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I get it — you like Costco so much, you want to share your membership card with all of your family and friends. Or maybe you just want to help out that nice person who assured you they’re a member, they just forgot their card. You’d be their hero if you’d swipe your membership card so they can pump gas, just this once.

Don’t. This seemingly innocent gesture could get your Costco membership cancelled — with no refund.

Costco rules strictly forbid membership sharing

If you’ve ever wondered why your Costco membership card has your photo on it, this is why. It’s against the Costco membership agreement to let anyone else use your card.

Yes, this applies even to family and spouses. Your spouse cannot use your Costco membership card to make purchases, even at the pump. In fact, they can’t even use your card to get into the store unless you’re with them.

When Costco catches you — because it’s highly likely you will get caught, particularly in store — you might just get a warning. But you may also have your membership cancelled entirely.

Pro tip: Go through a lot of Costco gas? Check out this cobranded rewards credit card for bonus cash back at the pump.

Only the member can pay at checkout

Each card-carrying member can bring up to two guests per trip, but the guests can’t make purchases. Whether you’re buying gas or items in store, only the card-carrying member is allowed to pay at checkout.

This is a little harder to police at the pump, where you generally only need to swipe your membership card. The system may notice if the name on the membership card and the name on the payment method don’t match.

Either way, definitely don’t try to share cards in the store. Costco employees swipe cards and verify photos during checkout, even in the self-checkout lanes.

Each paid membership can have two cards

If you really want to share your Costco membership with a partner or other household member, you can get them their own membership card. Each paid Costco membership comes with two individual membership cards.

You can assign the second card to anyone in your household (provided they live with you). This can be done online or in a store, but you’ll need to stop at the membership desk either way to get a photo taken and card printed.

Make sure the other cardmember also understands the rules of membership, including not to share their card with anyone else. If your household member messes up, it could also jeopardize your account.

Next step: If you’re ready to share Costco accounts, you may also want to share credit card rewards. Click here to explore our top rewards credit cards for Costco and see how much you can earn.

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Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Brittney Myers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.