costco auto renewal lawsuit claims Costco violated California’s auto-renewal law by failing to give a required membership renewal notice in time. California man Russel George says the issue involved an annual membership that renewed without the notice he says the law requires. The case is moving forward in the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of California, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for June.
What the Costco Auto Renewal Lawsuit Says
George alleges Costco sent renewal notice emails 60 days before charging members’ credit cards, which he says falls outside California’s 15-to-45-day notice window. The complaint says that notice was not only untimely, but also missing required information such as the length and terms of the renewal, the amount to be charged, and the methods available to cancel.
The suit says George did not use his membership enough to justify keeping it and was surprised to learn that his Gold Star annual membership renewed in January 2026 for $65. He says he would have canceled if he had received notice in time. The filing also says Costco offers two membership tiers, including a $130 annual executive membership.
Costco Auto Renewal Lawsuit and Cancellation Rules
The complaint places the dispute inside California’s Automatic Renewal Law and broader consumer protection claims. George says Costco violated the state’s False Advertising Law, Consumers Legal Remedies Act, and Unfair Competition Law as well as the auto-renewal statute.
California law requires consumers to be able to cancel using the same method used to enroll or the method they generally use to interact with the business. The California Attorney General’s Office says businesses must also offer a toll-free phone number, email address, or another easy-to-use cancellation method. Costco’s policy allows members to cancel by calling a toll-free number or visiting a store location.
Immediate Reaction From the Filing
The complaint is direct about what George says he lost: “Due to Costco’s untimely and deficient auto-renewal notice, the plaintiff was deprived of information he was statutorily entitled to that would have notified him of the upcoming auto-renewal and provided him with methods of cancellation. ” It also says, “Had the plaintiff been provided this notice in a timely manner, he would have canceled his membership and not gone forward with the auto-renewal. ”
George is represented by Matthew Smith of Migliaccio & Rathod LLP. The case seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, damages for George and other class members, and a jury trial.
Why the Case Matters Now
The complaint comes after the Federal Trade Commission tried to implement similar nationwide auto-renewal rules in 2024 under the Biden administration. A federal appeals court struck down that rule in July 2025 after opponents argued the agency did not follow proper rulemaking procedures.
For now, the focus remains on California and on whether Costco’s renewal notices met the state’s timing and disclosure requirements. George’s case against Costco is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in June, and the outcome could shape how the Costco Auto Renewal Lawsuit is viewed going forward.
