Membership Conditions & Regulations

DECEMBER 1, 2020

Note:In this document we will use the name Costco to describe Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. and its affiliated companies. Acceptance of membership constitutes an agreement to comply with the following conditions and regulations. These conditions and regulations may be amended by Costco without prior written notice to or consent of the member, but in such cases, the changes made will apply upon the renewal of your Costco membership.

Membership

• Membership is available to qualifying individuals 18 years of age or older.
• Costco reserves the right to refuse membership to any applicant and membership may be terminated at Costco’s discretion without cause, as well as for such things as failure to comply with these conditions and regulations or abuse of your membership privileges. Failure to comply with these conditions and regulations or abuse of your membership privileges may also result in the curtailment of certain privileges.
• Membership is subject to any and all rules adopted by Costco including our privacy policies and practices.
• A Canadian federal or provincial government-issued ID must be presented at a warehouse Membership Counter when applying for a Costco membership. We do not record government ID numbers of Gold Star members.

Membership Cards and Fees

• Membership fee is for one 12-month period from the date of initial enrollment of the Primary Cardholder.
• Your membership card is valid at any Costco warehouse worldwide and is not transferable. Only Costco Canada and Costco US members with a valid membership card can shop on Costco.ca.
• The person who enrolls for a Gold Star or Business membership is the Primary cardholder (“Primary”) and is responsible for the membership.
• Primary Business members may add additional cardholders (“Affiliates”) to their membership. To add Affiliates to a Business membership, visit the Membership Counter at any warehouse.
• Primary and Affiliate members receive one free Household card for anyone over the age of 18 and living at the same address (“Household”). Household cardholders will be asked to present proof that they live at the same address as either the Primary or Affiliate member.
• All Primary, Affiliate and Household members are subject to these conditions and regulations.
• Your membership card must have a card number and recognizable, unobstructed full-face photo to be valid. If your photo is not on your card, you must present valid provincial or federal government-issued photo ID at the membership counter to have your photo added to your card.
• Termination of the Primary cardholder account for any reason will result in the termination of all other associated cardholder accounts.
• Cards remain the property of Costco and must be returned upon request.
• Gold Star Membership fee is $60 (plus applicable taxes) per 12-month period from the date of enrollment of the Primary cardholder. This entitles the Primary cardholder to one personalized membership card and one Household card.
• Business Membership fee is $60 (plus applicable taxes) per 12-month period from the date of enrollment of the Primary cardholder. This entitles the Primary cardholder to one personalized membership card and one Household card. Each Primary member may name up to 6 Affiliates for $60 each and corresponding Household cardholders at no additional cost.
• Executive Membership is $120 (plus applicable taxes) per 12-month period from the date of enrollment of the Primary cardholder. This entitles the Primary cardholder to one personalized membership card and Household card. If upgrading from a Gold Star Membership or Business Membership, upgrade amount will be prorated based on the months remaining on your current membership. Affiliate cardholders on an existing Business Membership account that is being upgraded can choose to remain as Affiliates or purchase a Gold Star or Executive Membership on their own.
• Limit of one Executive Membership per business or household.

Renewing, Adding or Deleting Cards

• If you have not signed up for auto renewal, your membership fee will be charged on your first shop of your renewal month. Renewal fees are due no later than the last day of the month your membership expires. You may remit your renewal fee by mail, online at Costco.ca or at any warehouse. Costco members may charge their membership fees automatically on any Mastercard® credit card; the card will be charged on the first day of your renewal month.
• Household and Affiliate member cards will be renewed at the same time as the Primary member regardless of the membership start date of the Household or Affiliate member.
• You will not receive new membership cards each year.
• 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 at the membership fee in effect on the date the membership fee is paid.
• Only the Primary member and the Household member may renew the membership.
• The Primary Member must authorize cardholder changes, including additions or deletions, and is responsible for the membership. Household and Affiliates may make changes to their personal information.

Lost or Stolen Cards

If a membership card is lost or stolen, the cardholder must immediately notify the Membership Counter. If a co-branded credit card is lost or stolen, the cardholder must immediately call the credit card issuer.

Product and Membership Guarantee

• On Membership: We will cancel and refund your membership fee at any time if you are dissatisfied.
• On Merchandise: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell, and will refund your purchase price*, with the following exceptions:
  1. Electronics: Costco will accept returns within 90 days from the date of purchase for televisions, major appliances, projectors, computers, cameras, aerial cameras (drones), camcorders, digital music players, tablets, smart watches, cellular phones (return details will vary by carrier service contract), and other electronic products identified by Costco from time to time.
  2. Diamonds: Members returning items containing a 1.00ct diamond or larger must also present all original paperwork (IGI and/or GIA certificates). Costco warehouses will require additional time to verify the diamond, in which case a refund will be approved upon positive verification. This process will require approximately 2 to 5 business days.
  3. Cigarettes and alcohol: Costco does not accept returns on cigarettes or alcohol where prohibited by law.
  4. Products with a limited useful life expectancy, such as tires and batteries, may be sold with a product-specific limited warranty.
  5. Custom Installation Services: Custom product(s) manufactured to our members’ personal and unique specifications cannot be returned or refunded, except for warranty repair/replacement due to failure to meet specifications or as otherwise to the extent required by law.
• Costco may in the future restrict its return policy regarding these and other products. Restrictions will be shown at the point of purchase.

Purchasing Privileges, Guests and other Rules and Policies

• No sales will be made to any person unless they have a valid membership card.
• Each cardholder may bring their children and up to two guests into the warehouse; however members are responsible for their children and guests. Children should not be left unattended. Guests do NOT have purchasing privileges.
• Costco can refuse entry to anyone at any time at its discretion. This includes members who do not display their Costco membership cards when requested.
• Members will be required to purchase any packages or products opened or damaged by them or their guests.
• You will be required to show your membership card (either in its original physical form or as it appears on the Costco mobile application) when entering any Costco warehouse and when checking out at a payment register. Bar codes, photos or other copies are not acceptable.
• Every member using a shopping cart to carry their purchases from the warehouse to their vehicle is obligated to return the cart to the enclosure identified for this purpose in the parking lot in order to facilitate the retrieval of same, as well as to avoid carts from becoming an obstacle to the traffic flow of other members’ vehicles.
• Costco is not responsible for damage or loss caused by a shopping cart to any vehicle of a member or of any guest.
• Costco is not responsible for any personal items that are lost, missing, stolen or damaged while on Costco premises.
• Costco reserves the right to inspect any container, backpack, briefcase, bag or other package when our members and their guests enter or leave our warehouses. Our members and their guests consent to such inspections when they enter our warehouses.
• You will be required to show your receipt for the items you purchased at the warehouse exit. This ensures that our cashiers processed the items you purchased correctly and that you have been properly charged for your purchases. It is also one of our most effective methods of maintaining accuracy in inventory control.
• Use of still or digital cameras or other recording devices, or recording of prices in any manner is not permitted. Offenders will be asked to leave the premises and their membership may be revoked.
• There shall be no solicitation for any purpose on Costco premises, nor interference with employees. Offenders will be asked to leave the premises and their membership may be revoked.
• Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is prohibited at Costco.

Terms of Payment

• All purchases must be made by cash, debit card, Costco Shop Card, preprinted personal cheque or by those credit cards accepted by Costco from time to time.
• Costco reserves the right to further limit the payment method applicable to certain purchases. For example, purchase at our Gas Stations can only be made by debit card, Costco Shop Card, and those credit cards accepted by Costco from time to time.
• Costco reserves the right to limit payment from certain members to cash only.
• Business Members can make purchases with preprinted business cheques. To obtain cheque writing privileges, applicants must present two appropriate pieces of identification with their membership application. The information collected at that time will be used and retained for (1) fraud detection, (2) identification purposes, (3) a credit check, which may be conducted if you choose to pay by cheque and (4) the uses described in our Privacy Statement including sections 5, 7 and 12. Cheques must be in the exact amount. All cheques must be issued on members’ chequing accounts. Cheques must be drawn on a Canadian financial institution account and preprinted with the member’s name, address and telephone number. Any exceptions to cheque cashing rules must be pre-approved in writing by a representative of Costco.
• When paying for purchases by cheque, the member may be required to show a Canadian federal or provincial government-issued ID for fraud detection and identification purposes. Only the type of identification will be noted on the back of the cheque.
• Costco’s out-of-pocket expenses will be payable by the member for any cheque returned by the member’s financial institution.
• The Primary member is responsible for all his/her personal cheques and is jointly and severally (solidarily) liable for all cheques issued by any Household and/or Affiliate cardholders under his/her account.
• Each Affiliate member is responsible for his/her personal cheques and is jointly and severally (solidarily) liable for cheques issued by any Household cardholder under his/her account.
• Transferable company cards (a “Company card”) can be used by specified employees of the company. Company cards are no longer being issued. Purchases with the Company card must be made by preprinted business cheque, cash or those credit cards accepted by Costco from time to time. Purchases made with this card are for business use exclusively.
• Title to all merchandise passes to the member at the check stand after merchandise has been paid for and checked out. Thereafter, the member bears the risk of loss for such merchandise, except for wilful or negligent acts of Costco or its employees. See our policy regarding Receipts above.

Sales Tax (Business Members)

• Sales tax (GST, HST, QST or PST) will be charged on all taxable transactions in accordance with all applicable laws. The member agrees, in the event of his/her failure to pay Costco such tax, to hold Costco harmless and indemnify Costco from any claim, loss, assessment, or expense occasioned by such non-payment. Members purchasing merchandise for resale must advise the cashier of this before the sale is recorded in the cash register. If the member is purchasing for resale, he/she will need to complete the appropriate application certificate at the time of his/her purchase. Sales tax will not be charged at the time of purchase only on those products the member states are specifically for resale.
• If any product is purchased on a sales tax exemption basis and is used in any manner which qualifies it as a taxable item, the member agrees to report and pay any tax due, including any penalties.
• Depending on the applicable provincial law, Primary members must present, when signing up, proof of their provincial tax number or of their tobacco tax number regarding merchandise they desire to purchase for resale on a tax-exempt basis or in the case that they desire to purchase tobacco for resale. In the event that Affiliate members will need to use these tax numbers, the Primary member must give Costco written permission of this at the time of signing up.

Privacy Policy

Costco is committed to protecting the privacy of its customers. See Costco’s Customer Privacy Policy on Costco.ca for more details.

Credit

If you choose to pay by cheque or request the extension of credit from Costco, you authorize Costco to disclose, collect and retain personal information relating to your credit history and credit status to and from credit-reporting agencies, credit bureaus and financial institutions in order to assess your creditworthiness and to process the transaction. If you choose to pay by debit or credit card, you authorize Costco to disclose and collect personal information to and from the debit card and/or credit card issuer in order to process the transaction.

Other

Costco may realize a profit or receive rebates, discounts or other allowances in respect of contracts with suppliers of member services which Costco shall be entitled to retain for its own use/credit without accounting to members.

Calculation of Executive Reward

2% Reward: Executive Members enjoy an annual 2% Reward (the “Reward”) on certain Costco purchases as described below

The 2% Reward is based on the annual Costco Wholesale purchases (see “Calculation of Reward” below) made by the Primary and Household cardholders on the membership account. The Reward coupon is mailed to the Primary member with the annual membership renewal notice and may only be used by the Primary member toward Costco Wholesale purchases.

Costco Purchases

The Reward Program is subject to the following restrictions. Costco Wholesale reserves the right at its discretion to discontinue or change the Reward Program at any time or to disqualify or cancel members’ participation. A member must be an active, paid Executive Member at the time the Reward is earned and issued in order to receive the annual 2% Reward. Only purchases made by the Primary and Household cardholders are used to calculate the Reward.

Calculation of Reward*

The Reward is approximately 2% of pre-tax purchases of most merchandise including Costco Travel,** and will be calculated on purchases by Canadian residents of merchandise through the front-end registers at Costco Wholesale warehouses in Canada and the United States and online at Costco.ca. Rewards will not be calculated: (i) on purchases of cigarettes or other tobacco-related products; (ii) on purchases that are not recorded through Costco Wholesale’s front-end registers, such as services, purchases at Costco Wholesale’s gas stations, food courts, optical centres (Quebec only), and pharmacies; (iii) on purchases of alcoholic beverages; (iv) on membership fees; (v) on miscellaneous fees, deposits and taxes, including applicable sales tax and goods and services tax; (vi) on purchases of services, including auto and other services; (vii) on purchases where prohibited by legal or regulatory restrictions; (viii) on certain other categories as determined from time to time at Costco Wholesale’s sole discretion; or (ix) on purchases made by anyone other than the Executive Membership account’s Primary and Household cardholders. Costco Wholesale warehouses outside Canada can provide a list of exclusions specific to those locations. The period of calculation will run approximately from the date of the member’s paid enrollment or upgrade to Executive Membership through the date approximately three months prior to the member’s renewal date. Purchases from the last three months will be added to the following year’s Reward calculation. Calculation of a Reward is capped at, and will not exceed, $1,000 for any 12-month period. Executive Members who downgrade to Gold Star or Business status or cancel their membership and receive a refund of their membership fees will not receive a Reward.

Use of Reward

Reward coupons will be mailed with membership renewal notices. Reward coupons may be redeemed by the Primary member toward purchases of most merchandise through the front-end registers at Costco Wholesale warehouses throughout Canada only. Reward coupon may not be redeemed for cash. Reward coupons may be used toward purchases of merchandise only. Reward coupons may not be used: (i) toward purchases of certain merchandise such as alcoholic beverages, cigarettes or other tobacco-related products; (ii) toward purchases that are not recorded through Costco Wholesale’s front-end registers, such as purchases at Costco Wholesale’s gas stations, food courts, optical centres (Quebec only), pharmacies and online at Costco.ca and Costcobusinesscentre.ca; (iii) toward purchases of services, including travel, auto and other services; (iv) toward purchases where prohibited by legal or regulatory restrictions; or (v) toward certain other purchases as determined from time to time at Costco Wholesale’s discretion. Reward coupons will not be replaced if lost or stolen. A complete list of products and services that cannot be purchased with Reward coupons is available on Costco.ca and at the Membership Counter in each of our warehouses.