who can get a costco card

Anyone who meets Costco’s basic age and ID rules can get a membership card; there is no special profession or income requirement for standard individual memberships.

Basic eligibility

• Age : Membership is available to individuals at least 16 years old, though some sources note that many benefits (like being a primary cardholder) are structured around adults 18+.

• ID and address : You must provide valid government‑issued photo ID and a valid mailing address in the country where you are joining (for example, a U.S. address for a U.S. membership).

• Costco’s discretion : Costco reserves the right to refuse or cancel membership at its discretion, even if basic criteria are met.

Who can get which card

• Standard individual (Gold Star) : Any qualifying individual meeting age and ID requirements can buy this membership and shop at warehouses and online.

• Household cardholder : Each primary member can designate one other person in the same household, age 16 or over, living at the same address, to get a second card on the same membership.

• Business memberships : People who own or operate a business (including self‑employed individuals) can qualify for business memberships, which may allow additional cards for staff depending on the plan.

Who cannot get a card

• Underage applicants : People under 16 cannot hold their own membership card, though they can usually accompany an adult member as guests.

• No verifiable ID/address : Applicants who cannot provide acceptable photo ID or a valid local mailing address will not be able to complete sign‑up.

• Banned/terminated members : Those whose memberships have been terminated by Costco may be refused a new card at Costco’s discretion.

Extra access options

• Household sharing : Two adults in the same household can share one paid membership (primary + one household card), which is why many families only buy a single membership.

• Guests and shop cards : Non‑members can usually enter as guests with a member, and in some regions they can use prepaid “shop cards” to make certain purchases even without their own membership.

Quick recap in plain terms

• If you are at least 16, have valid government ID, and a valid address, you can buy your own Costco membership card.
• You can also be the free household member on someone else’s membership if you are 16+ and live at the same address.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.