Sam's Club Gas Membership: Do You Need a Membership for Sam's Club Gas?
Yes. At most clubs you need a Sam's Club gas membership to pump, because Sam's Club restricts most of its fuel centers to members. A small number are open to the public, and non-members there pay 5 cents a gallon more. A Walmart+ membership also unlocks Sam's pumps. This guide covers where non-members can buy fuel, the card vs the app, Club vs Plus, and whether the membership pays for itself at the 532 Sam's fuel centers we track in 44 states.
Membership Needed?
Mostly
A few clubs are open to all
Sam's Fuel Centers
532
In 44 states, priced daily
Sam's Avg Regular
$3.466
Member price, 2026-11-12
Non-Member Price
+5¢
At public clubs, except New Jersey
Sam's Club gas and membership: the quick answers
| Question | Answer | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Do you need a membership to get gas? | Yes | At most clubs. A few fuel centers are open to the public. |
| Can anyone get gas at Sam's Club? | Some | Only at public-access clubs, at the non-member price. |
| Do you need the physical card? | No | Scan & Go in the Sam's Club app works at the pump. |
| Do Plus members pay less for gas? | No | Club and Plus pay the same member fuel price. |
| Does Walmart+ work at Sam's pumps? | Yes | You pay the member price through the Walmart app. |
| Is there a guest pass for gas? | No | Sam's Club does not advertise one for fuel. |
How the Sam's Club gas membership rule works
There is no separate Sam's Club gas membership. Your normal Sam's Club membership is what lets you pump. Sam's Club's fuel policy says most of its fuel stations are “Members Only” and that you must have a valid membership to buy fuel. The pump asks you to scan your membership before it will run.
Sam's Club runs its own fuel centers. They are not Murphy USA stations, and they have nothing to do with Good Sam, the RV club. That matters because Walmart gas is different. Walmart and Murphy USA pumps in Walmart lots are open to everyone. Our guide Do You Need a Membership for Walmart Gas? covers that side.
Your membership has to be active. If it expired yesterday, the pump will not accept it. Renew in the Sam's Club app or at the membership desk first. The second card that comes with every membership works at the pump too, so someone else in your household can fill up.
Can you get gas at Sam's Club without a membership?
Sometimes. Sam's Club says a small number of its fuel stations are open to the general public. There are two reasons a club is public:
- It shares a site with a Walmart store. Some fuel centers serve both the club and a Walmart next door.
- The law requires it. Sam's Club says some fuel stations are required by law to be open for public use. Its policy says you need a membership “unless local laws restrict such limitations.”
Sam's Club does not publish a list of which clubs or states are public. The club's own fuel center page on samsclub.com is the best place to check. A public club usually shows a non-member price as well as a member price. You can also ask at the membership desk.
What non-members pay
At a public-access club, non-members pay the posted street price. Sam's Club says members and Walmart+ users get 5 cents a gallon off that price. On a 15-gallon fill, that is 75 cents. Non-members pay with a credit card, debit card or gift card like anyone else. For which cards work, see Sam's Club gas payment and cash back.
New Jersey: one price for everyone
New Jersey is the one state Sam's Club names in its fuel policy. New Jersey does not allow fuel discounts tied to a membership. So at a public Sam's fuel center there, members and non-members pay the same price. We track 5 Sam's fuel centers in New Jersey. If you plan to buy gas there without a membership, call the club first to confirm its pumps are open to the public.
What about Michigan?
Michigan shows up in a lot of Sam's Club gas searches. Most of those are people checking prices at local clubs such as Portage, Holland, Jackson and Flint. We found no Michigan law that forces Sam's Club to sell fuel to non-members. Sam's Club's Michigan fuel center pages advertise member-only prices. The Utica club has posted that it changed its fuel station from open to the public to members only. Treat Michigan clubs as members only unless your club tells you otherwise. We track 21 Sam's fuel centers in Michigan.
Do you need a Sam's Club card to get gas?
You need the membership, not the plastic card. There are two ways to unlock a Sam's pump as a member:
- Scan your membership card at the pump, then pay with a credit card, debit card or plastic gift card.
- Use Scan & Go in the Sam's Club app. Open the app, tap Scan & Go, and scan the QR code on the pump. Confirm the pump number and your card's security code. The app charges the card saved in it and emails the receipt.
The app is the answer if you forgot your card. The digital membership card in the app (Account, then the barcode at the top) is made for the club entrance and the checkout. At the pump, Scan & Go is the reliable route. If neither works, ask the fuel attendant or Member Services inside the club. Sam's Club tells members to do the same when a card is declined at the pump.
Clubs keep fuel hours that are often different from the store. Check Sam's Club gas station hours before you go.
Club vs Plus members at the pump
Sam's Club raised its fees on May 1, 2026. A Club membership now costs $60 a year and Plus costs $120. Both tiers get “member-only fuel prices” at Sam's Club. Plus does not lower the price at a Sam's pump.
What Plus adds for drivers is Walmart+. Since October 2026, Plus includes a Walmart+ membership at no extra cost. Walmart+ takes up to 10 cents a gallon off at Walmart, Murphy USA, Exxon and Mobil stations. So a Plus member saves at those stations, not at Sam's. Plus also earns Sam's Cash on many purchases, but check the current terms for whether fuel counts.
Can Walmart+ members get gas at Sam's Club?
Yes. Walmart+ includes member prices on fuel at Sam's Club. You do not need a Sam's membership. In the Walmart app, open Member prices on fuel, scan the QR code on the Sam's pump, and pay with Walmart Pay. You pay the Sam's member price, with no extra 10 cents off. The full steps are in Walmart Plus at Sam's Club gas.
Is there a Sam's Club guest pass or day pass for gas?
Not that we could find. Sam's Club does not advertise a guest pass or one-day pass that unlocks its pumps. Past day-pass offers let non-members shop inside with a service fee. Reports say they did not cover fuel. Ask your club before you count on any guest option at the pump.
If you only want Sam's gas now and then, you have three options. Use a public-access club. Use Walmart+, which costs more than a Club membership but adds other perks. Or buy a Club membership and see if you use it enough. Sam's Club often runs discounted first-year offers, so check before you pay full price.
Does a Sam's Club membership pay for itself on gas?
It depends on where you live. On 2026-11-12, regular at the 532 Sam's fuel centers we track averaged $3.466. Walmart-lot pumps averaged $3.392 and standalone Murphy USA stations averaged $3.301. That puts Sam's 7.4 cents above Walmart and 16.5 cents above Murphy USA nationally.
The national numbers are misleading, though. Sam's has many clubs in high-price states where Walmart and Murphy have few pumps. Compare within each state and Sam's comes out cheaper in 27 of the 35 states where we track both Sam's and Walmart or Murphy stations. In those states the typical saving is about 13.8 cents a gallon.
At that rate you need to buy about 440 gallons a year to earn back a $60 Club fee on gas alone. That is about 29 fill-ups of 15 gallons. A car that gets 25 mpg and drives 12,000 miles a year uses 480 gallons. So one average car can roughly cover the fee with gas alone, but with little to spare. A second car, a long commute or a truck tips it clearly in your favor. In states where Sam's is not cheaper, gas does not help pay for the membership at all.
| State | Sam's clubs | Sam's avg | Walmart & Murphy avg | Gallons to earn $60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 75 | $3.096 | $3.199 | 580 |
| Florida | 41 | $3.464 | $3.518 | 1,110 |
| Ohio | 25 | $3.338 | $3.527 | 320 |
| California | 24 | $4.916 | $5.054 | 440 |
| Illinois | 22 | $3.838 | $4.086 | 240 |
| Pennsylvania | 22 | $4.094 | $3.955 | Sam’s not cheaper |
| Georgia | 21 | $3.077 | $3.174 | 620 |
| Michigan | 21 | $3.612 | $3.819 | 290 |
| North Carolina | 21 | $2.933 | $3.005 | 840 |
| Missouri | 16 | $3.274 | $3.444 | 350 |
| Tennessee | 15 | $3.239 | $3.336 | 620 |
| Virginia | 15 | $3.521 | $3.566 | 1,350 |
States with the most Sam's fuel centers. “Walmart & Murphy avg” is the average of all Walmart-lot and standalone Murphy USA stations we track in that state. Gallons are the $60 Club fee divided by the state's per-gallon gap, rounded to the nearest 10.
Averages cover a whole state. Your nearest Sam's may beat your nearest Walmart by more or less. Compare the two stations you would actually use with Sam's Club gas near me and the Sam's Club gas prices page.
Sam's Club gas membership FAQ
Do you need a membership for Sam’s Club gas?
Yes, at most clubs. Sam’s Club says most of its fuel centers are for members only, and you need an active membership to buy fuel. A small number are open to the public, usually because they share a site with a Walmart or because local law requires it.
Can you get gas at Sam’s Club without a membership?
Only at the few fuel centers that are open to the public, or with a Walmart+ membership. At a public club, non-members pay the posted price and members pay 5 cents a gallon less. At a members-only club, the pump will not start without a Sam’s membership or Walmart+.
Do you need a Sam’s Club card to get gas?
You need the membership, not the plastic card. You can scan your membership card at the pump, or use Scan & Go in the Sam’s Club app to scan the QR code on the pump and pay in the app.
Can anyone get gas at Sam’s Club?
Not at most clubs. Anyone can buy gas at the small number of Sam’s fuel centers that are open to the public. Everywhere else you need a Sam’s Club membership or a Walmart+ membership.
Can non-members buy gas at Sam’s Club in Michigan?
We found no Michigan law that makes Sam’s Club sell fuel to non-members. Sam’s Club’s Michigan fuel center pages advertise member-only prices, and at least one Michigan club, Utica, has posted that it switched from public to members only. Ask your club if you are unsure.
Do Sam’s Club Plus members pay less for gas than Club members?
No. Club and Plus members pay the same member fuel price at Sam’s Club. Plus now includes Walmart+, which takes up to 10 cents a gallon off at Walmart, Murphy USA, Exxon and Mobil pumps, but it adds nothing extra at Sam’s pumps.
Can I use a Sam’s Club guest pass or one-day pass for gas?
Sam’s Club does not advertise any guest or day pass that unlocks its pumps. If you only need gas now and then, Walmart+ or a public-access club is the realistic route. Check with your club before you count on a guest option.
Can I get gas at Sam’s Club if my membership has expired?
No. Sam’s Club says you need an active membership to buy fuel. Renew in the Sam’s Club app or at the membership desk first.
Find Sam's Club gas near you
All 532 Sam's Club fuel centers we track, with today's member prices for every grade.