Entering a Costco store will no longer be the same for millions of members in the United States. The chain began rolling out a new access control system that replaces the simple display of the membership card with an electronic verification process, a measure that seeks to prevent misuse of shared accounts and reinforce compliance with its rules.

The change is already present in numerous branches and will continue to expand over the coming months. The company assures that the objective is to expedite the entry of legitimate clients and reduce fraud associated with the loan of memberships.

You can see: How to have a Costco membership: requirements, prices and benefits 2026

What will the new entrance to Costco be like?

Instead of showing the card to the employee at the entrance, customers will need to scan their membership—physical or digital from the official Costco app—on electronic readers installed at the entrance.

Once scanned, an employee will verify that the membership corresponds to the person trying to enter. In many cases, the system also shows the owner's photo to prevent the same account from being used by unauthorized people.

The company reminds that membership is personal and that only holders and additional registered users can use it to make purchases.

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Why Costco made this decision

Costco derives a significant portion of its revenue from annual dues paid by its members. Over the past few years, the company has detected an increase in card lending among family and friends, a practice that violates the terms of service.

The implementation of scanners is part of a broader strategy to protect that business model and improve control in stores without affecting the shopping experience of those with a valid membership.

At the same time, Costco continues to drive usage of its mobile app. In addition to carrying the digital card, users can check promotions, review their recent purchases and access different functions without having to carry the physical credential.

Although the change may cause some delays while customers get used to the new system, the company maintains that the scanning process takes just a few seconds and that, once the implementation is complete, access will be even faster than with the traditional method.