Can You Really Buy Costco Liquor Without A Membership?

It seems like anyone who's ever set foot inside a Costco quickly becomes obsessed with the place — and it's really no wonder why. Due to some savvy business choices, Costco is able to offer high-quality groceries, home essentials, and even certain luxuries for less money than the competition. The Kirkland Signature label is also the reason Costco's liquor is so cheap. Costco is able to purchase various spirits directly from the producers and sell them under its store brand, reducing stocking costs and passing the savings to the consumer.

Another of the untold truths about Costco's wine and liquor is that lower overhead and markup also allows Costco to slap the Kirkland Signature label onto some fairly premium products from famous wineries and distilleries, worldwide. Knowing this, it may be worth your while to do a little sleuthing into where your favorite wines and spirits are produced to see if they also fly under the Kirkland Signature flag to give your wallet a bit of a break.

The best news is that you may not even need a Costco membership to enjoy premium booze at an affordable price. While there are a few states that don't allow alcohol at Costco stores, and several others that are completely devoid of Costco locations, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas, and Vermont don't require a membership to stock your bar.

The reason why Costco's affordable alcohol is available to members and non-members alike across these states is that laws in those areas require that alcohol sales be open to the general public. Similar laws regarding access to Costco's pharmacy also exist in many of these states, allowing nonmembers to benefit from the store's low prices for prescription medications.

However, there are a few other factors that go into nonmembers' ability to try the latest pumpkin spice beer or replenish their supply of top-shelf vodka. Though you only have to be 16 to sign up for a Costco membership, anyone purchasing alcohol at these stores — member or not — must be of legal drinking age, currently 21. That means even if you're not a Costco member, you still need a valid state ID or driver's license to purchase alcohol.

Something else to consider is that not every store in these states carries alcohol, and some states only carry certain kinds. For instance, Texas Costco locations allow nonmembers to purchase alcohol, but the stores in that state typically only sell beer and wine, so you'll need to purchase your favorite scotch or gin somewhere else.