Where You Can Pump Your Own Gas in New Jersey

You can’t pump your own gasoline anywhere in New Jersey. State law requires full-service attendants to dispense gasoline at all stations, and that mandate remains in effect statewide as of 2025. The notable exception is diesel: motorists may self-dispense diesel fuel at many pumps. If you want to pump your own gasoline, you’ll need to cross into a neighboring state such as New York, Pennsylvania, or Delaware.

The Law: Full-Service Only for Gasoline

New Jersey’s Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, first enacted in 1949 and backed by state regulations, prohibits customers from pumping their own gasoline. The rules are enforced against station operators, who must staff pumps and post “No Self-Service” signs. While enforcement targets the business rather than the motorist, customers attempting to pump their own gasoline will typically be stopped by attendants.

New Jersey is now the only state with a full statewide ban on customer-operated gasoline pumps. Oregon, the other long-standing holdout, legalized self-serve in 2023 under a hybrid model that still requires some attendant coverage. New Jersey lawmakers have periodically floated “self-serve option” bills, but none have been enacted.

Exceptions and Practical Nuances

While the self-serve prohibition for gasoline is comprehensive, there are a few important nuances that travelers and residents should know.

• Diesel is different: The self-serve ban applies to gasoline; diesel (a different fuel class) is commonly available for customers to pump themselves, especially at truck stops and stations with dedicated diesel islands.
• Motorcycles: By law, attendants must still handle gasoline dispensing. In practice, some attendants will let riders steady the bike or remove the cap while the attendant operates the nozzle, but the attendant remains responsible.
• Overnight and unattended fueling: Gasoline pumps cannot legally operate unattended in New Jersey. If a station is open for gasoline sales, an attendant must be on duty.
• Payment and pricing: Stations often differentiate cash versus credit prices, but there’s no separate “self-serve” price because self-serve isn’t permitted for gasoline.

These details mean most drivers will interact with an attendant for gasoline but may find self-serve diesel pumps, especially along freight corridors and at larger convenience-store chains.

Where You Can Pump It Yourself Near New Jersey

If you prefer self-serve gasoline, your options begin the moment you cross state lines. Here are common routes and nearby alternatives.

• New York: Self-serve is widely available in bordering counties (e.g., Rockland, Orange, and Staten Island). Expect standard pay-at-the-pump options.
• Pennsylvania: Self-serve is the norm across the Delaware River from the Delaware Water Gap to the Philadelphia suburbs and the I-95 corridor.
• Delaware: Self-serve is permitted statewide, with many stations clustered along I-95 and US-13/US-40.

Cross-border stations often sit within minutes of New Jersey bridges and tunnels, making them convenient for drivers seeking self-serve options or 24/7 unattended fueling.

What to Expect at a New Jersey Gas Station

For those unfamiliar with full-service fueling, the process is straightforward and typically quick.

• Pull up to the pump, turn off your engine, and wait for an attendant.
• Specify grade and payment method (cash or card); hand over payment or use pay-at-pump if the station enables it through the attendant.
• The attendant will handle the nozzle, start fueling, and complete the transaction.
• Tips are optional and at your discretion; there’s no statewide rule requiring or prohibiting tipping.

Most stations are accustomed to high volumes and will guide you through the process, especially in busy commuter corridors.

Legislative Efforts and Current Status

Attempts to introduce a self-service option surface regularly in Trenton, but none has passed to date. Here’s how the debate has evolved.

• 1949: New Jersey adopts statewide full-service rules on safety grounds.
• 2015–2021: Periodic bills propose limited self-serve pilots; none advance.
• 2022: The “Motorist Fueling Choice and Convenience Act” draws attention but stalls without a floor vote.
• 2023: Oregon ends its long-standing ban, leaving New Jersey as the only state with a comprehensive prohibition.
• 2024–2025: Discussions continue, but no enacted law changes New Jersey’s full-service requirement.

As of 2025, the legal landscape is unchanged: gasoline remains full-service only in New Jersey, with diesel as the routine self-serve exception.

Bottom Line

If you’re in New Jersey, you cannot legally pump your own gasoline anywhere in the state. You can self-serve diesel at many stations, and self-serve gasoline is readily available just across the borders in New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

Summary

New Jersey mandates full-service attendants for gasoline statewide and does not permit customer-operated gasoline pumps. Diesel is the key exception and may be self-served at numerous locations. Travelers seeking self-serve gasoline will find it immediately upon crossing into neighboring states.

Why did NJ ban self-serve gas?

The stated reason that New Jersey has a self-service ban is because of fire hazards, an idea that was lobbied by full-service gas station owners in the late 40’s.

Are you supposed to tip gas pumpers in New Jersey?

No, you are not required to tip gas station attendants in New Jersey, as tipping is not customary for this service, which is included in the job duties and wages of a gas attendant. While tipping is not expected, some people occasionally choose to give a small tip, such as a dollar or two, as a personal gesture of appreciation for service, especially in harsh weather conditions. 
Why Tipping Isn’t Customary

• Included Service: In New Jersey, attendants are paid by the employer to pump gas for customers, making the service a part of their expected duties, not an extra service that warrants a tip. 
• Different Wage Structure: Unlike restaurant servers who often rely heavily on tips, gas station attendants in New Jersey are typically paid an hourly wage, not a waiter’s wage. 
• Lack of Enforcement: There are no guidelines or expectations for tipping gas station attendants in New Jersey, unlike in some other full-service states where tips are more common. 

Optional Tipping

• Personal Choice: Tipping is an optional and personal decision, so if you choose to tip, it’s a personal choice based on your own means and feeling of appreciation. 
• Appreciated Gestures: A small tip might be appreciated by an attendant, particularly if they are working in extreme weather conditions like heavy rain, snow, or intense heat. 
• Windshield Cleaning: Some people may give a small tip if the attendant provides additional service, such as cleaning the windshield. 

Can you pump your own gas in New Jersey?

No, it is illegal for drivers to pump their own gas in New Jersey, making it the only state in the U.S. where self-service gas is prohibited by law. New Jersey has prohibited self-service gas since 1949 under the Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, and while bills have been introduced to allow it, they have not passed. You must use a full-service attendant to fill your tank when getting gas in New Jersey. 
Why is it illegal?

• Historical Ban: The Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, passed in 1949, banned self-service gas stations. 
• Job Protection: A primary argument for maintaining the ban is the protection of jobs for gas station attendants. 
• Safety Concerns: Some argue that attendants provide safer fueling, though this reason is less emphasized now than in the past. 

What is the current situation?

• New Jersey remains the last state to require full-service gas stations, where an attendant fills your tank. 
• Although there have been attempts to change the law, like the proposed Motorist Fueling Choice and Convenience Act, these have not been successful. 
• While many residents and visitors find the full-service model unique, there is ongoing debate about whether New Jersey should allow self-service gas. 

Is there self-serve in New Jersey?

New Jersey’s prohibition of self-serve gasoline dates back to the 1949 Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act. As of 2022, the state legislature published ten findings and declarations over the years explaining why the state prohibits self-serve. Reasons have included fire hazards, insurance rates, gas fumes, and more.