If you pay for most things in cash, the Costco gas station can be a surprise: there is no cashier's booth and nowhere to hand over bills. So does Costco gas take cash at all, and if not, how do cash users fill up? This post gives the plain answer for the US and Canada, the one workaround Costco itself points to, and how the other "cash-like" options (prepaid Visa cards and debit) hold up at the pump.
Short answer: No. Costco gas stations are pay-at-the-pump only, and neither Costco US nor Costco Canada accepts cash at the pump. The workaround is to pay cash for a physical Costco Shop Card at a staffed register inside the warehouse, then use that card at the pump. Costco Canada spells this out: "Members may use cash to purchase a Costco Shop Card inside the warehouse."
Can you pay cash at Costco gas?
No, in either country. Costco's US payment page lists cash as accepted in the warehouse but not at gas stations, where the list is Visa cards, most PIN debit cards, Apple Pay and Costco Shop Cards. Costco Canada's payment page is blunter: "Cash and Digital Shop Cards are not accepted at Costco gas stations."
The attendants you see at the pumps direct traffic and help members, but they do not take payment. Costco Canada describes its gas station as "entirely self-serve, with pay-at-the-pump technology." That is the same at every Costco we track, from New Jersey, where attendants pump the gas by law, to Ontario. For the full list of what does work, see our guide to what cards Costco gas accepts and, for Canada, how to pay at Costco gas in Canada.
Why doesn't Costco gas accept cash?
Costco Canada gives the only official reason we could find. Its gasoline Q&A says: "Cash and cheques are not accepted for payment. Eliminating the need for a cashier means a shorter wait for our members."
Costco's US pages list the payment methods without explaining the choice. Other reasons you may read online, such as security or cash-handling costs, are reasonable guesses, but Costco has not said them, so treat them as guesses.
How to pay for Costco gas with cash: the Shop Card method
The one reliable way to turn cash into Costco gas is a physical Costco Shop Card, Costco's reloadable gift card. Cash is accepted at warehouse registers in both countries, and Shop Cards are accepted at the pumps in both countries.
- Go inside the warehouse during warehouse hours. The warehouse and the pumps keep different schedules. The pumps typically open earlier and close later; our Costco gas hours guide has the details.
- Use a staffed register, not self-checkout. Costco's self-checkout machines don't take cash, according to reports compiled by Chowhound. Tell the cashier you want to buy (or reload) a physical Shop Card and hand over cash.
- Show your membership card. Only members can buy or reload a Shop Card, in both countries.
- Load enough for a full tank, plus a margin. See the next section for amounts.
- At the pump, insert the Shop Card. Costco Canada says a Shop Card "also serves as membership authorization for the pump," so you don't need to scan anything else. Keep the physical card: digital Shop Cards are not accepted at Canadian gas stations, and the US gas list doesn't mention them.
How much should you load?
Load for your biggest likely fill, not your average one. As of our September 29, 2026 reading, the average Costco regular price across our US stations was $4.643/gal, so a 15-gallon fill costs about $69.65 and a 25-gallon truck tank about $116.08. In Canada, the average was 173.0¢/L, so a 60-litre fill costs about $103.80.
Shop Card amounts in the warehouse:
| US | Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can buy or reload | Members only | Members only |
| Pay for it with cash? | Yes, at a staffed register | Yes, at a staffed register |
| Amounts | Costco.com lists $25 to $1,000 for mailed cards; guides report up to $2,000 per card in the warehouse | $50 to $2,000 (Costco.ca) |
| Daily limit | $10,000 a day in total gift card sales, per Costco's Shop Card FAQ | Check with your warehouse |
| Works at the pump | Physical card | Physical card only |
What if the Shop Card runs out mid-fill?
Jalopnik and member reports say you can pay the difference with another accepted card, such as a Visa or PIN debit card in the US. Costco doesn't publish exactly how the pump handles a low balance, so the simplest plan for a cash user is to keep the card loaded above a full tank. Our post on using a Costco Shop Card for gas covers balances, split payment and checking what's left.
A useful side effect: because anyone holding a Shop Card can use it at the pump, a member can buy one with cash and give it to a family member without a membership. Our post on whether you need a membership to buy gas explains that exception.
Can you use a prepaid Visa gift card at Costco gas?
In the US, sometimes, but it is the least reliable cash-bought option. A prepaid Visa is still a Visa, which is the only credit network Costco's US pumps take. Two things commonly block it:
- The pre-authorization hold. Costco's US gas FAQ says the pump asks for a pre-authorization that "may be up to $150." Gift card issuers such as Gift Card Granny and Perfect Gift warn that pay-at-the-pump holds are often larger than the card's balance, which gets the card declined even when it has enough for the gas you actually want.
- The ZIP code prompt. US pumps often ask for a billing ZIP code. Prepaid cards usually need to be registered with the issuer, with a name and ZIP, before that check can pass.
Perfect Gift also says its virtual Visa and Mastercard gift cards cannot be used at gas stations at all. Prepaid Visas bought at stores also typically carry a purchase fee, which a Costco Shop Card does not.
In Canada, a prepaid Visa won't work at a Costco gas bar because Costco Canada doesn't take Visa. A prepaid Mastercard is on the right network but faces the same hold problem: Costco Canada pre-authorizes the lower of your card's limit or $200. We found no Costco page that addresses prepaid cards directly, so if you try one, have a backup.
Is a debit card the closest thing to cash?
For most people, yes. A debit card spends money you already have, with no credit involved, and both countries take it at the pump.
- US: Costco lists "most PIN-based Debit/ATM Cards." Insert the card and enter your PIN.
- Canada: Costco accepts Canadian debit cards (Interac) and Mastercard debit. Insert and enter your PIN.
The catch is the hold. The pump reserves up to $150 in the US, or up to $200 in Canada (less if your bank's limit is lower), until the real amount settles. If your account is close to empty, the pump may decline you even for a small fill. That is where a cash-loaded Shop Card can suit a tight budget better: there is no bank hold on your checking or chequing account.
Cash vs Shop Card vs prepaid vs debit at Costco pumps
| Option | US Costco gas | Canada Costco gas bar |
|---|---|---|
| Cash at the pump | No | No |
| Physical Shop Card bought with cash | Yes (the most reliable cash route) | Yes (the most reliable cash route) |
| Digital Shop Card | Not listed for gas | No |
| Prepaid Visa gift card | Sometimes: hold and ZIP issues | No (Visa not accepted) |
| Prepaid Mastercard gift card | No (Mastercard credit not accepted) | Sometimes: hold issues |
| Debit card with PIN | Yes, most PIN debit | Yes, Interac and Mastercard debit |
Don't some states require stores to accept cash?
Yes, several do, but the laws have exemptions, and we found no ruling or official statement on how they apply to Costco's gas stations. Here is what the laws say, checked in September 2026.
| Place | Law | Exemptions relevant to pay-at-the-pump |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | Since 1978 (M.G.L. c. 255D, § 10A), retailers "must accept legal tender" | None specific to gas in the statute text |
| New Jersey | 2019 (N.J.S.A. 56:8-2.33) | Car rentals, parking facilities, airport vendors; nothing on gas stations |
| Rhode Island | 2019 (R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-13.1-30) | Reported to carry no fines or penalties |
| Colorado | 2021 (HB21-1048) | Exempts establishments that "do not have an individual accepting payment in person," and those with a free cash-to-prepaid-card device |
| Philadelphia | 2019 (Code § 9-1132) | Exempts "wholesale clubs that sell consumer goods and services through a membership model" |
| New York City | 2020 (Local Law 34) | Exempts stores with a free cash-to-prepaid-card machine |
| New York State | March 21, 2026 (GBL § 396-ii) | Same cash-to-prepaid-card exemption; bills over $20 can be refused |
| Washington, DC | Enforceable since October 2023 (D.C. Code § 28-5404) | Cash-to-prepaid-card devices, some parking, some licensed venues |
San Francisco, Seattle and Detroit have city-level rules too. Two exemptions stand out for Costco gas. Colorado's law excludes businesses with no person taking payment in person, which describes a pay-at-the-pump station. Philadelphia's ordinance excludes membership wholesale clubs outright.
In the other places, the cash-to-card exemptions are written for machines that convert cash to a prepaid card with no fee. Buying a Shop Card with cash at the register is close in spirit, and it is the route Costco itself tells cash users to take, but we have not seen any regulator say that it satisfies a specific law. Costco also still takes cash inside every warehouse, which is the "retail establishment" most of these laws describe. If you're in one of these places, at Staten Island, say, or anywhere in Colorado or Massachusetts, expect the same card-only pumps and plan on a Shop Card.
Canada has no equivalent. The Bank of Canada says "there is no law that requires anyone to accept cash as a form of payment," and that businesses "have the right to choose how they wish to be paid."
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay the Costco gas attendant in cash?
No. Costco gas station attendants help with traffic and questions but do not take payment. Every Costco pump in the US and Canada is pay-at-the-pump with a card, so cash has to be turned into a Shop Card inside the warehouse first.
Can I buy a Costco Shop Card with cash?
Yes, if you're a member. Costco accepts cash at staffed warehouse registers in both countries, and the cashier can sell or reload a physical Shop Card. Self-checkout lanes are reported not to take cash.
Can a non-member pay cash for Costco gas?
Not directly. A non-member can't buy a Shop Card, but a member can buy one with cash and hand it over, and Costco lets anyone holding a Shop Card use it at the pump.
Does Costco gas take checks?
No. Personal checks (cheques in Canada) are accepted in Costco warehouses, not at the gas station. Costco Canada's gasoline Q&A says "cash and cheques are not accepted."
Can I use a Costco Shop Card from the US at a Canadian gas bar?
Costco says Shop Cards can be used at Costco locations in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico, and Canadian gas bars accept physical Shop Cards. Expect the balance to be converted to the local currency, and check what's left after your first use.
Does a Shop Card put a hold on my money like a debit card?
Costco's published pre-authorization rules cover Visa, PIN debit and Mastercard, and it doesn't say whether a Shop Card gets a similar hold. Either way, the money is already on the card, so nothing is held in your bank account.
Sources
- What payment methods are accepted at Costco?, Costco Customer Service (US) — cash accepted in US warehouses, not listed for gas stations; gas list of Visa, PIN debit, Apple Pay and Shop Cards.
- What methods of payment does Costco Canada accept?, Costco Customer Service (Canada) — cash accepted in Canadian warehouses; "Cash and Digital Shop Cards are not accepted at Costco gas stations."
- Gasoline Q and A, Costco.ca — "entirely self-serve, with pay-at-the-pump technology"; no cash or cheques because eliminating a cashier shortens waits; members may use cash to buy a Shop Card inside; Shop Card as membership authorization; $200 pre-authorization.
- What are the gas station payment options?, Costco Customer Service (Canada) — Shop Cards loaded for $50 to $2,000; no cash at gas stations.
- Shop Card FAQs, Costco Customer Service (US) and Shop Card FAQs, Costco Customer Service (Canada) — members-only purchase, reload at any warehouse register, $10,000 daily limit (US), digital cards not accepted at Canadian gas stations.
- Costco Shop Card, Costco.com — $25 to $1,000 denominations online; digital cards not accepted at Canadian gas stations.
- Costco Gas Station FAQs, Costco Customer Service (US) — US pre-authorization of up to $150 for PIN debit and Visa.
- The One Way Non-Members Can Still Get Gas At Costco, Jalopnik — reported split payment when a Shop Card balance runs short (not re-opened for this post; also cited in our membership and Shop Card posts).
- Costco shop cards & how they work, TheStreet (seen in search results) — reported warehouse range of $25 to $2,000.
- Does Costco Accept Cash For Payment?, Chowhound (seen in search results) — self-checkout machines and food court kiosks don't take cash, per member reports.
- Why was my Card Declined at Pump?, Gift Card Granny and Card was declined at a gas station, Perfect Gift (both seen in search results) — pump pre-authorization holds on prepaid gift cards; virtual gift cards not usable at gas stations.
- Massachusetts General Laws c. 255D, § 10A, Justia (seen in search results) — Massachusetts cash acceptance rule.
- New Jersey enacts law barring cashless stores, AP News (seen in search results) and New Jersey Outlaws Bans on Cash, Manatt — New Jersey's 2019 law and its exemptions.
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-13.1-30, Rhode Island General Assembly and Rhode Island Retailers Must Take Cash Under New Law, Bloomberg Law (both seen in search results) — Rhode Island's rule and lack of penalties.
- HB21-1048 Retail Business Must Accept Cash, Colorado General Assembly — Colorado exemptions for businesses without an individual taking payment in person and for free cash-to-card devices.
- § 9-1132 Cashless Retail Prohibition, Philadelphia Code (American Legal Publishing) (seen in search results) — Philadelphia's exemption for membership wholesale clubs.
- Prohibition of Cashless Establishments, NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and Cashless Ban Update, Davis Wright Tremaine — NYC's rule and cash-to-prepaid-card exemption.
- Attorney General James Notifies New Yorkers About New State Law, New York Attorney General — New York State law effective March 21, 2026, and its exemptions.
- D.C. Code § 28-5404, Council of the District of Columbia and Cashless retailer legal alert, LawHelp.org/DC (seen in search results) — DC exemptions and 2023 enforcement date.
- Cashless society, Wikipedia — overview of US state and city cash laws, including San Francisco, Seattle and Detroit.
- About legal tender, Bank of Canada — no Canadian law requires businesses to accept cash.