The states that you're not allowed to pump your own gasoline is New Jersey and Oregon.
The state of New Jersey is the only state in the United States that strictly prohibits drivers from pumping their own gasoline.
And the state of Oregon has historically banned self pumping of gasoline, although the state of Oregon now allows drivers to choose, whether they want to pump their own gasoline or not as they passed legislation allowing drivers to choose to pump their own gasoline.
This means that drivers in the state of Oregon can now pump their own gas if they want to or choose full service and have their gas pumped for them still.
And a handful of cities in the state of Massachusetts, like Brookline, Massachusetts also don't allow you to pump your own gasoline and still restrict self service.
And the town of Huntington, New York still also enforces regulations on pumping gas and requires an attendant to pump your gas for you.
So while you can pump your own gas in other parts of New York, the only exception is that in Huntington, New York, you cannot pump your own gas.
New Jersey and Oregon initially banned self-service gas in the mid-20th century to prevent fire hazards and reduce public exposure to toxic fumes like benzene.
While Oregon has since updated its laws to allow self-service at many pumps, New Jersey keeps its ban for safety and job protection.
The original bans on pumping gasoline were enacted by state legislatures in 1949 in New Jersey and 1951 in Oregon.
The core reasons they originally came about—and why New Jersey holds out—include:
Safety & Fire Hazards: Legislators cited the danger of untrained individuals handling highly flammable class 1 liquids.
Attendants are trained to enforce rules like turning off engines, preventing smoking, and stopping static electricity buildup.
Health Concerns: The states wanted to limit drivers' direct exposure to toxic gasoline vapors and benzene.
Job Creation: Keeping attendants on duty has historically protected jobs for fuel service workers.