Belonging to wholesale clubs is a great way to save money, but you must keep in mind that your membership will renew at a certain point, and you must allow for that cost.
Costco gives ample notice for renewal — up to two months! My membership renews in January, but I am allowed to renew in November.
What to know before renewing your Costco membership:
1. What Day Is My Membership Due?
When perusing the Costco website, I came across a section that mentioned you have until the last day of the month before your membership expires to officially renew.
It is important to note that if you renew within 2 months after the expiration date, your membership will be extended 12 months from that original expiration. For example, if your membership expires on January 30 and you renew on March 20, your membership will expire on January 30 of next year. If you renew on April 29, your new renewal date next year will be April 29.
Not sure where to find your renewal date? There are four easy-to-visit places to find it:
- Under the membership renewal tab on Costco.com
- On your most recent store receipt
- Back of your membership card
- On the digital membership card, found in the “My Wallet” section on the Costco app.
2. Will I Get a New Membership Card?
The Costco card that you have has a date printed on the back which is the date that you joined. Not an expiration date so the card that you have is perfectly fine to use. The only time that a new card would be issued is if you:
- Request a product upgrade or downgrade such as a Gold Star member becoming Executive and vice versa.
- Would like a new photo
- Have an older membership card without a photo. Costco requires a photo on your card.
3. How Do I Renew My Membership?
Costco offers several convenient ways to renew your membership, including the following:
- Online: Log into your Costco account online. Once you log in, on the right-hand side of the page, it says “account.” When you click on that, the fourth item down says “renew membership.”
- App: If you are app-savvy like I am, renewing on the Costco app is a cinch! Once you open the app, click on the button at the bottom that says “Account.” Scroll down a little bit to where it says “Membership,” and the second button says “Renewal.”
- Phone: Let’s say you aren’t super tech-savvy. The folks at Costco’s membership customer service line, 1-800-774-2678, would be happy to process your renewal for you via phone.
- At the Register: Costco says the easiest way to renew your membership is at the register while shopping. I couldn’t agree more! While checking out, an associate may even mention that it is time to renew, and you can add the renewal fee to your purchase.
My least favorite way to renew is by the mail. Money expert Clark Howard says that you should never mail a check. There is also a spot to write in your credit card info and mail that back. DON’T DO IT! Sending a check or your credit card numbers in the mail exposes you to fraud. It should be an absolute last resort to mail back the renewal. An added bonus is that you can save the 73-cent stamp!
If you do not wish to be bothered with the mail, reminders, or the hassle of remembering, there is an auto-renew feature. Usually, I wouldn’t recommend this route because other warehouse clubs offer discounted membership options all the time, and I would not want you to be locked into the higher price. Still, in the case of Costco, they rarely offer membership discounts. This alone makes it a viable option for auto-renew.
4. Executive Membership Reward Comes With Renewal
If you are an Executive Member like me, you know that membership renewal time is both costly and also exciting. Renewal time means that your Costco Executive reward is being issued.
Your 2% reward certificate is usually included in your renewal reminder statement. Are you weighing whether an Executive Membership is worth it? We have more information to help you make that decision.
5. Payment Methods for Renewal
Costco accepts a wide variety of methods to pay for your membership renewal, including:
- All Visa Cards
- Most Pin-based Debit/ATM Cards
- Costco Shop Cards
- Cash
- Checks
- MasterCard (online only)
- And more
6. Does It Make Sense To Renew?
Every situation is unique. Do you frequent the store enough? Do you have another wholesale club nearby such as Sam’s Club or BJ’s Wholesale? Are you moving to a place where there isn’t a Costco?
In my humble opinion and calculation, an Executive Membership makes sense when the reward certificate, at a minimum, covers the cost difference between an Executive and a Gold Star membership. As of March 2025, that works out to:
$130 Executive membership fee – $65 Gold Star membership fee = $65 as the minimum break-even point. I think about it this way because if I had purchased a Gold Star regular membership, I wouldn’t have even had the option to get the 2% back. So, anything over that is a win.
We also have a comparison of Costco vs. Sam’s Club vs. BJ’s. Check that out to see which club will be the best fit for you.
Final Thoughts
Purchasing a Costco membership is not a one-size-fits-all situation. What might be great for you this year might not be so great next year. If the membership tier you have now works for your unique situation, then be sure to hang on to it. If you just aren’t feeling it, then be sure to shop your options.
Costco has recently started cracking down on membership sharing, so don’t try to use someone else’s membership, as you will be turned away at the front door. In order to save the membership fee, you could always shop with someone who is a member and split the annual fee cost. If you live in a household with a member, they can add you legitimately as their add-on member free of charge.
In many cases, a Costco membership will pay for itself through its services, such as the Tire Center, Optical, Costco Travel, and even the gas station. Be sure to keep this in mind when that renewal notice comes up.
The post 6 Things To Know Before You Renew a Costco Wholesale Membership appeared first on Clark Howard.
