There is currently no claim form to file for the Costco Membership Auto-Renewal class action lawsuit. The case, filed in March 2026 as George II v. Costco Wholesale Corp. in the U.S.
District Court for the Northern District of California, is still in early litigation stages. Class certification has not been granted, no settlement has been approved, and no settlement administrator has been appointed—meaning there are no official deadlines to claim compensation or submit eligibility documentation yet. However, the lawsuit alleges that Costco violated California’s Automatic Renewal Law by sending membership renewal notices 60 days before charging customers, when state law requires only 15-45 days advance notice. If you received a Costco renewal charge that you believe was improper or lacked required disclosures about the renewal terms and cancellation instructions, you have options available today through Costco’s existing customer service process rather than waiting for the class action to settle. Understanding the current status of this lawsuit—and knowing how to recover money right now instead of waiting years for a potential settlement—helps you take action whether the case ultimately results in a class recovery or not.
Table of Contents
- What Does the Costco Auto-Renewal Lawsuit Allege?
- Why Is There No Claim Form Yet?
- What Documents Will You Eventually Need?
- How to Get Refunded Right Now Without Waiting for the Class Action
- What Should You Know About the Lawsuit Timeline and Uncertainties?
- Who Might Be Eligible When the Class Is Certified?
- Documenting Your Own Renewal Notices and Charges
What Does the Costco Auto-Renewal Lawsuit Allege?
The lawsuit, brought by Russel George II and represented by attorneys Matthew Smith and the firm Migliaccio & Rathod LLP, challenges Costco’s membership renewal practices under multiple California consumer protection statutes. Costco’s alleged practice was to send renewal notices approximately 60 days before automatically charging members for their next membership term—a notice period that exceeds the 15 to 45-day window required by the California Automatic Renewal Law. The plaintiff alleges that these early notices, combined with allegedly missing or unclear required disclosures, violate the Automatic Renewal Law, California’s False advertising Law, the Consumers Legal Remedies Act, and California’s Unfair Competition Law.
Specifically, the lawsuit contends that Costco’s renewal notices lacked specific required information: the exact dollar amount of the renewal charge, clear renewal terms and conditions, and unambiguous cancellation instructions. For example, if you received a notice saying “Your membership will renew automatically” but the notice did not state the exact price you would be charged or a simple, straightforward way to cancel before renewal, this could support the allegations in the lawsuit. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for June 2026 to address initial procedural matters, but no settlement discussions or class certification have been announced to date.
Why Is There No Claim Form Yet?
class action lawsuits follow a structured legal timeline before any settlement or judgment can be reached. The first major milestone is class certification, in which a judge determines whether the case can proceed as a class action and defines the class of people who would be eligible to receive compensation. Only after a class is certified—or after a trial verdict is reached—can the parties negotiate a settlement or have a court impose damages. At that point, a settlement administrator is appointed to manage claims, and a claims process with deadlines is established.
The Costco case has not reached any of these stages. The preliminary hearing scheduled for June 2026 was focused on basic procedural issues, not settlement discussions. This means there is no official claims administrator, no settlement agreement defining who qualifies for compensation, and no deadline to submit evidence or claim forms. While the lawsuit continues to develop, any compensation through the class action remains uncertain and potentially years away. Some class action cases are dismissed, others drag on for many years before settling, and settlement amounts can vary dramatically depending on the number of class members and the strength of the evidence.
What Documents Will You Eventually Need?
While no claim form exists yet, if the case eventually settles or results in a judgment, you will likely need to prove your membership status and the disputed renewal charges. Common documentation that class action claims require includes account statements showing your Costco membership number, dates of renewal charges, the amounts charged, proof of membership at the time of renewal (such as a digital membership card screenshot or warehouse receipt), and any communications from Costco regarding the renewal—such as the renewal notice or promotional emails. It is important to understand that not all members who were charged a renewal fee will automatically receive compensation.
The class, once certified, will likely be defined narrowly: for example, “all California residents who held an active Costco membership that auto-renewed during the period from [date] to [date] and received notice fewer than 15 days before renewal, or who did not receive required disclosures.” This means you may need to prove not just that you were charged, but that you received inadequate notice or incomplete renewal disclosures. If Costco’s records show you received a properly formatted notice 30 days in advance with all required information, you might not qualify, even though you were charged. Beginning to gather and organize your Costco account records and any renewal notices you received now—before potential discovery disputes blur the details—is a practical step, though premature to file any claim.
How to Get Refunded Right Now Without Waiting for the Class Action
Rather than waiting for a class action settlement that may take years to resolve and may deliver only partial compensation, Costco offers a direct refund process available to any member today. If you believe your membership was renewed without proper consent or with inadequate notice, you can request a refund through Costco’s existing customer service channels. Costco’s current auto-renewal refund policy typically processes refunds within 5-7 business days. Even more promptly, if you cancel your membership within 48 hours of being charged for a renewal, Costco refunds the charge within 2 business days.
You can initiate a refund request through multiple methods: online via the Costco Customer Service website, by phone at 1-800-774-2678, or in person at the membership counter at any Costco warehouse. When contacting Costco, explain that you did not authorize the renewal, did not receive adequate notice, or received inadequate renewal terms and cancellation information. Provide your membership number and the date and amount of the disputed charge. A real-world example: if you were charged $60 for a Gold Star membership renewal on July 15 and you received a renewal notice dated May 10 (65 days in advance), or if the notice did not clearly state the price or how to cancel, you have grounds to request a full refund under the same California Automatic Renewal Law that the lawsuit cites. Unlike the class action, this direct refund path does not depend on any settlement or court ruling—you can recover your money this month.
What Should You Know About the Lawsuit Timeline and Uncertainties?
The Costco Auto-Renewal lawsuit is at a very early stage, and early-stage lawsuits face significant uncertainty. Class certification has not been granted, meaning a judge has not yet confirmed that this case can proceed as a class action or defined the exact scope of eligible class members. Even if certified, the case could settle for a small amount per member, go to trial and lose, or drag through appeals for years. Some class action settlements deliver only 20-30 cents on the dollar of claimed losses; others pay nothing because the defendant appeals or the class is defined so narrowly that few members qualify.
A critical limitation: if you wait for the class action without filing a direct refund request with Costco, you risk Costco’s statute of limitations on refunds. While state law typically allows customers to dispute charges for a limited period (often 1-3 years from the charge date depending on payment method and Costco’s internal policies), there is no guarantee Costco will honor a refund request years from now during or after the lawsuit, especially if you have since renewed multiple times. Additionally, if you have paid multiple disputed renewal charges over several years, each charge may have its own time limit for requesting a refund. Filing a claim with Costco’s customer service now creates documented evidence of your dispute, whereas waiting for the class action could leave you without a backup recovery option.
Who Might Be Eligible When the Class Is Certified?
Based on the lawsuit’s allegations, the eventual class—if certified—will likely include California residents who held an active Costco membership during a defined period and whose membership auto-renewed. However, eligibility will almost certainly be narrower than “anyone who paid a renewal fee.” The class definition will probably require proof that you received inadequate advance notice (such as notice fewer than 15 days before renewal, or more than 45 days), or that renewal notices you received omitted required information like the exact renewal price, renewal terms, or cancellation instructions.
For example, a member who received a renewal notice 30 days in advance, with a clear price, renewal terms, and a clickable cancel button in the Costco app, would likely not qualify—even if they did not read the notice or did not realize renewal was automatic. Conversely, a member who received notice 65 days in advance, or who received a notice that said “Your membership renews automatically” but did not state the dollar amount or how to cancel, would likely qualify. This distinction is important: being charged a renewal fee is not enough on its own; you need to show that Costco’s notice or disclosures were legally deficient under California’s Automatic Renewal Law.
Documenting Your Own Renewal Notices and Charges
To protect your interests whether you pursue a direct refund request with Costco or wait to see if you can file a class action claim, take screenshots or print copies of any renewal notices you received (from email, Costco’s website, or your account page), your account statements showing the charge, and any receipts or membership cards tied to that charge. Save copies of any emails or messages from Costco mentioning renewal, cancellation, or your membership. If you paid by credit card or debit card, download your bank or card statement showing the Costco charge and the date it posted.
This documentation becomes crucial if you file a refund request with Costco, because your proof of the charge and the timing of any notice strengthens your claim. It also becomes evidence if the class action eventually proceeds and you need to submit a claim. For instance, if you have a screenshot of an email from Costco dated May 1 saying “Your membership renews June 15” without stating the amount, that is concrete evidence supporting an argument that Costco failed to disclose the renewal price in advance, a required element under the California Automatic Renewal Law. Keeping organized records of your Costco membership history and renewal notices costs nothing now and could be the difference between a successful refund request and a denied one.
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