Does Costco Take EBT or Accept SNAP?

Costco’s customer service answer on food stamps says: “All our warehouse locations accept EBT cards.” Costco’s page shows 10/03/2025 as the answer’s published date. The answer is about warehouse locations, and it tells you to contact your state agency about which products qualify.

Maintained by Archie Chang · Reviewed November 1, 2026 · Methodology & sources

What Costco says

“All our warehouse locations accept EBT cards.”
“Costco adheres to all state laws regarding what can be purchased with EBT cards.”
“For a complete list of products that qualify for purchase with the EBT card, please contact your state agency.”
Costco Customer Service (source, read on November 1, 2026; the answer shows a published date of 10/03/2025)

Costco’s payment-methods answer (published date 03/02/2026) lists EBT cards among what warehouse locations accept:

“U.S. Costco warehouse locations accept:”
“EBT cards”
Costco Customer Service, payment methods (source, read on November 1, 2026; the answer shows a published date of 03/02/2026)

The “Costco.com:” list on that same page does not list EBT cards.

SNAP online and delivery: what USDA says

USDA FNS says SNAP online purchasing is available in the states it lists, and that fees are not covered:

“SNAP online is currently available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.”
“Only eligible food may be purchased with SNAP benefits; delivery fees and other associated charges may not be paid for with SNAP benefits.”
USDA FNS, Stores accepting SNAP online (source, read from the Internet Archive capture of May 28, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: February 17, 2026”)

USDA publishes a list of retailers accepting SNAP online for each state. The California list we read (Internet Archive capture of March 17, 2026) includes “Costco”. Other states have their own lists, so check yours on USDA’s page.

What SNAP can and cannot buy

At any store, EBT pays only for what USDA allows. This is USDA FNS’s own list.

  • Any food for the household, such as:
  • Fruits and vegetables;
  • Meat, poultry, and fish;
  • Dairy products;
  • Breads and cereals;
  • Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and
  • Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat.
  • Households CANNOT use SNAP benefits to buy:
  • Beer, wine, and liquor.
  • Cigarettes and tobacco.
  • Food and drinks containing controlled substances such as cannabis/marijuana and CBD.
  • Vitamins, medicines, and supplements. If an item has a Supplement Facts label, it is considered a supplement and is not eligible for SNAP purchase.
  • Live animals (except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store).
  • Foods that are hot at the point of sale.
  • Any nonfood items such as:
  • Pet foods
  • Cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies.
  • Hygiene items and cosmetics
USDA FNS, What can SNAP buy? (source, read from the Internet Archive capture of June 10, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: June 04, 2025”)

Check a specific store

A chain’s statement does not replace a check of the store you plan to use. USDA FNS says:

“The SNAP Retailer Locator allows anyone to locate nearby SNAP-authorized retailers by entering a street address, city and state or zip code.”
USDA FNS, SNAP Retailer Locator (source, read from the Internet Archive capture of May 28, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: February 17, 2026”)

Open the USDA SNAP Retailer Locator and enter your address or zip code.

Frequently asked questions

Does every Costco warehouse take EBT?

Costco’s own answer says “All our warehouse locations accept EBT cards.” To check a specific warehouse, use the USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, which lists SNAP-authorized retailers near an address.

Does Costco take EBT for membership fees?

The two Costco answers we read on November 1, 2026 do not mention membership fees. USDA’s list of what SNAP can buy is food for the household and seeds and plants that produce food; a membership fee is not on that list.

Can I use EBT on Costco.com?

Costco’s payment-methods answer lists EBT cards for U.S. warehouse locations, and the Costco.com list on the same page does not list them. USDA’s California example list of retailers accepting SNAP online names “Costco”, so check Costco’s checkout for your state before you order.

Does Costco take EBT cash?

Costco’s answers say “EBT cards” and do not separate SNAP benefits from cash benefits. We did not find a Costco statement about cash benefits, so ask Costco or your state agency.

What can I buy with EBT at Costco?

Costco says it “adheres to all state laws regarding what can be purchased with EBT cards” and asks you to contact your state agency for the list. USDA’s own list of what SNAP can and cannot buy is on this page.

Related pages

Sources

Reviewed November 1, 2026. Each answer comes from the retailer’s own statement or from USDA, quoted word for word; a page we could only read as an Internet Archive capture says so, with the capture date. Store policies change, so the date of each copy matters.

USDA Food and Nutrition Service

The retailer’s own pages