If you’ve received a renewal notice in the mail from Costco Wholesale, you may be wondering about your exact renewal date.
Costco sends members a renewal letter every year. My renewal month is November, but Costco mailed the notice in September, which is two months in advance.
What confused me is that Costco listed a “Renewal Date” of November 2023 — not a specific day during that month.
This article was updated in April 2024 and I review it every 12 months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.
What you need to know before you renew a Costco Wholesale membership
Do I need to mail in my payment before the first of November? It wasn’t exactly clear from the letter. That’s why I started looking for answers to that question and others.
Read on to learn three things you need to know before you renew a Costco membership…
1. What day of the month are Costco membership renewal fees due?
To solve the Costco renewal date mystery, I headed to the warehouse club’s website. On its FAQ page, Costco explains that you have until the LAST day of the month that your membership expires to pay your dues.
Things get a little more complicated if you let your membership expire and then decide to renew later on. Here’s the fine print from Costco.com:
Memberships renewed within 2 months after expiration of the current membership year will be extended for 12 months from the expiration date. Memberships renewed more than 2 months after such expiration will be extended for 12 months from the renewal date. All renewals will be assessed at the membership fee in effect on the date the membership fee is paid.
If you have a Costco.com account, find your renewal date by navigating to My Account and Renew Membership. Have your membership number (printed on the back of your card) handy!
2. Will I receive a new Costco membership card?
If you decide to renew your Costco Gold Star or Executive membership, hold on to your existing card. A new one won’t be sent unless changes are made to your account, like adding new cardholders.
3. How do I renew my Costco membership?
You don’t have to waste a stamp to mail in your renewal dues. Costco also has a few other easy ways to pay for your membership renewal:
- Online at Costco.com (Look for the Membership link)
- At the cash register with your regular purchases
- At the membership desk
Costco members can also set up the auto-renew feature. If you elect to do so, your linked Visa or Mastercard will be charged on the FIRST day of your renewal month, and you’ll stop receiving renewal notices in the mail.
To get the ball rolling with auto-renew, go to Costco.com or ask someone at the membership desk.
Article Updates
- April 19, 2024: Posted refreshed quote from Costco regarding membership renewal terms along with an update that for auto renewal you can use a Mastercard.
