Biodiesel stations in Illinois

Why Illinois has more biodiesel pumps than any other state

One policy explains it: Illinois exempts higher biodiesel blends from the state's 6.25% sales tax on motor fuel. For years the threshold was “more than 10% biodiesel,” which made B11 the default diesel at many Illinois pumps. A 2022 law extended the exemption through 2030 but raised the bar in steps — B14 in 2024, B17 in 2025 and B20 from 2026 — so stations that want the tax break now have to sell B20 for most of the year. On $4 diesel that exemption is worth roughly 25 cents a gallon, which is why B20 in Illinois is frequently cheaper than straight diesel.

The practical result is that biodiesel here is a convenience-store product, not a specialty fuel. Nearly every listed station is a Casey's, spread across small towns downstate rather than concentrated in Chicago. About one in five Illinois stations reports dropping to a lower blend in winter; the law allows that for cold-weather operability.

Tips for Illinois drivers

• Chicago and the collar counties are thin. If you're heading downstate on I-55, I-57 or I-74, you'll pass B20 every few exits.
• Pilot in Decatur is the state's one public B99 pump.
• Look for the yellow-and-black FTC blend label; a lot of Illinois diesel is B20 without any big signage.

State incentives and mandates change. The current list for Illinois is on the AFDC Illinois laws and incentives page.