Costco fuel stations in Australia have no console and no cashier. Everything happens at the bowser: your membership is checked, your card is pre-authorised, and only then does the fuel flow. That catches out first-timers, and it is behind most "Costco charged me twice" posts. This guide covers how Costco fuel works step by step, which cards the pumps take, how the pre-authorisation hold works and how long it takes to drop off, how to get a tax invoice, and what to do if the pump declines you.
The rules here are Costco Australia's. They differ from the US, Canada and the UK. For those, see our guides to getting gas at Costco in the US, paying at a Costco gas bar in Canada and paying for Costco petrol in the UK.
Short answer: Show your physical Costco membership card at the pump, then pay with a Visa, Mastercard or debit card that has a PIN. Costco says it does not take cash, Motorcharge, Motorpass or any fleet card, and its Shop Card terms exclude petrol. The pump pre-authorises an amount before fuelling, you are charged only for the fuel you pump, and Costco says your bank can take up to 14 business days to release the unused hold.
How does Costco fuel work in Australia?
Costco fuel is members-only and pay-at-the-pump. Costco's fuel FAQ, Paying for your fuel at Costco, sets out the order: "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, to check there are available funds on the card before the fuel transaction can commence." It explains the hold by saying "we are an unattended fuel station."
That FAQ is an old document (it says "Release date: 16 December 2014"), but it is still the FAQ linked from Costco's Fuel Station page as of 15 October 2026. Costco has not published a newer version that we could find.
Costco has fuel at 14 of its 15 Australian warehouses. Ringwood in Victoria has none. Find your nearest on our Costco fuel stations list or near-me finder, and see today's prices on the Australia hub.
How to fill up at Costco, step by step
Pump screens vary a little between sites, so follow what yours says.
- Check the hours. No Australian Costco fuel station is open 24 hours. In our data, most open 6am to 9:30pm on weekdays, 6am to 7:30pm on Saturday and 7am to 7pm on Sunday. Adelaide (Kilburn) opens at 5:30am on weekdays and runs 7am to 7pm on weekends. Full times are on our Costco fuel opening hours page.
- Pick any bowser. Costco says its stations "are fitted with long hoses so you can fill from either side of your vehicle."
- Turn the engine off.
- Present your physical membership card. The digital card in the Costco app isn't confirmed to work at the fuel station (see below), so bring the plastic card.
- Choose an amount and pay. Insert a Visa, Mastercard or debit card and enter your PIN. The amount you select is what gets pre-authorised. Costco's example is a member who "selects to fill their car up to $75".
- Choose your fuel and fill. NSW and Queensland sites sell E10, Premium 98 and diesel. The ACT, Victorian, SA and WA sites sell Unleaded 91 instead of E10, plus Premium 98 and diesel. Not sure which your car needs? See Costco fuel grades in Australia. Diesel drivers can check Costco diesel prices.
- Hang up the nozzle and take your receipt. Costco says tax invoices "can be printed from the pump as soon as you hang up the nozzle."
Which cards does Costco fuel accept?
Costco's fuel FAQ says: "Costco accepts all debit cards and all major credit cards – Visa and Mastercard – all issued with a PIN number. Cash payments cannot be made at Costco Fuel stations. Costco does not accept Motorcharge, Motorpass or any Fleet Cards."
| Payment method | Accepted at Costco fuel in Australia? | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa credit card | Yes, with a PIN | Costco fuel FAQ |
| Mastercard credit card | Yes, with a PIN | Costco fuel FAQ |
| Debit card (EFTPOS, Visa Debit, Debit Mastercard) | Yes, with a PIN | The FAQ says "all debit cards" |
| American Express | Not listed | Not on the fuel FAQ, and not on Costco's warehouse payment list either. Don't rely on it. |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | Not confirmed | Costco lists Apple Pay for its warehouses, not for fuel. See below. |
| Cash | No | "Cash payments cannot be made" |
| Motorcharge, Motorpass (WEX) or other fleet cards | No | Named in the FAQ as not accepted |
| Costco Shop Card (gift card) | No | Shop Card terms exclude "purchases of petrol" |
Does Costco fuel accept Amex?
We found nothing from Costco Australia saying it does. The fuel FAQ names Visa and Mastercard only. Costco's payment page says "We accept cash, Visa, MasterCard, debit cards and Apple Pay at our Australian warehouses", with no mention of American Express. Bring a Visa, Mastercard or debit card.
Does Costco fuel take cash?
No. There is no console to pay at, and the FAQ says cash "cannot be made" at Costco fuel stations. Costco's warehouses do take cash, but that does not help at the pump.
Can you use Apple Pay or Google Pay at Costco fuel?
We could not confirm it either way. Costco's payment page lists Apple Pay at its "Australian warehouses", and its fuel FAQ does not mention phone wallets at all. We found no Costco statement, press report or member report that settles whether a phone tap works at an Australian Costco bowser. Bring the physical card and know its PIN, because the FAQ describes the hold being checked "after the cardholder has entered their PIN".
Can I use a Costco gift card or Shop Card for fuel?
No. Costco's Shop Card terms say the card can be used "at any Costco location in Australia, excluding purchases of petrol and excluding all online purchases." This differs from the US and Canada, where Shop Cards work at the pump.
Can I use a fleet card like Motorpass or Motorcharge?
No. Costco names both and adds "or any Fleet Cards". WEX Motorpass and Motorcharge cards, along with other business fuel cards, will not work. If you run a business vehicle, pay with a company Visa, Mastercard or debit card and keep the tax invoice.
Does the Costco app digital membership card work at the bowser?
Not as far as we can confirm. Costco Australia's Digital Membership FAQ asks "Will my digital membership work at the Fuel Station?" and answers: "Not at the moment, but we are working on a solution to bring this feature to our members in the near future." The digital card works for warehouse entry and at the checkouts. We checked the page on 15 October 2026.
So keep the plastic card in the car. If your membership has lapsed, the pump won't let you fuel, because it validates membership before it takes payment. Our post on whether you need a Costco membership to buy fuel covers fees, the household card and renewals.
Are there attendants at Costco fuel stations?
No console attendant. Costco calls its sites "unattended" fuel stations in the FAQ, and it is self-serve. No one can take cash or override a declined card on the forecourt. Membership and card problems have to be sorted inside the warehouse or with your bank.
What is the Costco fuel pre-authorisation?
Costco compares it to booking a hotel room or hire car: "the selected amount is authorised before the transaction takes place. Once the transaction is completed, only the actual amount of the fuel purchase is charged to the card. The 'pre-authorised amount' is then released by the member's bank. At no time does Costco receive more funds from your bank than that of the amount of fuel purchased."
Costco's example: you select $75, fill $50, and are charged $50. The $75 hold is released. A single transaction is capped at $999. If you need more fuel than that, you start a second transaction.
How much should I pre-authorise?
Enough to fill your tank, but not much more, because the full amount is held until your bank releases it. On 15 October 2026, our Costco snapshots showed E10 and Unleaded 91 from 224.7c/L at Perth Airport and Casuarina to 237.7c/L at Moorabbin. Diesel ran from 251.7c/L in Perth to 278.7c/L at North Lakes.
| Fill | At 230c/L | At 275c/L |
|---|---|---|
| 40 litres | $92 | $110 |
| 60 litres | $138 | $165 |
| 80 litres | $184 | $220 |
A small hatchback filling from near empty fits inside $100. A large 4WD or ute on diesel can need more than $200. Check today's price for your site on the NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA or ACT pages before you pick an amount.
How long does the Costco fuel refund take?
There is no refund as such. The unused part of the hold is released by your bank, not paid back by Costco. Costco's FAQ says the pre-authorised amount "can take up to 14 business days to be released. The time of the release is dependent on the card issuing bank." For credit cards, it says the hold may sit "against your available credit limit for up to 14 days."
Many banks clear it much faster. Australian customer-owned bank Community First says "a fuel station may hold a set amount before the pump knows exactly how much fuel you've taken". It says most card payments clear in 1 to 3 business days, while pre-authorisations "may take a little longer", up to 5 to 7 business days. It also notes that "the bank cannot generally remove a valid pending transaction." We could not find a big-four bank page that gives a fuel-specific timeframe.
If you are close to your limit or your account balance, pick a smaller pre-authorisation amount or use a credit card.
Why does it look like Costco charged me twice for fuel?
Because your statement may show the hold and the final charge side by side for a while. Costco's FAQ says that, depending on your bank, a $100 pre-authorisation followed by a $75 fill can appear as three lines:
| Statement line | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Debit | $100.00 | Initial pre-authorisation |
| Credit | $100.00 | Reversal of the pre-authorisation |
| Debit | $75.00 | Actual fuel purchase |
If the reversal line is slow to appear, it can look like you paid $175. Costco says this "may occur on debit accounts" when "your bank may have delayed to process the reversal entry", and that "Costco is not holding two amounts." Its advice is to ask your bank why the reversal is delayed.
Before you call, check that it really is one fill. Compare the pump receipt with your statement. If the final $75 debit appears twice, that is a genuine double charge. Raise it with Costco at the warehouse and with your bank, and keep the receipt.
Do you get a tax invoice for Costco fuel?
Yes. Costco says "purchase receipts (tax invoices) can be printed from the pump as soon as you hang up the nozzle." If you drive off without one, or the pump is out of paper, "insert your payment card into any pump on the forecourt and choose the 're-print receipt' option and a duplicate receipt of your last transaction will be printed." That reprints your last transaction only, so do it before you use the same card at Costco fuel again.
For business drivers: the ATO generally requires a tax invoice to claim a GST credit on a purchase over $82.50 including GST, which covers most full tanks. We have not seen a current Costco pump receipt to confirm exactly how it shows GST.
What should I do if the Costco pump declines my card?
Work through the likely causes:
- Wrong card type. Fleet cards (Motorpass, Motorcharge) and Shop Cards are not accepted, and Amex isn't listed. Switch to a Visa, Mastercard or debit card.
- No PIN. Costco says cards must be "issued with a PIN number". If you only ever tap, check your PIN with your bank before you go.
- Not enough funds for the amount you chose. The hold is checked before fuelling. Try a lower amount, or a credit card.
- Membership not validated. Use the plastic card; the app card isn't confirmed to work at the pump. If your membership has expired, renew it online at costco.com.au before you go, or inside the warehouse during trading hours.
- Bank fraud block. Some banks flag pay-at-pump holds. Check your banking app for an alert.
If none of that works, there is no one on the forecourt to take payment another way. Go into the warehouse, or call your bank.
Is there anything else to know before your first fill?
- Executive membership reward: Costco's member conditions say the 2% reward is not calculated "on purchases of fuel", and rewards can't be spent at fuel stations either (Executive membership and fuel).
- Opening hours: fuel hours differ from warehouse hours. Check opening hours before an early or late trip.
- Station pages: each site has its own price history, for example Marsden Park, Epping, Coomera (Gold Coast) and Canberra (Majura Park).
Prices quoted are from our Costco Australia snapshots on 15 October 2026. Prices change daily, so check the live figure for your station before you fill.