How to Get Gas at Costco: A First-Timer's Step-by-Step Guide

Costco gas stations look like any other set of pumps, but they work a little differently: long one-way lanes, a membership check before you can pay, and a short list of accepted cards. If you have never filled up at Costco, the first visit can feel slow. This guide walks through how Costco gas works from the moment you pull in to the moment you leave, with the differences between US stations and Canadian gas bars.

Short answer: Pull into any open lane, scan or insert your Costco membership card at the pump, then pay with an accepted card (Visa, PIN debit or Apple Pay in the US; Mastercard or debit in Canada). Pick regular or premium, pump, hang up the nozzle and take your receipt. The pump is self-serve everywhere except New Jersey, where an attendant must fuel your car, and Oregon, where at least half the pumps at most Costco stations are attendant-served.

How does Costco gas work?

Costco gas is members-only and pay-at-the-pump. Costco's own FAQ says the station "is open to Costco members only," with one exception: people paying with a Costco Shop Card do not need to be members. There is no cashier and no cash. The pump reads your membership card, confirms the membership is active, then takes a card payment.

Attendants work the fuel islands, but in most states and all of Canada they do not pump for you. They direct traffic, help anyone who needs physical assistance and enforce fire-safety rules. Our guide to whether you need a Costco membership for gas covers who can and cannot buy fuel.

How to get gas at Costco, step by step

Here is the full sequence at a typical self-serve Costco pump. The screen prompts can vary slightly by pump model, so follow what yours says.

1. Check the hours and price before you go. No Costco gas station is open 24 hours. Most US stations open at 6:00 AM (5:30 AM at 65 stations in our data) and close at 10:00 PM on weekdays, 8:30 PM on Saturday and 7:30 PM on Sunday (8:00 PM at 45 stations). Canadian gas bars list 6:00 AM to 9:30 PM on weekdays and 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM on weekends. Look up today's price for your station from our station finder, or browse the US and Canada hubs. Full details are in our post on Costco gas hours.
2. Pick a lane. Traffic flows one way through the station. Costco says its "extra-long hoses allow fueling from either side of the vehicle, so you can choose any lane." Still, the easiest fill is with your fuel door next to the pump. The small arrow next to the fuel gauge icon on your dashboard points to the side your fuel door is on.
3. Pull all the way forward. Drive up to the front pump in your lane if it is free, so the cars behind you can use the pump behind. If an attendant waves you to a spot, go there.
4. Turn off the engine. Fire codes in both countries forbid fueling with the engine running, and attendants are told to enforce it.
5. Scan your membership card. Insert your plastic Costco card or hold it to the scanner, as the screen shows. In the US the digital card in the Costco app also works (see below). In Canada, bring the plastic card.
6. Pay. In the US, insert or tap a Visa card, a PIN debit card, a Costco Shop Card, or tap Apple Pay on your phone. If you have the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi, tapping that card alone covers both membership and payment. In Canada, use a Mastercard, a Canadian debit card or a physical Shop Card. See which credit cards Costco gas accepts and our guide to paying at a Costco gas bar in Canada.
7. Answer the ZIP or PIN prompt. US pumps usually ask a credit card holder for the billing ZIP code. Debit cards ask for your PIN. In Canada, chip cards typically ask for your PIN.
8. Choose a grade. Every US Costco station sells regular and premium, and none sells midgrade. Some stations also have a diesel pump. Our post on Costco gas grades and octane explains 87 vs 91 vs 93.
9. Pump. Lift the nozzle, put it in the tank and squeeze. The pump stops on its own when the tank is full. Stay by the vehicle, and don't top off after the first click.
10. Take your receipt and go. Hang up the nozzle, answer the receipt prompt if the pump shows one, close the fuel door and drive forward out of the station.

How to use Costco gas pumps with the Costco app

In the US, the digital membership card works at the pump: Costco's Digital Membership Card FAQ lists "Gas Station" among the places it can be used. Open the live app (a screenshot won't scan) and hold the card under the pump's scanner. Our guide to the Costco app at the gas pump covers scanning problems.

Costco also promotes "Tap to Pay" at US gas stations in three ways: tap the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi on its own, insert your membership card then tap any contactless Visa, or insert your membership card then tap a mobile wallet. Unless you tap the Citi card, you still need the membership step.

Canada is stricter. Costco Canada's Digital Membership Card FAQ says the digital card is not currently accepted at the gas station, and Costco's Canadian gas FAQ says "the use of mobile devices is prohibited at Costco gas stations." Keep the plastic card in your wallet.

Does Costco have full-service gas?

Not as a rule. Costco describes its stations as self-serve with pay-at-the-pump, "Exceptions: Oregon and New Jersey are full-service per law." Here is how that works today.

New Jersey: attendants pump for you

New Jersey bans self-service fuel. The Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act makes it unlawful for an attendant to "permit any person who is not an attendant to dispense fuel into the tank of a motor vehicle." At a New Jersey Costco such as Edison, stay in your car, tell the attendant the grade and how much you want, and follow their lead on the membership card and payment. You still need a valid membership or a Shop Card. Prices for every station are on our New Jersey page.

Oregon: some self-serve since 2023

Oregon required attendants at all stations from 1951. A 2017 law (HB 2482) allowed full self-serve from January 2018 in counties of 40,000 people or fewer. Then HB 2426, signed in August 2023, opened self-serve across the state with conditions. According to the Oregon State Fire Marshal:

• In 20 rural counties, you can pump your own gas at any station, any time.
• In the other 16 counties, a station may make up to half its pumps self-serve. The rest must be attended, self-serve is allowed only while an attendant is on site, and both sides must charge the same price.
• Diesel drivers and motorcyclists may fuel themselves anywhere.

Most Oregon Costcos, such as Salem and Portland, are in the 16 larger counties, so expect separate self-serve and full-serve lanes. Local news in Medford reported in 2023 that the Costco there had set up designated lanes of each kind. Setups can differ by station. Warrenton is in Clatsop County, one of the 20 full self-serve counties. Signs tell you which lanes are which. See all stations on our Oregon page.

How to get a gas receipt from Costco

At the pump, the screen may ask whether you want a receipt, or the receipt may print when you hang up. Take it if you need it for expenses.

In the US, you can find past gas receipts online. Costco's receipt help page says gasoline purchases made on or after September 30, 2024, appear under Orders & Purchases on Costco.com or in the app, in the In-Warehouse tab. Receipts are listed in six-month blocks going back two years, and a new purchase can take up to 24 hours to appear. Your membership must be verified online first. For anything older, ask at the membership counter.

In Canada, costco.ca offers the same Orders & Purchases > In-Warehouse view for verified members. Costco.ca's help page doesn't say whether gas bar purchases are included, so keep the pump receipt if you need it. If it is missing, the membership counter can look it up.

Tips to get through the Costco gas line faster

The line is part of the Costco gas experience, but a few habits make it shorter.

• Have your cards out before you reach the pump. Membership card and payment card in hand saves a minute per car.
• Use any open pump. Because hoses reach either side, a pump on the "wrong" side is usually fine.
• Pull forward to the front pump. Stopping at the rear pump when the front one is free blocks the car behind you.
• Follow the attendants. At busy stations they direct cars to open pumps and keep lanes moving.
• Go early. Weekdays from 6:00 to about 8:00 AM tend to be quietest. Saturday late morning, the evening rush and the days around holidays are the busiest.

What can Costco gas attendants help with?

Attendants are there for safety and help, not for sales. Costco says its "safety-certified" attendants assist anyone who needs physical help fueling, respond to spills and emergencies, and enforce the fire code, including no smoking, no running engines and no filling uncertified containers. In Canada, Costco says children should not pump gas or leave the car while fueling, and attendants help anyone who needs extra assistance.

What they generally cannot do: take cash, sell fuel to someone without a membership or Shop Card, override the payment network rules, or keep the pumps running after closing time. If a stranger asks you to scan your membership card for them, send them to the attendant.

Need air? The fuel islands have no air hoses; see free air and nitrogen at Costco for the Tire Center and self-serve inflator. Filling gas cans? Costco allows approved portable containers. Our post on filling gas cans at Costco has the rules.

Can you get gas at Costco with a trailer, RV or big truck?

Often yes, but check the layout first. Costco stations are built for cars with long, straight one-way lanes, and many can fit a pickup with a small trailer. Large RVs and long trailers can struggle with tight entries and canopy heights, and Costco doesn't publish clearances by station. Go at a quiet time and ask an attendant if unsure.

Diesel is limited: 67 US stations and 6 Canadian stations report a diesel price in our September 29, 2026 data. Our post on which Costco stations sell diesel lists them.

Why did the Costco gas pump reject my card?

Most rejections come down to one of these:

• Expired or inactive membership. Renew online or at the membership counter. In Canada, Costco says an expired card gets one warning and "one courtesy gasoline pump," then the next attempt is blocked.
• Wrong card network. Mastercard, Amex and Discover credit cards don't work at US pumps. Visa credit and Amex don't work at Canadian gas bars.
• Not enough available funds for the hold. Costco places a pre-authorization of up to $150 in the US, and in Canada the lower of your card limit or $200, before fueling. A low-balance debit or gift card can fail.
• ZIP code mismatch. The ZIP must match the card's billing address. Cards issued outside the US may not work with the ZIP prompt.
• Digital card problems. A screenshot won't scan, and in Canada the digital card isn't accepted at all.
• A worn card. A scratched barcode or magnetic stripe may not read. Try the chip or tap, or ask the attendant.

If none fits, ask the attendant.

Costco gas in the US vs Canada

Prices are from our September 29, 2026 reading. Canadian readers can compare by province on the Ontario or BC pages.

Quick checklist before your first Costco fill-up

• Station is open and you have checked today's price.
• Plastic membership card (or the live app in the US).
• The right payment card: Visa, PIN debit or Apple Pay in the US; Mastercard or debit in Canada.
• Enough available balance for the pre-authorization hold.
• Your billing ZIP code or PIN.
• Engine off, phone away, and follow the attendants.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get gas at Costco for the first time?

Pull into any open lane, scan your Costco membership card at the pump, pay with an accepted card, choose a grade and fuel up. Attendants on the islands can help if the pump or card gives you trouble.

Can I pump gas at Costco without my membership card?

In the US, yes, if you have the digital membership card open in the Costco app or tap the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi. In Canada you need the plastic card or a CIBC Costco Mastercard that doubles as your membership card, because the digital card isn't accepted at gas bars.

Do Costco gas attendants pump gas for you?

Only where the law requires it. In New Jersey attendants must fuel every car, and in most Oregon counties at least half the pumps are attendant-served. Everywhere else in the US and at all Canadian gas bars, you pump your own gas.

How do I pump gas at Costco in Canada?

Insert your plastic Costco membership card, then pay with a Mastercard, a Canadian debit card or a physical Shop Card and enter your PIN. Pick regular or premium, fuel up and take your receipt. Visa credit, Amex and cash are not accepted.

How do I get a receipt for Costco gas after I've left?

In the US, sign in to Costco.com or the Costco app, open Orders & Purchases and select the In-Warehouse tab. Gas purchases from September 30, 2024, onward appear there, sometimes after up to 24 hours.

Can I get gas at Costco when the warehouse is closed?

Yes, if the gas station is within its own hours. Costco gas stations open before the warehouse and often close later on weekdays, but no station is open 24 hours.

Sources

• Gasoline Question and Answer, Costco (US) — members-only rule and Shop Card exception, one-way traffic and extra-long hoses, self-serve with Oregon and New Jersey exceptions, how the pump checks membership, attendant duties.
• Tap to Pay at Costco Gas Stations, Costco (US) flyer, linked from Costco Gasoline Pay — the three tap-to-pay options, including tapping the Citi Costco Visa alone.
• Gasoline Q and A, Costco Canada — self-serve with Mastercard, debit and Shop Cards; $200 pre-authorization; mobile devices prohibited; children and attendants; fire code rules.
• Digital Membership Card General FAQs, Costco Customer Service (US) — digital card accepted at the gas station; screenshots not accepted.
• Digital Membership Card FAQs, Costco Customer Service (Canada) — digital card not currently accepted at the gas station.
• What are the membership requirements at Costco's gas station?, Costco Customer Service (Canada) — one courtesy pump on an expired card; CIBC Costco Mastercard as membership card.
• What are the gas station payment options?, Costco Customer Service (Canada) — Mastercard, debit and Shop Card; no cash.
• Costco Gas Station FAQs, Costco Customer Service (US) — pre-authorization of up to $150.
• How do I view my receipts for in-warehouse purchases?, Costco Customer Service (US) — gas receipts online for purchases on or after 9/30/24, two-year window, 24-hour delay.
• I lost the receipt for my in-warehouse purchase, Costco Customer Service (Canada) — Orders & Purchases In-Warehouse tab for verified Canadian members.
• Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, New Jersey Department of Labor — self-service prohibition (N.J.S.A. 34:3A-6) and penalties.
• Self-Serve Fueling, Oregon State Fire Marshal — current county rules, half-pump limit, equal pricing, diesel and motorcycle exemptions.
• Self-serve gas is officially coming to Oregon, OPB — HB 2426 background and the half-pump rule.
• HB2482 2017 Regular Session, Oregon Legislature — the 2017 rural self-serve law effective January 1, 2018 (seen in search results).
• Self-serve gas available, but rules vary amongst stations, KDRV — Medford-area Costco using separate full-serve and self-serve lanes (seen in search results).