At A Glance
- Who Does the Costco Class Action Lawsuit Affect?
The proposed classes cover U.S. customers who bought imported goods from Costco while tariffs were in place, from about February 2025 to February 2026. One case sets the period at February 1, 2025 through February 24, 2026. No class has been certified, so nobody is officially a class member yet.
- What Is Going On with the Costco Class Action Lawsuit?
Shoppers say Costco raised prices to cover import tariffs, then sought government refunds after the Supreme Court struck down those tariffs on February 20, 2026. They argue Costco should not keep the refunds as well as the higher prices. Costco says it owes customers nothing and has asked the court to dismiss the case.
- What Could I Get From the Costco Class Action Lawsuit?
Nothing yet. There is no settlement, no claim form and no payout. The plaintiffs ask for a court declaration that Costco must return any tariff refunds it receives to the customers who bore the costs.
- Can I File a Costco Class Action Lawsuit?
You do not need to file anything now. If a class is certified or a settlement is reached, notice would follow. Keep your Costco membership account and purchase history, which show what you bought during the tariff period.
- How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
Class action lawyers usually work on contingency, so class members pay nothing up front. If the case wins or settles, the court approves the fee, which is paid from the recovery.
Costco Faces Class Actions Over Tariff Refunds It May Keep From Shoppers
When the Supreme Court struck down the import tariffs on February 20, 2026, importers became eligible for refunds of the duties they had paid. Customers then sued Costco, saying they paid higher prices that covered those duties and that Costco should not keep both the higher prices and the refunds.
KSL reported that the first suit says Costco has “made no commitment to return any portion of anticipated tariff refunds” to consumers who bore the costs. At least two cases are pending, one in Illinois and one in Washington.
None of the claims has been proven. Costco has not agreed to pay customers directly and has asked the court to dismiss the case.
Important Costco lawsuit update
As of October 30, 2026, there is no Costco tariff settlement, no claim form and no payout. Any email or text asking you to “claim” money from these cases or pay a fee to join is a scam. Learn the warning signs in our guide to class action settlement scams.
Who Is Being Sued in the Costco Class Action Lawsuit?
The defendant is Costco Wholesale Corporation, the membership warehouse retailer. The two main cases were filed in different federal courts.
The parties include:
- Costco Wholesale Corporation: The membership warehouse retailer named as the defendant.
- Matthew Stockov: The Illinois customer who filed Stockov v. Costco Wholesale, No. 1:26-cv-02734, in March 2026.
- Seven Washington case plaintiffs: Customers from Washington, Ohio, California and Pennsylvania who sued in the Western District of Washington.
- U.S. Court of International Trade: The court where Costco filed its own tariff refund case on November 28, 2025.
Who Could Be Covered by the Costco Lawsuits?
The proposed classes cover U.S. customers who bought imported goods from Costco while the tariffs were in place, from about February 2025 to February 2026. One case sets the period at February 1, 2025 through February 24, 2026. No class has been certified.
What Circumstances Might Be Relevant?
- You bought imported goods from Costco between February 2025 and February 2026.
- You noticed price increases on imported items during that time.
- You can show purchases with a Costco online account history, member receipts or card statements.
- You bought only domestic products. These may fall outside the proposed classes.
- You are a business buyer. The cases focus on consumers.
You do not need to sign up or file anything to stay in a proposed class. If a court certifies a class or a settlement is reached, official notice will explain your options. Our guide on what to do when you get a class action notice explains that step.
What Is the Costco Lawsuit About?
The core claim is double recovery. The plaintiffs say Costco passed tariff costs to shoppers through higher prices and is now getting the tariff money back from the government. The Washington complaint says Costco’s later price cuts show the costs were passed on. The cases bring claims for unjust enrichment, money had and received, and violations of state consumer protection laws, including the Washington Consumer Protection Act.
Costco’s side, according to CFO Dive on August 24, 2026: Costco filed a motion to dismiss in May 2026, arguing the claims are not ripe and the plaintiff lacks standing. In an August 5 filing it said it had received about one third of the refunds it is entitled to and has started returning value through lower prices on some products. The plaintiff replied that Costco’s argument that it had received no refunds had “evaporated.” We could not find a ruling on the motion as of October 30, 2026.
| Case | Filed | Main claim | What it asks for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockov v. Costco Wholesale, No. 1:26-cv-02734 | March 2026, N.D. Illinois | Costco should not keep tariff refunds after raising prices | A declaration that refunds must go back to customers |
| Washington customers v. Costco | 2026, W.D. Washington (Seattle) | Unjust enrichment and Washington Consumer Protection Act violations | Relief for a proposed nationwide class |
What Laws Are Involved?
The cases rely on state consumer protection laws and common law claims. The tariffs themselves were imposed under a federal emergency powers law.
The key laws include:
- IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1701): The emergency powers law under which the struck down tariffs were imposed.
- Washington Consumer Protection Act (RCW 19.86): A state law against unfair or deceptive business practices, cited in the Washington case.
- Unjust enrichment: A legal theory that a company should not keep money it has no right to.
How Do Other Pricing Cases Compare?
Pricing cases rarely end quickly. Compare this one with the Expedia hotels lawsuit over alleged inflated prices, or see our Starbucks class action lawsuit page for a consumer case with no payout yet.
Those results are not a prediction for Costco. See how class action settlements work for the usual path from complaint to payment.
Shop at Costco?
You can act today without waiting for the court. Download your Costco purchase history from your online account and keep your member receipts. Then note imported items you bought most between early 2025 and early 2026.
What Can Costco Shoppers Do Right Now?
Because there is no settlement, the most useful steps preserve evidence in case a class is certified.
- Sign in to your Costco account and download your in warehouse and online order history.
- Save receipts or card statements for purchases between February 2025 and February 2026.
- Note which items were imported and whether their prices changed.
- Do not pay anyone who offers to register you for a Costco tariff refund.
- Report deceptive refund offers to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Attorney
- Which Costco case fits my purchases, and am I in a proposed class?
- Would an individual claim be worth more than waiting for a class?
- Could Costco lowering prices count as a remedy, and would that end the case?
- What purchase records from my Costco account should I save?
What Happens Next in the Costco Cases?
The court must rule on Costco’s motion to dismiss. If the claims survive, the plaintiffs would ask a judge to certify a class before any classwide money is possible. That process usually takes a year or more. Costco is also pursuing its own refund case in the U.S. Court of International Trade, filed November 28, 2025.
Cases filed in the same federal district are sometimes combined. Follow other active cases in our list of open class action lawsuits.
Shoppers may wish to:
- Bookmark this page. We update it when the court rules or a settlement is announced.
- Ignore anyone offering to "register" you for a Costco tariff refund for a fee.
- Learn what a class action lawsuit is and how class members are notified.
- Check open class action settlements for claims you can file today.
Is There a Filing Deadline for the Costco Lawsuits?
No. There is no claim deadline because there is no settlement. These are the dates that matter so far:
Key Dates in the Costco Cases:
- February 20, 2026: The Supreme Court rules the import tariffs unlawful.
- March 2026: Stockov v. Costco Wholesale filed in the Northern District of Illinois.
- May 2026: Costco files its motion to dismiss.
- August 5, 2026: Costco says it has received about one third of its tariff refunds.
- Next: A ruling on the motion to dismiss. We found none as of October 30, 2026.
If you want to bring your own case instead of waiting, time limits under state consumer protection laws can be short. A lawyer can tell you which deadline applies. Our guide on how to sue a company covers the basics.
Case: Stockov v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, No. 1:26-cv-02734 (N.D. Ill.)
Related case: Seven customer suit in the Western District of Washington, reported by Your Source One
Status: Pending. No settlement or claim form
Summary: Open Class Actions case report
You May Also Want to Know
No. As of October 30, 2026, there is no settlement, claim form or payout for Costco customers.
Costco says it plans to use any refunds to lower prices and add value for shoppers, not to pay customers directly. The lawsuits argue that is not enough.
The proposed classes cover U.S. shoppers who bought tariff affected goods between early 2025 and late February 2026. A court has not certified any class.
No one knows. Any amount depends on a settlement or ruling. See class action settlement payouts.