Q&A for How to Pump Your Own Gas

No, it is still illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey and it likely will be for the foreseeable future.

Up until recently, you couldn't pump your own gas anywhere in Oregon, but after a law that took effect in the beginning of 2018, now counties where the population is less than 40,000 people are allowed to have self-serve gas pumps.

When you've pumped however much gas you want, just stop holding down the handle on the pump. The gas will stop flowing at that point and you can then remove the pump from the tank and place it back in its holster.

There are 4 types at most stations. Diesel, Unleaded, Plus, and Premium. Every now and again you'll see a 5th type for boats that has no Ethanol.

Even gas stations that only have one attendant for an entire store are required to have that attendant pump gas for customers with disabilities. But if you go at night there may not be an attendant, and if the store is busy, it may take the attendant a while to get to you.

Yes, but if your car runs on premium, that`s not a good thing to do since you're decreasing the quality of your gas by mixing it. If your car runs on regular gas, then you're just wasting money.

It usually only takes 3-4 minutes after you pay to be able to finish pumping your gas.

There should be a little clasp by the handle that you can put down and lock.

When it tells you to. Normally it will tell you to remove your card after a few seconds. If it doesn't, just remove it and it may move on automatically.

Different makes and models require differing amounts of gas to fill the tank. Consult your owners manual for the capacity of your tank.

Static electricity can cause a spark that ignites the fumes, or the engine might backfire.

Yes! Those usually have a 'we serve' sign as opposed to a 'self serve' sign.

At most modern gas stations, the pump will automatically stop pumping gas when the tank is full. You can always do a google search to find out how many gallons your tank holds, so you can have an idea how many gallons you'll need. For instance, if your tank holds 20 gallons and your gas gauge reads a quarter full, you know you'll need about 15 gallons to fill it.

Your vehicle's model year does not directly affect its gasoline consumption. It's true, though, that newer vehicles tend to be more fuel efficient and therefore can be refueled less often.

When you release the handle, the gas will stop pumping.

Look for a button inside your car. Alternatively, press the cover. This will reveal the fuel cap and the opening.

The pump should have an automatic sensor that will stop the pump when your tank is full.

There is no age requirement for pumping gas. But there's obviously an age requirement for driving, so you wouldn't be able to drive to a gas station if you're not old enough to drive.

It will always say something like, "do you want a receipt?" As long as you press yes or no then you will be fine.

Tell the worker, "I believe I overpaid my gas, could you please check the change I am owed?"

Because there was still gasoline in the hose connected to the nozzle when you released the handle.

Most likely you will need to pay ahead of time, but it depends on the station.

There's a mechanism integrated in the fuel pump that stops it automatically. You can see videos of this with a quick search on YouTube.

Yes you should return it but don’t drive back with it still attached to the gas tank.

No! Teslas use electricity and have batteries in place of fuel tanks. There no place to put the petrol, it's the whole point of a Tesla, to avoid having to use fossil fuels.

Similar to a credit card reader, the enter button is usually located on the bottom right corner of the keypad, sometimes accompanied by a green stripe.

You can find out how many gallons you need and multiply it by the fuel price and have an approximate estimate of how much you need.

Read your vehicle's manual. If it says to use 87 then use 87. Usually if you have a performance car such as any BMW or a Corvette they will use higher octane fuels such as mid-grade(89) or super/premium (91/93).

You have to let go of the trigger to pull the pump out of your car. It might depend what gas station you are at.