You pull up to a Costco pump with a Mastercard, an Amex or a Discover card in your wallet and wonder if it will work. Costco's card rules are unusual, and they are the opposite in the US and Canada, which is why "does Costco gas take Mastercard" is one of the most searched Costco gas questions. This post gives the current answer for both countries, why the rules exist, which card earns the most at the pump, and what to do if you only carry the "wrong" card.
Short answer: In the US, Costco gas stations accept Visa as the only credit card network, plus most PIN debit/ATM cards, Apple Pay and physical Costco Shop Cards. Mastercard, American Express and Discover credit cards are not accepted at US pumps. In Canada it flips: Costco gas bars take Mastercard (credit and debit), debit cards and physical Shop Cards, but not Visa credit or Amex. No Costco pump takes cash.
What payment does Costco gas accept? US vs Canada
Costco lists payment methods separately for warehouses, gas stations and its websites, and the gas station lists are the shortest. Here is what Costco's own customer service pages list for the pumps, as checked on September 29, 2026. The rules are the same at every station in each country, so they apply whether you fill up in Texas or Ontario.
| Payment method | US Costco gas | Canada Costco gas bar |
|---|---|---|
| Visa credit | Yes (all Visa cards) | No |
| Mastercard credit | No | Yes |
| American Express | No | No |
| Discover | No | No |
| Debit / ATM card | Yes, most PIN-based cards | Yes (debit, Mastercard debit) |
| Costco Shop Card (physical) | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Shop Card | No | No |
| Apple Pay | Yes | Not listed for gas bars |
| Google Pay / Samsung Pay | Not listed for gas | Not listed for gas bars |
| Cash | No | No |
A valid Costco membership card is also needed to start the pump in both countries. The Shop Card is the one exception people use to fuel without a membership, which our post on whether you need a Costco membership to buy gas covers in detail.
Does Costco gas take Mastercard?
In the US, no, not as a credit card. Costco's US gas station payment list names "All Visa Cards", PIN debit, Apple Pay and Shop Cards, and nothing from Mastercard's credit side. Costco.com does accept Mastercard for online orders, which is where a lot of the confusion comes from.
In Canada, yes. Costco Canada's gas stations list "Mastercard credit & debit" first. Any Mastercard works, not only the Costco-branded one. For every Canadian option, including Visa Debit cards, Shop Cards and the $200 hold, see our guide to paying at Costco gas in Canada.
Can you use a Mastercard debit card at a US Costco pump?
Usually yes, if it runs as PIN debit. Costco's US list accepts "most PIN-based Debit/ATM Cards", and the Visa-only rule applies to credit. A Mastercard-branded debit card from a US bank normally carries a PIN debit network, so inserting it and entering your PIN is the route that works. Card guides and member reports say that trying to run a Mastercard debit card without a PIN (as "credit") tends to be declined. Costco does not publish a list of which debit cards count as "most", so if yours fails at the pump, the warehouse is the place to ask.
Does Costco gas take Amex or Discover?
No, in either country. American Express was Costco's exclusive card network in the US until 2016 and in Canada until the end of 2014, but neither country accepts it today at the pump or in the warehouse. Discover is not on any Costco pump list either. If Amex or Discover is your main card, jump to the workarounds below.
Why does Costco only accept one credit card network?
Costco signs an exclusive deal with one network in each country in exchange for very low card acceptance fees. Every credit card swipe costs a merchant an interchange fee, and a retailer with Costco's thin margins benefits a lot from pushing that cost down. Experts quoted by Money in August 2026 describe Costco as getting "the lowest acceptance cost for credit cards of any merchant in the United States by far" through its exclusive arrangement.
The US deal dates back to March 2015, when Costco announced that Citi would issue its co-branded card and Visa would replace American Express as its credit network in the US and Puerto Rico. The switch took effect in June 2016. Costco has since extended the Citi agreement, with reporting on its SEC filings putting the current term through June 2029. Nothing we found in 2026 suggests Costco is about to add Mastercard, Amex or Discover at US pumps.
Canada went the other way. Costco Canada dropped American Express at the end of 2014 and began accepting Mastercard on January 1, 2015, with Capital One as the card issuer. On March 4, 2022, CIBC took over as the exclusive issuer of the Costco Mastercard in Canada. The network stayed Mastercard.
Which card earns the most at Costco gas?
In the US it is the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi; in Canada it is the CIBC Costco Mastercard. Both have no annual fee (the Citi card requires an active Costco membership).
| Costco Anywhere Visa (Citi, US) | CIBC Costco Mastercard (Canada) | |
|---|---|---|
| Costco gas | 5% | 3% (Costco gas in Canada) |
| Other gas and EV charging | 4% | 2% |
| Cap on the gas rate | First $7,000 a year, combined, then 1% | Reported as first $5,000 a year, combined, then 1% |
| Most you can earn at the top gas rate | $350 a year | $150 a year |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | Check CIBC's terms |
| How rewards arrive | Annual reward after the February statement | Annual cash back certificate in January, for use at Costco Canada |
Our Costco Citi Visa gas rewards guide covers what counts as an eligible gas station. Citi raised the Costco gas rate from 4% to 5% on January 19, 2025, and that is still the rate on Citi's card page in September 2026. The 5% applies to gas bought at Costco warehouses worldwide. The CIBC card's 3% applies to Costco gas stations within Canada; card reviewers report that CIBC's terms cap the combined 3% and 2% gas earn at the first $5,000 of net annual gas purchases (the Business version has an $8,000 cap).
What that is worth in practice, using our September 29, 2026 reading:
- US: the average Costco regular price across our US stations was $4.643/gal (from $3.66 in Texas to $6.05 in California). A 15-gallon fill costs about $69.65, and 5% back is about $3.48, or roughly 23¢ a gallon.
- Canada: the average Costco regular price across our Canadian gas bars was 173.0¢/L. A 60-litre fill costs about $103.80, and 3% back is about $3.11, or roughly 5.2¢/L.
That rebate sits on top of Costco's usual price gap to nearby stations. For how big that gap is, see why Costco gas is so cheap and how much you really save. Executive members earn a 2% annual reward on most Costco purchases, but Costco's terms exclude gasoline (and Shop Card purchases) from it; see does gas count toward the Executive 2% reward.
Any other Visa (US) or Mastercard (Canada) works too. A general gas rewards card on the right network can beat the co-brand card once you pass its annual cap. The card pays the same percentage whichever grade you pick, so the rebate on premium is slightly larger in dollars; our guide to Costco gas grades explains when premium is worth it.
How to pay at Costco gas with a Mastercard, Amex or Discover
You cannot swipe those cards at a US pump, but you can use them indirectly through a Costco Shop Card. The steps:
- Buy a Shop Card on Costco.com. Costco.com accepts Mastercard, so a Mastercard holder can buy a physical Shop Card online and have it mailed. Standard shipping is by First Class Mail from Minnesota with no tracking; express is by FedEx. Order it before you need it.
- Or buy one in the warehouse with an accepted method: Visa, PIN debit, cash, or a member's personal check. Costco does not accept Mastercard credit, Amex or Discover at US warehouse registers, so this route is only a way around the card network if you pay with cash or debit.
- Use the physical card at the pump. Physical Shop Cards are on both countries' gas station lists. Costco's Shop Card page says digital Shop Cards are not accepted at Canadian gas stations, and a Costco US help page says digital Shop Cards "can't be used at... Costco Gas Stations" either, so carry the physical one.
Amex and Discover cannot buy a Shop Card on Costco.com either, since the site takes Visa, Mastercard, debit and Shop Cards. For those cards the only routes are a third-party prepaid Visa (some issuers treat gift card purchases as cash advances, and prepaid cards often fail at pumps because of the pre-authorization hold) or switching to debit.
In Canada the same idea works in reverse: a Visa credit card can pay for a Shop Card on Costco.ca, which accepts Visa online, and the physical card then works at the gas bar.
Can you pay cash at Costco gas?
No. Costco gas is pay-at-the-pump only, and neither country's gas station list includes cash. Costco Canada's page says it outright: "Cash and Digital Shop Cards are not accepted at Costco gas stations." If you only use cash, buy a Shop Card inside the warehouse with cash first; our post on whether Costco gas takes cash walks through it. Keep in mind that pumps and the warehouse keep different hours; our Costco gas hours guide has the details.
Does Costco gas take Apple Pay or tap to pay?
In the US, Apple Pay is on Costco's gas station list, linked to a Visa or an accepted debit card (full guide to Apple Pay and tap at Costco gas). Google Pay and Samsung Pay are on the US warehouse list but not the gas list, so don't count on them at the pump. In Canada, Apple Pay appears on the warehouse list but not on the gas bar list. The network rule still applies whatever the wallet: a Mastercard loaded into Apple Pay will not work at a US Costco pump.
Why is there a hold on my card after buying Costco gas?
Because the pump does not know how much fuel you will buy, it asks your bank to approve a temporary "pre-authorization" before fueling. Costco's US gas FAQ says this applies to PIN debit and Visa purchases and "may be up to $150." As soon as you hang up the nozzle, Costco sends the actual amount, and your bank is responsible for releasing the rest.
In Canada, Costco's gasoline Q&A says the amount pre-authorized is "the lower of the dollar limit issued by the card issuer or $200." Its customer service FAQ adds that a hold can stay on the account "for several days" if the bank does not release it correctly, and that Costco cannot release holds manually. If the account lacks enough available funds for the hold, the pump shows "Authorization Declined". On a debit card with a low balance, this is the most common reason a fill-up fails. Call the number on the back of your card if a hold lingers.
Using a Canadian card at a US Costco (or a US card in Canada)
The network rule follows the country you are in, not where the card was issued. A Canadian's Visa works at a US Costco pump; their Costco CIBC Mastercard does not. An American's Mastercard works at a Canadian gas bar; their Costco Anywhere Visa does not. If you are thinking of crossing just to fill up, we ran the numbers in is cross-border Costco gas in Bellingham still worth it.
US pumps often ask for a ZIP code, which checks your card's billing address. Card holders from outside the US have no ZIP, so the prompt can block the sale. Travel and snowbird guides report that Canadians often get through by entering the three digits from their postal code followed by two zeros (for example, M9Z 4X3 becomes 94300), and some Canadians report doing this at Costco in Hawaii. This is a workaround people report, not an official rule, and it does not work for every card. Costco gas stations have no cashier to pay inside, so the dependable backup is a physical Shop Card bought in the warehouse. Canadian snowbirds heading south can check prices at stations like Iwilei in Honolulu or search any warehouse from our station finder.
Frequently asked questions
Does Costco take Mastercard for gas in the US?
No. US Costco gas stations accept Visa as their only credit card network. A Mastercard debit card usually works if you enter your PIN, and a Mastercard can be used on Costco.com to buy a physical Shop Card for the pump.
Is there a Costco gas card?
Costco does not sell a separate fuel-only card. People searching "Costco gas card" usually mean the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi (5% on Costco gas in the US, on the first $7,000 of combined gas and EV spend a year), the CIBC Costco Mastercard in Canada (3% on Costco gas), or a Costco Shop Card, which works at the pump like a prepaid card.
Does Costco gas take Visa in Canada?
No. Canadian Costco gas bars accept Mastercard credit and debit, debit cards and physical Shop Cards. Costco.ca accepts Visa online, so a Visa can be used there to buy a Shop Card.
Can I use a Visa gift card at Costco gas?
A prepaid Visa is still a Visa, but it may be declined if its balance cannot cover the pump's pre-authorization, which Costco says may be up to $150 in the US. A Costco Shop Card is the more reliable prepaid option.
Does Costco gas take EBT or checks?
No. EBT cards and personal checks are on Costco's US warehouse payment list, not its gas station list. Pumps take only card-type payments.
Why was my debit card declined at the Costco pump?
The most common causes are not enough available funds to cover the pre-authorization hold, running the card without a PIN, or a card that is not on a supported debit network. Try again with your PIN, or ask your bank whether the hold was declined.
Do I earn Executive Member rewards on Costco gas?
No, not in the US. Costco's Executive 2% reward excludes gasoline, so a card's cash back is the main way to earn a rebate at the pump.
Sources
- What payment methods are accepted at Costco?, Costco Customer Service (US) — US warehouse, gas station and Costco.com payment lists (Visa only, PIN debit, Apple Pay, Shop Cards at gas; Mastercard online only).
- Costco Gas Station FAQs, Costco Customer Service (US) — pre-authorization of up to $150 for PIN debit and Visa.
- What methods of payment does Costco Canada accept?, Costco Customer Service (Canada) — Canadian gas bar list (Mastercard credit and debit, debit, physical Shop Card; no cash or digital Shop Cards) and Costco.ca accepting Visa.
- Why is there a pre-authorization hold at gas pump?, Costco Customer Service (Canada) — how Canadian holds work and that Costco cannot release them.
- Costco Shop Card, Costco.com — digital Shop Cards not accepted at Canadian gas stations; shipping details.
- Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, Citi — 5% Costco gas, 4% other gas and EV, $7,000 combined cap, no foreign transaction fee.
- Costco Credit Card Hikes Rewards for Gas at Its Pumps, NerdWallet — the January 19, 2025 increase from 4% to 5%.
- CIBC Costco Mastercard, CIBC — 3% Costco gas, 2% other gas, $0 annual fee.
- CIBC Costco Mastercard review, Milesopedia — CIBC's $5,000 annual gas cap wording.
- Costco Enters Into a Long Term Co-Brand Credit Card Agreement With Citi and an Acceptance and Co-Brand Agreement With Visa, Visa Investor Relations — the 2015 announcement of Visa replacing Amex in the US.
- Executive 2% Reward FAQs, Costco Customer Service and Member Privileges and Conditions, Costco — gasoline and Shop Cards excluded from the Executive reward.
- Why Costco Only Accepts Visa Credit Cards, Money — interchange fee reasoning and workarounds (August 2026).
- Costco Canada to stop accepting American Express cards, CBC News — Canada's switch from Amex to Mastercard.
- CIBC to become exclusive credit card issuer for Costco Mastercards in Canada, CIBC Media Room and Costco Changes, Capital One Canada — the 2022 move from Capital One to CIBC.
- How to Use your Canadian Credit Card at a U.S. Gas Station, Snowbird Advisor and Canadian purchasing gas at Costco, Tripadvisor forum — the reported postal code workaround (user reports).