Unlike most retailers where you can just go in and do your shopping, at Costco, you will need to present your Costco membership card in order to be able to enter the Costco warehouse.
That can be seen as quite an inconvenience to customers who are paying members but have forgotten or lost their Costco membership card.
As a result, many customers in that situation wonder if you can go to Costco if you’ve forgotten or lost your membership card? Can you get a temporary one and how do you get a replacement if you’ve lost your card?
After some research, we have got all the answers for you.
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Can You Go To Costco If You Forgot Your Membership Card At Home?
As of 2023, you can visit your local Costco store and even use the Costco gas stations if you have forgotten or lost your Costco membership card.
All you need to do is go to the customer service and ask one of the staff on shift for a temporary card so that you can go and complete your shopping.
They will only ask you for your name and identification document to check if you actually have an active membership before they let you through.
Can You Fuel Up At Costco Without Your Membership Card?
If you hold an active Costco membership, then you can go and refuel your car or refill your propane tanks without your membership card. The process will take a little longer as the employees will need to verify the status of your membership but aside from that, you won’t have any problems at all.
If you’re not a Costco member, unfortunately, you will be turned away. Costco memberships range from $60 to $120 a year, which might be worth your while if you fuel up often and want to take advantage of the cheaper cost of fuel.
Can You Get A Temporary Costco Card?
Yes, you can get a temporary Costco card while waiting for your new Costco membership card to be made. Unfortunately, you can’t get a temporary Costco card online from the Costco website so you’ll need to get one next time you’re in the store.
Just head over to the customer service desk or ask a member of staff and they would be more than happy to help.
What Happens If You’ve Lost Your Costco Membership Card?
If you’ve lost your membership card, you can’t shop at Costco. Luckily, Costco are very lenient and would be happy to make you a new one on demand. If you don’t have the time to wait for a new card to be made, they will give you a temporary Costco card for the day.
How Much Does A Membership Card Replacement Cost?
Luckily, there is no charge for getting your membership card replaced. All you need to do is head over to Costco and tell a staff member on shift.
Costco are fully aware that getting your physical card lost happens and since you’re already a paying customer, they don’t mind getting you a replacement for free.
At the end of the day, you pay to shop at Costco and you need a card to shop each time.
How Long Does A Costco Membership Card Replacement Take?
Generally speaking, the whole process takes around 10 minutes. When getting a new Costco card, they will likely ask you to take a new picture and to see your ID.
That of course depends on how many customers are in the same situation as you. If you’ve lost your Costco card and don’t want to wait in a queue, it’s always best to go in the off-peak hours of the day.
Early morning is the best.
Can You Go To All Costco Locations Without A Membership Card?
If you’re an active Costco member, then that will give you complete access to all Costco locations worldwide. If you don’t have your membership card with you, the process for shopping at whatever Costco you want to is pretty much the same as it would be in your local Costco.
Now, if you’re abroad in countries like Japan, the policies might be slightly different so it’s always best to reach out to your local Costco there to find out if you can shop without your membership card even though you’re a paying member in the states.
What About A One Day Pass?
Unfortunately, Costco doesn’t have a one day pass. So, if you’ve forgotten your membership card, you’ll either need to get a temporary one or wait for your new one to arrive.
If you’re not a paying Costco member, unfortunately, you will have to pay for a full membership to take advantage of Costco’s low prices on products and gas.
Conclusion – Can You Go To Costco Without Your Card?
Going to Costco without your physical membership card isn’t a problem. You will just need to speak to customer service before you enter the store so that they can verify your membership status and hand you over a temporary membership card.
You can’t get your temporary card online so you’ll need to do that in-store.
