Does Costco Take Passport Photos? Yes — $6.99 (But Only ~300 Locations)

What Costco Passport Photo Gets You

A Costco employee takes your photo at the warehouse photo center, prints two 2x2 inch photos, and hands them to you. At $6.99-$8.99 for members, it’s one of the cheapest retail options.

What you’re not getting: access without a membership ($65/year), widespread availability (only ~300 of 600+ warehouses have photo centers), or a digital copy. And if your nearest Costco doesn’t have a photo center, you’re driving to another location or choosing a different option entirely.

How Costco Compares

Which Costco Locations Have Photo Centers?

Only about 300 of 600+ Costco warehouses have photo centers — less than half. Before driving, go to Costco.com, search for your nearest warehouse, and check the services list for “Photo Center.” You can also call the warehouse directly. If your local Costco doesn’t list a photo center, the next closest one may be a significant drive.

What to Expect at Costco

For members with a nearby photo center, Costco is a solid deal. You walk in, an employee takes your photo, and you leave with prints at a price that undercuts most drugstores.

The experience depends on your location. Worth knowing before you go:

• Membership required — the $65/year Gold Star membership is the minimum. If you’re buying it just for passport photos, the math doesn’t work ($65 + $8 = $73 total)
• Only ~300 locations have photo centers — less than half of all Costco warehouses. Call ahead to confirm availability
• Photo center hours are limited — typically 10am-7pm Mon-Sat, closed Sundays. Shorter than drugstore hours
• Quality is reliable — Costco guarantees acceptance, and staff tend to have decent equipment

The real question isn’t whether Costco’s price is good — it is, for members. The question is whether you can find a location with a photo center and get there during limited hours.

Get the Same Photo for $1.35 with 1 Dollar Passport Photo

You don’t need a membership to get affordable passport photos. Use 1 Dollar Passport Photo for the photo, any nearby store for the printing.

Total: $1.35 and 2 minutes for 6 photos — vs $6.99-$8.99 and 30-60 minutes for 2 at Costco (plus $65 membership). For a family of four, that’s $22-$30 and 2 hours saved — more if you factor in the membership.

When Costco Is the Better Choice

Costco makes sense when:

• You’re already a Costco member — the photo price alone is hard to beat at $6.99
• Your local warehouse has a photo center — call ahead to check
• You’re already making a Costco trip — marginal time cost is low
• You want a guaranteed acceptance policy — Costco stands behind their photos

For everyone else — especially non-members or those without a nearby photo center — the savings and convenience of doing it from home are significant.

The Bottom Line

Costco offers some of the cheapest retail passport photos at $6.99-$8.99 for members. If you already shop at Costco and your warehouse has a photo center, it’s a solid option. But the membership requirement and limited photo center availability make it impractical for most people. With a phone and 2 minutes, you can create the same compliant photos at home for $1 and print them at any nearby store for $0.35 — no membership, no scheduling around photo center hours. $1.35 for 6 photos, available everywhere.