Using Canadian credit card at US gas stations

[peacefrogdog]

Anyone have tips for how to use a Canadian credit card at US gas station pumps so that you don't have to go inside to prepay? Typically they ask you to enter a zip code. I recall seeing a post (not in this site) in which someone suggested using some parts of your postal code to enter as the zip code. It seemed random but apparently worked.

 

[Etch]

You use the three numbers from your postal code and add two zeros to the end. (eg. L6A 1K2 would be 61200)

I have no idea if this works 100% but I used it for our drive to Orlando and back over March Break and it worked every time.

 

[efrant]

Anyone have tips for how to use a Canadian credit card at US gas station pumps so that you don't have to go inside to prepay? Typically they ask you to enter a zip code. I recall seeing a post (not in this site) in which someone suggested using some parts of your postal code to enter as the zip code. It seemed random but apparently worked.

What Etch mentioned typically works. That said, my advice would be to go inside to pay. I've had attempted fraudulent transactions on two of my cards, and both occurences were shortly after using my cards at the pump. U.S. gas pumps are notorious for having card skimmers to steal your card info.

 

[ontdvc2015]

I have never had much luck with the whole Postal Code/Zip code thing. Depending who you bank with, it might be worth opening up a US bank account. We bank with RBC and we opened up an RBC US bank account which doesn't cost much per month and you get a debit card, and with a debit card it never seems to ask for a zip code, so I put money in the US account and that's what I use for gas on the way down and back.

 

[Bossy22]

I always used 00000 as mine and it always works

 

[peacefrogdog]

I was actually just able to tap my card today

 

[migel]

The postal code and zeros seems to work most of the time, but not always. And in the odd State on the drive down, no PIN at all was required.

 

[Sunelis]

The postal code and zeros seems to work most of the time, but not always. And in the odd State on the drive down, no PIN at all was required.

This is my experience as well last May.

 

[CanucksRock]

I just drove down to the US this weekend (I'm out West) and none of the gas stations asked for Zip Code. I used Tap or Chip & Pin. In Florida, it was 50/50 if I had to enter. I just used the Postal Code trick of the numbers in your Postal Code + 00.

 

[asc]

Almost all stations on a recent trip had chip cards and pin some just tap ok. Used RBC US dollar Visa. No issues. Costco, BP, Wawa, Buc kees all ok.