Costco Is Enforcing Some New (Strict) Rules on Card Sharing — Here's What We Know

Changes are afoot in the world of Costco membership sharing. The wholesale giant is taking a page out of Netflix’s playbook, tightening the reins on who can use a membership. They’re even sending some people straight to the membership desk to get things sorted out.

While sharing your Costco membership was never really an official thing, as long as your membership card didn’t have a photo on it, you could kind of get around the system pretty easily. But all that is coming to an end. it’s time for all Costco shoppers to brush up on the membership rules so you don’t risk losing your privileges — or (gasp) getting banned from Costco. We’re explaining everything we know.

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People have been abusing the Costco membership card rules, and employees are starting to crack down.

All over social media and Reddit, Costco shoppers are reporting that lots of changes are afoot at their local warehouse regarding the membership sharing rules.

“I get WHY they are doing it,” wrote one angry Redditor on June 22, “but they need better training because these employees are treating people like we’re all there to shoplift.”

Some accounts are more shocking than others, but here are a few of the main things we’re hearing as of June 2023:

• People are being asked to show their membership cards more often — especially if they’re the ones pushing the shopping cart.
• Employees are asking to see membership cards before the self-checkout lanes.
• At self-checkout, shoppers are being told they need a membership in order to scan their items.
• Employees are threatening to report some people for “card sharing” if they’re seen scanning items without a membership.
• Some employees aren’t letting families split their transactions into two payments (most recently reported on Reddit on June 22, 2023).

 

Costco has officially made a statement about the membership sharing situation.

In an email statement on June 28, Costco announced that it had observed instances where non-members were utilizing someone else’s membership cards in the self-checkout lanes. Costco’s policy states that membership cards are not transferrable.

Costco stated: “We are now asking to see their membership card with their photo at our self-service checkout registers. If their membership card does not have a photo, then we ask for a photo ID.”

 

If your Costco card doesn’t have your photo on it yet, expect to get sent to the membership desk.

Let’s face it; we’ve all shared a Costco card with a friend or family member at some point. Who hasn’t been tempted by the bulk-buy deals and wholesale discounts? But here’s the scoop: Costco is now insisting on photo IDs on their membership cards.

In 2020, Costco stopped taking a photo of you when you got your membership, and they never really made a push to put them back on… until now. There’s even a section on the Member Privileges and Conditions page about it: “If your photo is not on your card, only passports, as well as photo identification…are acceptable forms of identification.”

Remember when Netflix put an end to password sharing? It’s like that. They want to ensure that the perks of membership stay with the folks who paid for it. If you haven’t had your picture taken for your Costco card yet, it’s time to head over to your nearest Costco and get it done.

Related: What Not to Buy at Costco

 

 

Costco employees are watching closely at the self-checkout lanes to see who’s paying — and scanning.

Now, here’s another change you may notice next time you’re at Costco. You know how the self-checkout lanes were a free-for-all before? Not anymore.

Costco’s got their associates on patrol, checking every member’s card in the self-checkout line. It’s a step to ensure that the person doing the shopping is the one who holds the membership. To keep the questioning to a minimum, make sure the person doing the scanning and paying is the one who holds a membership card.

 

But you can still (legally) share a Costco membership with someone else in your household.

Don’t worry, there’s still a silver lining for those who thrive on shared memberships. There are plenty of ways to save on membership costs. For example, you could split the cost of a membership with a roommate or a partner and make your Costco runs together.

Costco does allow one free “Household Card” per membership. So you could add one more to your membership without breaking any rules. You could also bring your friends or family with you while shopping and split the transactions at self-checkout. A little bit more messy, but still gets the job done.

Related: You may not be able to share your membership with whoever you want, but Costco Catering can let you share their food!

 

Need a membership? Get $10 off with this rebate deal.

If you’re not a Costco member yet, consider saving on a membership with this current deal. For a limited time, you can join Costco and get a $10 rebate through Fetch Rewards.

This deal is for new Costco members. To qualify as a new member, your Costco membership must have been expired for at least 18 months or more.

 

Get $30 off a membership with the Costco college student discount.

As long as your teen is 18+ and enrolled in college, they’ll get a discount on a new membership. Just sign them up as a new Gold Star Member and enroll in auto-renewal to get a $30 digital Costco Shop Card.

 

Burning FAQs from Costco Shoppers:

Are memberships really being shared?

Absolutely! According to one report on social media, one Costco store alone busted over 20 “non-members” in one day who were using friends’ membership cards.

 

What happens if I get caught using a Costco membership that isn’t mine?

If you’re a member and you let a non-member borrow your card, you could lose your membership. If you work at Costco and do this, you could end up losing your job.

 

Can two Costco members (who are on the same membership) pay separately for their items when shopping together?

Generally, yes. You should be able to pay separately for your items as long as you’re both Costco members. However, some members are reporting on social media that Costco employees may not fully understand this policy or may have been overly cautious. Members are stating they are being questioned and accused of “card sharing” when checking out items separately, even though they both have a membership. While this situation may be inconvenient, it’s important to remember that employees are just trying to enforce Costco’s policies. It may be beneficial to have both membership cards readily available to avoid any confusion.

 

Can I split my transaction into two at Costco?

Again, while there isn’t a printed rule straight from Costco about this, we are hearing many members state that their store is no longer allowing transactions to be split. Costco employees say this is a real rule in their operations manual, but it hasn’t been enforced much over the years. I buy stuff for both our home and our business, so I totally get why you’d want to split transactions for legit reasons.

 

How many people can be on one Costco membership?

According to Costco, only two people can be on a Gold Star Membership (either the regular or the Executive). You’ll need to designate one person to be the Primary Member, and an additional person (over age 16 and living at the same address) to be your free household member. You can change your additional member at any time online or by visiting the membership desk.

 

Can Costco members bring guests?

Sure, Costco members can bring along up to two guests for each shopping trip, but just know that you (as the card-carrying member) will need to be the one checking out at the register. (Your friend can always pay you back by Venmo later.)

 

How can I shop at Costco without a membership card?

You can also shop at Costco (or at the gas pumps) anytime using a Costco gift card, also known as a Costco Shop Card. But, as a non-member, you’re limited to the card’s balance only.