Do You Need a Costco Membership to Buy Fuel in Australia? (Cards, App, Shop Cards, Renewals)

Costco fuel is usually among the cheapest in town, so the obvious question is whether you can fill up without paying for a membership. (In the US you may know it as gas; here it's fuel or petrol.) This post covers who can use a Costco bowser in Australia: which memberships work, what they cost in 2026, who gets a free household card, whether the card in the Costco app works at the pump, and what happens with a borrowed card, a Shop Card or an expired membership.

Short answer: Yes, you need a current Costco membership. Costco Australia says "You need to be a current Costco member to be able to dispense fuel", and the pump checks your membership before it takes payment. Gold Star and Business cost $65 a year, Executive $130. Each includes a free household card that works at the pump. Costco Shop Cards can't be used at fuel stations, and we found no way to renew at the bowser.

Can anyone buy fuel at Costco in Australia?

No. Costco Australia's own fuel FAQ, Paying for your fuel at Costco (linked from the Costco fuel station page), puts it plainly:

"You need to be a current Costco member to be able to dispense fuel at Costco. Upon successful membership validation, transactions must be then 'pre-authorised' with a payment card."

The general rule in Costco's Member Privileges and Conditions is the same: members can bring up to two guests into the warehouse, "though only Costco Members may purchase items."

Payment is at the pump only, by debit card or Visa and Mastercard credit card with a PIN. There is no cash, no fleet cards (Motorpass and Motorcharge included) and no counter where a non-member could pay instead. That FAQ dates from December 2014, but it is still the one Costco links from its fuel station page.

Not every warehouse has fuel, either. In our data, 14 of Costco's 15 Australian warehouses have a fuel station; Ringwood in Victoria does not. The full list, with today's prices, is on our Costco fuel stations in Australia page.

Which Costco memberships work at the bowser?

Every warehouse membership works at the pump. Costco Australia sells four, at these prices on costco.com.au/membership as of 15 October 2026:

Membership is open to "all qualifying individuals 18 years of age and over", according to the conditions. Costco's membership page doesn't say whether the fees include GST.

The last fee rise took effect on 1 June 2023, the first since Costco opened in Australia in 2009. Gold Star went from $60 to $65 and Business from $55 to $65, according to Costco's email to members posted on OzBargain in April 2023. Older articles quoting $60 are using the pre-2023 price.

Does Executive membership save anything on fuel?

No. All four tiers pay the same pump price. And fuel doesn't count toward the Executive reward. Costco's Executive Membership terms say the 2% reward (capped at $1,000 a year) is "not calculated" on "purchases of fuel, pharmacy, Costco Shop Cards, charitable donations and at food courts."

The reward can't be spent on fuel either. The same terms say it may not be used "toward purchases that are not recorded through Costco's front-end registers, such as purchases at fuel stations."

So the $65 upgrade only pays off through eligible warehouse spending. Our Australian Executive membership and fuel guide works through the break-even in Australian dollars.

Can my partner or family use my membership for fuel?

Yes, if they have their own household card. Costco Australia's conditions say:

"A free household Card is available to a primary cardholder's spouse, domestic partner, or immediate family member over the age of 18 and living at the same address."

Household cardholders "will be asked to present proof that they live at the same address as the primary cardholder." The household card is a full membership card with its own photo, so it works at the pump the same way yours does.

That's wider than in some countries. An adult son, daughter or parent living with you qualifies, not only a partner. A 17-year-old learner or P-plater who lives at home does not; the card is for people over 18.

Business members can also add up to six affiliate cardholders at $65 each. The conditions say the fee is "prorated to the time of joining up until 2 months before expiry."

Can I use my Costco app card at the pump?

We can't confirm it, so carry the plastic card.

The digital membership card lives in the Costco app (My Costco, then the Digital Membership Card tile). You take a photo in the app, then go to a warehouse to activate it. When it launched in November 2022, Costco Australia's digital membership FAQ answered "Will my digital membership work at the Fuel Station?" with "Not at the moment, but we are working on a solution". Members on OzBargain noted they still needed the plastic card at the bowser.

Some search-engine snippets of that FAQ now show a different answer: "Yes! You can now use your digital membership card at our Fuel Stations for a quicker, more convenient experience." We couldn't load a live copy of the page that says this. The FAQ text Costco's site served when we checked on 15 October 2026 still said "Not at the moment", and Costco hasn't announced any change.

A few practical points:

• The FAQ says the digital card "can only be accessed through the Mobile App". It can't go in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
• A screenshot is not the same thing. Costco's conditions say "Photographs of membership cards cannot be used in warehouses in lieu of an actual membership card."
• Until Costco confirms the app card works at the bowser, the plastic card is the one that's sure to.

For how the app card works at Costco pumps in other countries, see using the Costco app at the pump.

Can I use someone else's Costco card for fuel?

Not by the rules. Costco Australia's conditions say "Cards are not transferable," that "Cards remain the property of Costco and must be returned upon request," and that "Memberships may be terminated at Costco's discretion."

The card also carries the holder's photo: "Your membership card must have a card number and your photo to be valid." The bowser reads the card, not your face, so a borrowed card may well start the pump. That doesn't make it allowed. If Costco decides a card is being shared, the membership at risk belongs to the person who lent it.

The legitimate way to share is the free household card for an adult at the same address.

Can I use a Costco gift card or Shop Card for fuel?

No. This is where Australia differs from the US. In the US, a non-member with a physical Costco Shop Card can fill up (see the US Shop Card rule). In Australia, Costco's Shop Card terms rule it out twice:

"Australian cards can only be used in Australian warehouses, excluding all fuel stations, food court self-serve kiosks and any eCommerce transactions."

"Members and non-members may use the Costco Shop Cards for the purchase of merchandise, services and Costco memberships at any Costco location in Australia, excluding purchases of petrol and excluding all online purchases."

So a Shop Card gets a non-member into the warehouse to shop (they need photo ID with a current address at the membership counter), but not onto the forecourt. Members can't use one at the pump either. Shop Cards range from $25 to $999.99, have no expiry date, and can only be bought by members.

What a Shop Card can pay for is a membership. If someone gives you one, you can put it toward a $65 Gold Star membership at the membership counter, then fill up as a member.

What happens if my membership has expired?

The pump won't get past the membership check, so renew first. We found nothing to suggest you can renew at the bowser. Costco Australia's renewal page and conditions list these routes:

• Online: sign in at costco.com.au and choose Renew Now. You need an online account and a Visa, Mastercard or debit card.
• In the warehouse: pay at any Australian warehouse.
• Auto renewal: turn it on under My Account Payment Methods. Costco's auto renewal page says it will email you 15 days before charging the fee. Members who joined from 1 February 2023 are on auto renewal unless they opt out.

You keep the same card after renewing: "New membership cards are not issued each year."

Renewing late doesn't win you free months. Under the conditions, "Memberships renewed within 2 months after expiration of the current membership year will be extended for 12 months from the expiration date." Renew later than that and the 12 months run from the renewal date. If your fuel station opens before the warehouse (most open at 6am and the warehouses at 10am on weekdays), renew online before you leave home. Hours for each site are on our Costco fuel opening hours page.

What does the pump do with your membership card?

At an Australian Costco bowser the order is:

1. Scan or insert your physical membership card (the app card isn't confirmed, see above).
2. The pump checks you have a current membership.
3. Insert your payment card and enter your PIN. The pump pre-authorises an amount; Costco charges only for the fuel you take, and its FAQ warns the hold can take up to 14 business days to drop off, depending on your bank.
4. Choose your fuel and fill up. The limit is $999 per transaction.

If the pump rejects a card you think is current, take it to the membership desk inside the warehouse; Costco describes its fuel stations as unattended. Our step-by-step guide to filling up at Costco in Australia covers the payment side, the pre-authorisation hold and what to do if a card is declined.

Is a membership worth it for fuel alone?

It depends on how much you buy and what your local servos charge. On 15 October 2026, our data showed these Costco prices across the 14 Australian fuel stations:

The break-even is simple. At $65 a year, a saving of 10c/L pays the fee after 650 litres, about 11 tanks for a car with a 60-litre tank. At 5c/L it takes 1,300 litres. Diesel drivers and anyone doing big kilometres get there fastest; see our Costco diesel prices page. Our why Costco fuel is so cheap post compares Costco with the ACCC city averages and Perth's brands. Compare your nearest Costco against your usual servo with Costco fuel near me, or see the national picture on the Australia hub and the state pages for NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA and the ACT.

Can I buy Costco fuel? Every scenario