga.org and the National Propane Gas Association at npga.org.

Why does propane cost more on the islands and Olympic Peninsula?

Geography and ferry economics. The San Juan Islands (San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, Shaw), Whidbey, Vashon, Camano and the Hood Canal communities are propane-dependent because mains gas does not extend to them. Bobtail trucks delivering propane to these communities pay Washington State Ferries surcharges, lose the better part of a working day per crossing, and have route density that is a fraction of an I-5-corridor route. The Olympic Peninsula (Forks, Sekiu, Quilcene, Brinnon, parts of Port Angeles outside the city core) adds long single-lane forest-route drive time. Combined effect: per-gallon premiums of $0.40 to $0.80/gal over the statewide average are routine for ferry-served and remote-Olympic households. Reduce the impact by sizing up to a 500 or 1,000 gallon tank (fewer fills per year), running auto-fill rather than will-call so the supplier can ferry-batch with neighbours, and locking in a summer pre-buy or cap-price contract before the November windstorm window starts.

Is there agricultural propane demand in Eastern Washington?

Yes, large and seasonal. Eastern Washington's tree-fruit belt (Yakima, Wenatchee, Chelan, Okanogan and Benton/Franklin counties) is the largest apple- and cherry-producing region in the United States, and growers run propane-fired orchard heaters and frost-fans during spring frost events to protect blossom set and fruit on the tree. Hops growers in the Yakima Valley and wheat growers across the Palouse use propane for crop drying, especially on damp-harvest years. This pulls a sharp seasonal demand spike onto Eastern Washington bulk supply between mid-March and late May (frost season) and again between July and October (drying season), and is why summer pre-buy enrolments in the Tri-Cities, Yakima and Spokane markets often close earlier than coastal markets, agricultural buyers lock supply ahead of frost-fan season. Residential customers in those counties benefit by enrolling in pre-buy at the same time.

When is the cheapest time to buy propane in Washington?

Late spring through midsummer (May through August). EIA's national wholesale propane price typically bottoms in June and July when refinery output is high and residential demand is near zero. Washington retailers run pre-buy and cap-price contract enrolment between May and August, often offering $0.20 to $0.40/gal off projected winter spot rates. On a 1,000 gallon Cascade-foothills or Eastern Washington household, that is $200 to $400 saved per year. There are two Washington-specific timing factors. First, the November windstorm window: Western Washington's first major Pacific storm system typically arrives in early to mid-November and drives standby-generator fuel demand that pulls late-autumn pricing up. Second, the spring frost-fan window (mid-March through late May) tightens Eastern Washington bulk supply just as you would otherwise be hoping for the off-season low. Lock in by mid-May if you are east of the Cascades; you have until late June if you are on the wet side.