What States Can You Buy Alcohol At Costco Without A Membership?

Can I shop at Costco without a membership USA?

It’s easier than you think. Published on February 26, 2023 Photo: Eric Thayer/Getty Images Ever had a hankering for a 20-pound bag of peanuts? In need of about 100 rolls of toilet paper? Or want to find new glasses, a refrigerator, a few dozen eggs, and an epic vacation all in one place? That’s where Costco comes in.

1. But wait — you say you’re not a member? Lucky for you, there are ways to shop at Costco without a membership — including the Costco Shop Card.
2. As several websites found, lurking deep in the Costco website is a tiny little line that reads, “Non-members, as well as members, may use Costco Shop Cards to shop at any Costco location in the U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico, as well as online at Costco.com and Costco.ca.” Related: What Travelers Who Are Good With Money Don’t Buy on Trips, According to Experts That means, if you can get your hands on a Costco Shop Card, you can shop at all the Costcos you can find.

But there’s a catch: Non-members are ineligible to purchase the cards, so they have to find a friend or family member to buy a card for them. Members can purchase cards in $25, $50, $100, $250, or $500 increments and gift them to friends to use in person or online.

1. And as a bonus, Costco notes in its terms, “Costco Shop Cards may be used toward a membership and merchandise,” so maybe it’s the perfect way to commit to a membership of your own.
2. There is another way you can shop at Costco without a membership, and that’s by purchasing goods off its website.
3. But again, there’s a catch.

As Insider reported, anyone can shop on Costco.com. However, non-members will incur a 5 percent surcharge on their order. There are also a number of exclusive items on the site that are only available to members. Want to shop in store? Ask your roommate to add you to their membership.

1. As Costco’s terms noted, “A total of two people can be on a Gold Star Membership (either regular or Executive): one Primary Member and one free household member who is over 18 and lives at the same address.” It does not stipulate that the second member needs to be a blood relative or married.
2. Just make sure to be nice to your roomie, because they could take you off at any time.

Costco added, “If you are the Primary Member, we leave it up to you to decide who receives the second card — something you can change at any time by visiting your Account Details or the membership counter at your local Costco.”

Do you need a membership to buy alcohol at Costco in Indiana?

1. You don’t have to be a member to buy alcohol. – Many states have a law prohibiting stores from requiring membership to purchase alcohol, which means you can buy those beverages without a club card. You’re in luck if you reside in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas, or Vermont.

Do you need a Costco card to buy alcohol Hawaii?

QUICK TIP: How to shop at Costco without a membership card By SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) – Is it possible to shop at Costco without a membership card? Michael Finney has a 7 On Your Side Quick tip with a few Costco shopping secrets! You can actually shop in Costco without a Costco membership card, depending on how you are shopping and what you are buying.

Does Costco in Florida sell liquor?

Alcohol Laws and Regulations by State – The laws and regulations surrounding the sale of alcohol vary by state in the United States. As such, whether or not Costco sells liquor in a particular state can depend on local laws and regulations. In states such as Arizona, California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and Connecticut, Costco is permitted to sell liquor. In these states, customers can purchase beer, wine, and spirits from Costco without any additional membership requirements.

1. However, in some states, Costco is only permitted to sell beer and wine, and not spirits.
2. For example, in Delaware, Indiana, New York, and Texas, Costco stores are only authorized to sell beer and wine.
3. In Vermont, Costco can sell spirits, but only to customers with a membership.
4. Other states, such as Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Washington D.C., permit Costco to sell beer, wine, and spirits to all customers, regardless of membership status.

It is important to note that the laws and regulations surrounding the sale of alcohol can change over time, and can vary by city or county within a state. As such, customers should always check their local laws and regulations to determine what types of alcohol Costco is authorized to sell in their area.

Can I use a foreign Costco membership?

Membership Cards and Fees –

Membership fee is for one 12-month period from the date of enrollment of the Primary Cardholder. Your membership card is valid at any Costco warehouse worldwide and is not transferable. You will be required to show your membership card when entering any Costco warehouse and when checking out at a payment register. Bar codes, photos or other copies are not acceptable. Your membership card must have a card number and recognizable, unobstructed full-face photo to be valid. If your photo is not on your card, only passports, as well as photo identification issued by the United States, Puerto Rico, Canadian Federal, State, or Provincial governments are acceptable forms of identification. Report lost or stolen cards to any Costco membership counter immediately or call 1-800-774-2678. Cards remain the property of Costco and must be returned upon request. Primary and Affiliate Members receive one additional card for one designated member of their household, who is over the age of 16 and living at the same address. When they receive their membership card, the designated household member must show proof that they live at the same address as the Primary or Affiliate Member and must have their photo taken and added to their card. Limit one Gold Star and one Business Membership, if applicable, per person. Costco reserves the right to treat businesses with the same or similar addresses or with identical, similar or related ownership as a single business and as such, limited to a single membership. Costco reserves the right to refuse, decline, or cancel a membership at any time. Certain merchandise, including prescription drugs and alcoholic beverages in some states, may be purchased by nonmembers where required by law. Certain merchandise may be purchased online by members or nonmembers. A nonmember pays 5% more than members for such merchandise. Online prices may exceed warehouse prices.

Can I walk around Costco without a membership?

Is there a Free Costco Membership or Trial? – There is no free Costco membership, shopping pass, day pass, trial pass, guest pass, trial membership, or other trial period where you can walk up to the door, walk in, and buy whatever you’d like. However, if you’d simply like to see what the store has to offer, you are welcome to enter and walk around and look.

I have never been asked for my membership card when I enter a Costco, even though they do have greeters who seemingly are there to encourage you to show it. If you’re overly concerned about going in to Costco without a membership card, but know someone who is a member, Costco’s guest policy states : Anyone with a card can bring up to two guests to the Warehouse during each visit.

Keep in mind that purchasing items is exclusive to Costco members. To buy most goods, you must be a member (with a few big exceptions that I’ll cover) or have a member make the purchase on your behalf. Of course, you might not be comfortable asking for that and it could get old quick for the member.

There is another way The Costco return policy states on membership fee refunds : Risk-Free 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. On Membership: We will cancel and refund your membership fee at any time if you are dissatisfied. So, you could pay your membership fee, give it a trial run, and if you feel you are not getting the value from it that you’d like – ask for a refund.

You can do so at a Costco membership desk any time. But, what if you just want to get in the door and walk around to see what Costco has to offer, pricing, and all that good stuff – but you don’t know a member you are comfortable tagging along with?

Can you buy alcohol at Costco in Colorado without a membership?

These 14 states will let you legally buy alcohol at Costco without a membership: Arizona. California. Colorado * some locations are beer/wine only (no liquor)

Can you buy liquor at Costco without a membership in Minnesota?

Hey! You Can Buy Alcohol At Costco And Sam’s Club Without A Membership! Need some quality alcohol at discount prices? Don’t want to sign up for a Costco, Sam’s Club or BJ’s membership? There may be hope for you!

• SmartMoney did a little investigation and what they uncovered is downright magical — old state blue laws allow citizens of certain states to buy alcohol from “membership only” wholesale clubs — without a membership.
• Here are the details:
• Costco: Membership is not required for purchases of alcohol in the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas and Vermont.
• BJ’s Wholesale Club: Membership is not required for purchases of alcohol in the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas and Vermont.
• Sam’s Club: No membership required!

SmartMoney says that you shouldn’t expect employees to actually know about this policy — so print their article and take it with you. Speak to a manager, and you’ll be pouring drinks in no time. Keep in mind that not all locations carry alcohol, so make sure you go to one that does.

1. Also, don’t try to sneak other items through with your purchase— these laws apply to alcohol only.
2. UPDATE: Reader Tracy says she checked with the Vermont Department of Liquor Control and they claim that there is no such law in Vermont — so the SmartMoney article may be incorrect.
3. However, the article claims to cite each store’s individual policy, not necessarily the laws, so who knows.

The article also says that the government officials they contacted had no idea that the laws even existed, and there’s a quote from BJ’s spokesperson confirming that the policy is real. “According to our Chief of Education, Licensing and Enforcement, Bill Goggins, there is no such law in Vermont.

1. Vermont Department of Liquor Control
3. Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on Consumerist.

: Hey! You Can Buy Alcohol At Costco And Sam’s Club Without A Membership!

Does Costco sell alcohol in Massachusetts?

Some states have all the luck – The Image Party/Shutterstock Costco stores in all other states are able and willing to sell both beer and wine: Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, New Hampshire, and Vermont can all count themselves in what we’d call the “drinks with dinner” category.

A majority of US states boast an “open bar” approach to Costco alcohol sales, allowing for beer, wine, and hard liquor. California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Arkansas, Ohio, Kentucky, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alaska, and Hawaii all provide for sales of liquor as well as beer and wine — though you may not find booze at every Costco store in Colorado, Georgia, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

The other key difference is membership. While the warehouse retailer generally requires that card-carrying members make the purchase, that’s not a hard-and-fast rule, as alcohol is one of the key categories available to Costco non-members, In California, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Hawaii, you can waltz on in and buy drinks at Costco, provided you’re of legal drinking age.

Does Costco sell alcohol in Alberta?

In fact, Alberta is the only province with multiple Costco Liquor locations. There is just one other Costco Liquor Store in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Does Costco in Georgia sell alcohol?

Yes, the Costco located in Savannah, Georgia does sell liquor. Costco is known for selling a wide variety of items, including beer, wine, and spirits, and many of its locations have a separate liquor section within the store.

Can you buy liquor at Costco in California?

You can buy alcohol without a Costco membership, but only in certain states – You can buy alcohol at Costco without a paid membership, as long as you’re in an eligible state, like California or New York. Local laws prevent membership-only clubs like Costco or Sam’s Club from withholding alcohol sales to the general public. The full list of states includes:

Arizona California ColoradoConnecticutDelawareHawaiiIndianaKentuckyMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaNew YorkTexasVermont

Once you’ve picked out your alcohol and you’re in line to pay, let the cashier know that you don’t have a membership card, and they’ll scan you with a generic membership number. A supervisor may be required, so be patient as you wait to make your purchase. You don’t have to be a Costco member to enjoy low warehouse prices on beer, wine, spirits and more. Taylor Martin/CNET

Can you return alcohol to Costco in California?

However, residents of California are only permitted to return alcohol if there’s an issue with it, such as spoilage.

Do Maryland Costco’s sell alcohol?

Can you buy alcohol at pharmacies or wholesale clubs? – Yes and no. Maryland laws grand-fathered permission in 1978 for a limited number of chain stores to sell beer and wine, subject to county laws. Wholesale club members like Costco, BJ’s and Sam’s Club and are out of luck in Maryland, with D.C, being the closest retailer.

Can a normal person get a Costco card?

How do I sign up to join Costco and get a new membership? We’re always happy to hear from enthusiastic new customers. Signing up is a simple process. You can visit our membership desk at any warehouse to join in person. Alternately, you can, or call 1-800-774-2678 to speak with our Member Services over the phone.

Does Costco check your ID?

You may need to show photo identification on your next Costco trip, even if alcohol isn’t in your cart. The wholesale retailer has begun cracking down on the influx of membership sharing, particularly at Costco’s self-checkout lanes, by asking for customers’ membership cards along with photo ID.

1. While Costco has always asked for membership cards at checkout, the request for additional identification is new, per The Dallas Morning News, which was the first to report the news.
2. We don’t feel it’s right that nonmembers receive the same benefits and pricing as our members,” a spokesperson for Costco told the outlet.

The company says sharing membership cards threatens a key element of Costco’s business model: low prices. Related: Costco CFO Implies Future Membership Fee Increase “Costco is able to keep our prices as low as possible because our membership fees help offset our operational expenses, making our membership fee and structure important to us,” the spokesperson added.

1. Beyond the additional request for ID, Costco memberships are not changing.
2. Costco Gold Star memberships cost $60 annually, and Executive memberships, which come with added rewards and perks, cost $120 — both memberships come with cards for two individuals with the same home address.
3. Business memberships can add additional members to an account for $60 each.

The retailer isn’t the first company to tighten restrictions on shared accounts. Last year, Netflix announced it would be cracking down on password sharing, citing the practice as detrimental to its bottom line. The new rule, which charges subscribers $7.99 a month for additional accounts shared outside of a user’s household, went into effect in May,

Can I use my moms Costco card without her?

Can I use my mom’s Costco card without her? NO you cannot. If you go with her they will allow you to pay for purchases as long as she is there with you. My parents don’t have a membership and they sometimes do this, paying for my few things along with theirs.

Does Costco offer a 1 day pass?

Does Costco offer free shopping passes? Costco does not offer free shopping passes. When you visit a Costco warehouse, you’ll discover all the valuable savings we have to offer. As a nonmember, you may still purchase prescriptions from a Costco pharmacy with cash, debit, Costco Shop Cards or a Visa® card.

1. However, you must be a paid member to enter the warehouse and purchase any other items.
2. To pick up a membership application, please stop by the membership counter at any Costco warehouse or,
3. We take great pride in the quality and savings we offer our members.
4. If you’re ever dissatisfied, you can cancel your membership for a refund (of course, we’ll do our best to ensure this isn’t the case!).

: Does Costco offer free shopping passes?

How do I get a free Costco membership?

Does Costco offer free or discounted memberships? Costco doesn’t offer free or discounted memberships, but rest assured that the cost of membership can be recovered quickly thanks to massive price savings once you start shopping. Not to mention the substantial savings on our many Costco Services, which you can use every day in your business and personal life.

• Our goal is to provide the best products at the lowest prices available—and we mean anywhere.
• The membership fee is crucial to achieving this goal because it covers our overhead and allows us to operate the business at margins much lower than other retailers (these savings get passed on to you, of course).

: Does Costco offer free or discounted memberships?

Can I use my wife’s Costco card?

Can other people use my membership card? The Costco membership card is non-transferable, but there are several ways to share the experience with family and friends. Anyone with a card can bring up to two guests to the Warehouse during each visit. Keep in mind that purchasing items is exclusive to Costco members.

If you’re the Primary Member or Account Manager, you can assign your free household card to one other person in your home. That way they’ll also get the benefits of a Costco membership. To add someone, and head to in your Costco.com Account. You can add a person to your household in your Account Details section, and they can pick up their card at the membership counter of your closest Costco.

: Can other people use my membership card?

Can a normal person get a Costco card?

How do I sign up to join Costco and get a new membership? We’re always happy to hear from enthusiastic new customers. Signing up is a simple process. You can visit our membership desk at any warehouse to join in person. Alternately, you can, or call 1-800-774-2678 to speak with our Member Services over the phone.

How do I get a free Costco membership?

Does Costco offer free or discounted memberships? Costco doesn’t offer free or discounted memberships, but rest assured that the cost of membership can be recovered quickly thanks to massive price savings once you start shopping. Not to mention the substantial savings on our many Costco Services, which you can use every day in your business and personal life.

Our goal is to provide the best products at the lowest prices available—and we mean anywhere. The membership fee is crucial to achieving this goal because it covers our overhead and allows us to operate the business at margins much lower than other retailers (these savings get passed on to you, of course).

: Does Costco offer free or discounted memberships?

Why do you need a membership for Costco?

Key Takeaways –

Costco has a business model that depends heavily on repeat shoppers buying and renewing memberships.By selling memberships, Costco can sell products at deep discounts that barely cover costs.Still, membership revenue continues to grow and contributes a significant portion of Costco’s bottom line.

Does Costco check ID?

CENTERVILLE — Longtime Costco customer Leronda Jackson was offended Wednesday when an employee at the retailer’s Centerville store claimed Jackson’s face didn’t match the one on the back of her membership ID card. >> Damaging winds, twisters possible as late-week storms roll into Miami Valley Costco nationwide recently announced a new policy that calls for employees to check store membership ID cards against the person using them, especially at the self-check registers, because nonmembers have been using other people’s cards. Wednesday evening, Jackson recounted her experience with News Center 7 Investigative Reporter John B edell. It all began with a random interrogation at the self-scan registers, Jackson said, and tensions rose from there. “The young lady just said, ‘I’m going to need to check your card. We’re doing facial recognition. It’s our new policy.’ I said, Yeah, I heard about it.” So, the Englewood woman said she gave the employee her membership card – complete with the color photo of Jackson on the back. “She said, ‘Well, this is not you. ‘ ” “And I said, It says Leronda Jackson. That is me. So she said, ‘No, I’m saying this picture is not the person I’m looking at.’ ” “So I got offended. So I was like, Excuse me?” “I said, Look, that’s me, That is my card. And then as my voice began to raise, she said, ‘Well, I’m sorry, it’s the lighting in the store and maybe I don’t have good eyes today.’ ” Jackson finished scanning and paying for her items and left. She returned a while later to speak with an assistant manager, who offered an apology. The assistant manager chalked it up to a “training issue,” Jackson said. >> Austin Chaney returns to WHIO-TV as Storm Center 7 Chief Meteorologist She said she was told someone from the corporate office would be calling her Thursday. News Center 7′s request for comment from corporate officials at Costco so far has gone unanswered. The employee never asked for a second piece of ID, Jackson said, which would have settled the issue. The membership model is crucial to Costco’s business, according to CNN. The fees help boost the company’s profit and offset expenses, allowing Costco to keep its prices down. Costco is known for offering some of the lowest prices in the retail industry. Annual membership fees run from $60 to $120. Costco has high customer loyalty, claiming a global membership renewal rate of 90 percent at the end of 2022. Those fees pulled in $4.2 billion of the retailer’s $223 billion in fiscal year 2022. Costco operates nearly 900 warehouses across the world, more than half in the United States, the Washington Post reports. As of May, Costco listed more than 124 million cardholders. Jackson said she also has shared her experience on her Facebook page, which is called “Black Women Who Love Costco.” “You’d be surprised how many people have had this happen,” Jackson said. What does she want on the other side of what happened? “I want the policy to change. Figure out another way. Or just ask everybody for their card and ID. Or shut down self-scan.” No one checked her when she pumped gas at the Centerville Costco, she said. “Nobody was out there asking is this really her getting this gas,” she noted. “If the concern is people shopping at Costco who aren’t supposed to be, more than making customers happy, then everybody shows an ID and everybody shows their membership card. Don’t pick and choose and don’t cherry pick,” Jackson said. Costco customer Leronda Jackson Laronda Jackson, a longtime Costco customer, has strong words for the giant retailer after a confrontation at its Centerville store. (News Center 7: John Bedell) ©2023 Cox Media Group