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Costco Membership cancellation guide

How to Cancel a Costco Membership

Costco does not offer online cancellation. What the website can do is switch off Auto Renewal — which is not the same thing.

Quick answer

There is no online cancellation

Costco's answer article lists only two ways to cancel — the warehouse membership counter or a call to Member Services — and states that the Primary Member is the one who does it.

  • Costco states that speaking with a team member at any warehouse membership counter gets you an immediate refund.
  • Alternatively, call the Member Services Center at 1-800-774-2678 and speak to a live agent.
  • The website can only switch off Auto Renewal. That stops the next renewal; it does not end the membership now.

Before you cancel

  • Check that you are the Primary Member — Costco's wording puts the cancellation in the Primary Member's hands.
  • Decide whether you want to end it now with a refund, or only stop the next renewal. These are different procedures.
  • Find the first day of your renewal month — every Auto Renewal deadline is measured against it.

The two ways to cancel

These are the only two routes Costco's own article lists.

  1. Go to a warehouse membership counter

    Speak with a team member at any warehouse membership counter. Costco states this route gives you an immediate refund.

    View Costco's official cancellation answer (opens an external site)

  2. Call Member Services

    Call the Member Services Center at 1-800-774-2678 and speak to a live agent — the article specifies a live agent.

Refund processing

Costco states it will cancel and refund the membership fee at any time if you are dissatisfied, and that refunds take about 5-7 business days to process.

What the website can do: switch off Auto Renewal

This is not cancelling. The membership runs to the end of the current year and then does not renew.

  1. Sign in at Costco.com

    Select Sign In / Register in the upper right of Costco.com. Costco notes your membership needs to be verified beforehand.

    View Costco's official Auto Renewal article (opens an external site)

  2. Find the Account menu

    Once signed in, you should see Account to the left of Orders & Returns.

  3. Under Account, choose Renew Membership

    Open Renew Membership under Account.

  4. Remove the Auto Renew card

    You can add, remove, or change the Visa or Mastercard set up for Auto Renew. To stop renewal, remove the card.

Auto Renewal deadlines

  • Costco says you may remove Auto Renewal or change the payment method at a counter, on Costco.com, via chat, or by calling 1-800-774-2678 at least 72 hours prior to the first day of your renewal month.
  • To let the membership expire at the end of the current membership year, remove Auto Renew at least two business days before the first day of your renewal month.
  • If you remove Auto Renewal within 48 hours of the Auto Renewal date (typically the first of the month), the card on file will likely be charged, but Costco states it will systematically refund that charge within two business days.

After you cancel

  • Refunds take about 5-7 business days, so re-check your statement after that.
  • If you only removed Auto Renewal, the membership stays valid to the end of the current period. Ending it now with a refund still needs the counter or the phone.
  • If a charge landed because you removed Auto Renewal inside 48 hours, check that the refund arrives within two business days.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel my Costco membership on Costco.com?

Costco's article documents no online cancellation. The website only handles Auto Renewal; cancelling is the warehouse counter or 1-800-774-2678.

What is the difference between removing Auto Renewal and cancelling?

Removing Auto Renewal lets the membership lapse at the end of the current year; cancelling ends it and refunds the fee. Costco documents them in two separate articles.

Can a household cardholder cancel?

Costco's wording puts cancellation with the Primary Member. It does not document any other case, so that has to be confirmed with a counter or Member Services.

Official sources

Everything in this guide comes from the official documents below.

Official sources

Screens, button labels, and billing partner policies can change. Always confirm the final steps in the official help centre and in your own account.

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