Does Costco Take EBT? What Florida SNAP Shoppers Can Buy in 2026

Costco takes EBT for SNAP-eligible groceries at every U.S. warehouse, Florida stores included.

That’s short for Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), the debit-style card that carries Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

That much is simple.

The complicated part sits at the door, not the register.

Costco only lets a paying member check out.

And a Costco membership is one thing SNAP dollars can never buy.

But here’s the part that trips up Florida shoppers who show up with a borrowed membership card: Only the member on that card can pay at the register, so a guest’s own EBT card never gets the chance.

Note: This is general information about Costco’s EBT policy and SNAP rules, not legal or benefits advice. Store policies and program rules are subject to change, so confirm the current details with Costco or your local SNAP office.

Membership Comes First

A Costco membership currently runs $65 a year for the standard Gold Star tier, or $130 for an Executive membership that also pays 2% cash back on purchases.

Neither tier can be paid with an EBT card.

Cash, a debit card, a Visa credit card, or a check covers the fee instead.

Members can bring up to two guests through the door on any single visit, and many shoppers assume that solves the EBT problem.

It doesn’t.

Costco’s own membership rules limit checkout, the food court, and the gas station to the member alone, so a guest has to hand cash to the member and let them ring up the whole order.

A guest’s SNAP benefits sit untouched the entire trip.

For a shopper who wants to use their own EBT card inside a Costco warehouse, the honest answer is a membership in their own name, or a Costco Shop Card bought for them by a member willing to cover the entry.

A Shop Card works like a gift card at the register and gets a non-member through the door, but only a current member can buy a Shop Card, and it never covers the food court or the gas pumps either.

What SNAP Covers at Costco

Once a Florida shopper is through the door as a member, the SNAP-eligible list at Costco matches what works at any grocery store.

Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables count, along with meat, poultry, and fish sold raw for the household to cook.

Dairy counts too.

That covers everything from milk to the wheel of cheese in the case near the deli.

Bread, cereal, snack foods, and non-alcoholic drinks all scan as SNAP-eligible, straight from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rulebook every retailer follows.

Seeds and food-producing plants qualify as well, so a flat of tomato starts rings up the same as a bag of frozen shrimp.

Costco’s bakery and deli counters count too, as long as what’s sold is cold or raw rather than hot, the same rule that applies at any bakery counter.

A single trip can mix EBT-eligible items with everything else in a cart, since the register automatically splits the transaction once you swipe the card.

What EBT Won’t Ring Up

The same federal rule that lets EBT cover a cold rotisserie chicken blocks it from covering a hot rotisserie chicken.

Anything hot at the point of sale is out, which rules out the Costco food court entirely.

Beer, wine, and liquor are off the list, along with cigarettes and other tobacco.

Vitamins and supplements don’t qualify, and neither do household goods like paper towels, cleaning spray, or a pack of batteries.

Cosmetics are out too.

Personal-care and hygiene items fall outside the rule the same way.

Live animals are off the list as well, except shellfish and other animals typically kept alive until they’re bought, a narrow carve-out many shoppers never notice.

Gas doesn’t count either, so a fill-up at the Costco pumps still needs a separate card.

Costco.com doesn’t take EBT for a standard online order, only in-warehouse purchases run through the SNAP system.

Florida's SNAP Picture

Florida's Department of Children and Families runs SNAP for the state through its Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency, the agency that decides who qualifies and mails the EBT card.

The caseload has shrunk fast.

Florida lost 739,304 SNAP participants between January 2025 and April 2026, a 24% drop that outpaced every other state in raw numbers, according to the Food Research and Action Center.

New federal work requirements and tighter eligibility rules drove most of that decline.

Recertification comes around every six or twelve months depending on the household, and missing that window is a common way benefits lapse without warning.

Florida also runs its own online SNAP-shopping option, letting benefits cover a delivery order at big names like Walmart and Publix, plus Aldi.

Costco is on that list too, but only through its membership-based Same-Day delivery service run on Instacart, not a standard Costco.com order.

A Florida shopper who wants to spend SNAP dollars at Costco can swipe the card inside a physical warehouse or place a Same-Day delivery order online, member badge required either way.

FAQ

Quick answers to what Florida SNAP shoppers ask most about using EBT at Costco.

Does Costco take EBT in Florida?

Yes. Every Costco warehouse in Florida accepts EBT for SNAP-eligible groceries, but only members can check out with an EBT card.

Do you need a Costco membership to use EBT there?

Yes. Costco limits checkout to paying members, and the annual membership fee itself can't be covered with EBT funds.

What can't you buy with EBT at Costco?

Hot food court items, alcohol, tobacco, vitamins and supplements, household goods, and gas all fall outside SNAP rules, at Costco or anywhere else.

Does Costco take EBT online?

Not on Costco.com directly. Members can use EBT for SNAP-eligible items through Costco's Same-Day delivery, which runs on Instacart.

How much is a Costco membership in 2026?

A Gold Star membership runs $65 a year, and an Executive membership runs $130. Neither can be paid with an EBT card.