Costco Membership Auto-Renewal, Explained

Costco raised its membership fees in 2024 but that hasn't deterred people from shopping there. In fact, Costco still has more than 77 million paid memberships. Since Costco is truly a one-stop shop, it makes sense that more and more people are purchasing a Costco membership for the first time. After all, the memberships are pretty affordable, especially when you think about all the perks that come along with them. For either $65 (Gold Star or Business Membership) or $130 (Executive Membership) you get access to Costco's infamous food court, gas station, and optical department. Plus, it lets you add one additional person from your household to your membership for free, bring up to two guests, or shop internationally. You get unlimited access to Costco's extensive inventory for a full year and can take advantage of Costco's incredibly affordable pricing. Want to add on another year? Thankfully, Costco's auto-renewal service is simple and easy to use.

All you have to do is go to Costco's website and create an online account or log in to your existing account and go to the renew membership option. From there you might be asked to verify your membership, so you should have your membership card nearby. After it's verified, enter the necessary payment information and add a payment card to your account. Once it's added, you're all set — your membership will renew each year unless you change your settings.

If you're new, you might not know that one of the most annoying things about shopping at Costco is that stores only accept Visa credit cards (along with most PIN-based debit cards). However, you can also use an active MasterCard credit card to renew your membership online. Your card will be charged at the beginning of your renewal month. That means if you set up your membership in July 2025, you should expect to be charged again in early July the following year. To change the type of membership you have, you'll need to contact Costco directly or visit a warehouse in person.

Luckily, it's just as easy to cancel your membership (just don't abuse the cancellation policy). If you're near the end of your membership, you can unselect auto-renew at least two business days before the first day of your renewal month. Otherwise, you will be charged for another year. However, you can request a refund if that happens. Your refund will take at least five to seven business days to process. If the card on file is no longer active, you can renew your membership up to 90 days before the expiration date.