{"id":2105,"title":"Does the Costco Credit Card Require a Credit Score? An Eligibility Requirements Guide","slug":"does-the-costco-credit-card-require-a-credit-score-an-eligibility-requirements-guide","lang":"en","description":"Many Costco members want to know whether they need a specific credit score before applying for a Costco Credit Card. This question is especially relevant for applicants with a limited credit history, a lower credit score, or uncertainty about whether their current financial profile is strong enough. This guide explains how credit score may affect a Costco Credit Card application, whether Citi publishes a minimum credit score, what other factors may influence the decision, and what applicants should review before submitting an application.","content":"

What Is the Costco Credit Card?

The term Costco Credit Card generally refers to the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, a co-branded credit card available to eligible Costco members in the United States.

Citi issues the card, manages the account, and makes credit approval decisions. Costco operates the membership program connected to the card. Applicants must maintain an active paid Costco membership, but membership alone does not guarantee approval.

Category	Key information
Card issuer	Citi
Card network	Visa
Intended applicants	Eligible Costco members in the United States
Membership requirement	Active paid Costco membership
Annual card fee	$0 with an eligible active membership
Approval	Subject to Citi’s credit review

Membership requirements, fees, and approval criteria are subject to the current terms provided by Citi and Costco.

Does the Costco Credit Card Require a Credit Score?

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi is not a no-credit-check or guaranteed-approval card. Citi may review an applicant’s credit score and information contained in their credit report when evaluating an application.

A credit score may reflect how an applicant has managed credit accounts in the past, including:

Payment history;
Outstanding balances;
Credit utilization;
Length of credit history;
Recent credit activity.

Citi may also consider income, existing debt, overall credit history, creditworthiness, and other information provided in the application.

Credit score may therefore affect the review process, but it is not the only factor that determines whether an application is approved or declined. The absence of a publicly stated score requirement does not mean the card is available without a credit review.

Is There a Minimum Credit Score for the Costco Credit Card?

In its publicly available guidance for the Costco Anywhere Visa Card, Citi does not state one minimum credit score that applies to every applicant or guarantees approval.

Credit score estimates published by third-party websites should not be treated as official Citi approval requirements.

A higher credit score may help strengthen an application, but it does not automatically result in approval. The final decision may also depend on:

Payment history;
Credit utilization;
Income;
Existing financial obligations;
Recent credit applications;
Information provided in the application.

Applicants should review their full financial and credit profile rather than comparing their score with a single number found online.

Other Factors That May Affect the Approval Decision

Citi may consider several parts of an applicant’s credit and financial profile in addition to credit score.

Review factor	Why it may matter
Payment history	Shows whether previous credit obligations were paid as agreed
Credit utilization	Indicates how much available revolving credit is currently being used
Credit history	Provides information about how the applicant has managed credit over time
Income	Helps assess the ability to manage payments
Existing debt	Shows current financial obligations
Recent applications	Multiple applications may increase the number of hard inquiries
Application information	Missing or inconsistent details may require additional verification
Costco membership	Must remain active to meet the product’s basic eligibility requirement

Citi publicly identifies factors such as credit score, payment history, credit utilization, credit mix, income, and recent applications as potentially relevant. Its consumer guidance does not specify how much weight is assigned to each factor.

What If You Have Bad Credit?

A general label such as bad credit cannot predict whether an application will be approved or declined. However, negative information in a credit report may make approval more difficult.

Factors that may weaken an application include:

Recent late or missed payments;
High card balances relative to available limits;
Collection accounts;
Other recent negative credit events;
Multiple credit applications within a short period.

Citi considers the overall application rather than relying only on a general credit category. However, the Costco Credit Card should not be presented as a card specifically designed for people with bad credit or as an easy-approval credit card.

What If You Have Limited Credit History or No Credit Score?

Having no credit score does not necessarily mean having bad credit. In some cases, a credit file may not contain enough information or recent activity to generate a score.

However, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card is not presented as a credit card specifically designed for people without an established credit history. When an applicant has a thin or limited credit file, Citi may have less information available to evaluate how that person has managed previous credit accounts.

Applicants with limited credit history should understand that:

Costco membership does not replace a credit review;
Having no score does not guarantee approval or denial;
Income and other application information may still be considered;
A full application may result in a hard credit inquiry;
Submitting multiple applications within a short period may affect the credit profile.

Citi allows consumers to check certain prequalified credit card offers without affecting their credit score. However, users are not evaluated for every Citi card, and the Costco Anywhere Visa Card may not appear among the available offers. Prequalification also does not guarantee approval after a full application is submitted.

How Does the Annual Card Fee Work?

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi currently has a $0 annual card fee when the cardholder maintains an active paid Costco membership.

The Costco membership fee is separate and must still be paid to maintain eligibility for the card.

A $0 annual card fee does not mean the account cannot generate other costs. Depending on the cardholder’s activity and current account terms, potential costs may include:

Interest when a balance is carried;
Cash advance fees;
Balance transfer fees;
Costs associated with late or returned payments.

Applicants should review the latest APRs, pricing disclosures, and account terms directly through Citi before applying.

Information to Prepare Before Applying

A Costco Credit Card applicant may need to provide:

An active Costco membership number;
Full legal name;
Date of birth;
Residential address;
Social Security number;
Phone number and email address;
Total annual income;
Monthly rent or mortgage payment;
Other information requested by Citi.

Incomplete, inaccurate, or inconsistent information may result in additional verification. Preparing the required information does not guarantee approval, but it may help reduce avoidable delays during the application process.

What Should You Check Before Applying?

Before submitting an application, review the following:

Is your Costco membership active?
Does your credit report contain errors or unfamiliar accounts?
Have you had any recent late payments or other negative credit events?
Is your current credit utilization relatively high?
Are your existing debt obligations manageable based on your income?
Have you submitted several credit applications recently?
Do you understand that credit score is only one part of the review and does not guarantee approval?

This checklist cannot predict Citi’s decision, but it can help applicants better understand their current credit and financial position before applying.

Can the Costco Credit Card Be Approved Quickly?

Some online applications may receive a result within a short period. Citi indicates that an online applicant may learn whether an application has been approved in less than one minute, although this does not apply to every case.

Depending on the application, the result may be:

Approved;
Declined;
Pending additional review;
Delayed while Citi verifies identity or application information.

Receiving a fast response does not mean approval is guaranteed. The final decision still depends on Citi’s credit review and the information contained in the application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Costco make the credit approval decision?

No. Citi issues the card and makes the credit decision. Costco operates the membership program associated with the product.

Can you apply for a Costco Credit Card with bad credit?

An eligible Costco member may be able to submit an application, but negative payment history, high balances, collection accounts, or other adverse information may make approval more difficult.

Does Costco membership guarantee approval?

No. An active paid membership is a basic eligibility requirement, but the application remains subject to Citi’s credit review.

Does applying affect your credit score?

A full Costco Credit Card application may result in a hard credit inquiry. Checking certain Citi prequalified offers does not affect the credit score, but prequalification is not a full application and does not guarantee final approval.

Is there a guaranteed Costco Credit Card approval score?

No publicly stated credit score guarantees approval. Citi may consider the applicant’s overall credit history, income, debt obligations, payment behavior, and other information.

Can you apply without an established credit score?

A person with limited or unscored credit history may still be able to submit an application, but the Costco Anywhere Visa Card is not a no-credit-check card. Approval remains subject to Citi’s evaluation.

Final Takeaway

Citi may review credit score and credit history when evaluating a Costco Credit Card application, but there is no publicly stated score that guarantees approval.

Income, payment history, credit utilization, existing debt, recent applications, and the accuracy of the information provided may also affect the decision. Before applying, review your credit reports, prepare the required information, and confirm the latest eligibility requirements and card terms directly with Citi and Costco.

Disclaimer

This content is a general informational guide about Costco Credit Card credit score considerations and eligibility requirements. This website is not Costco Wholesale, Citi, or Visa. It does not issue credit cards, accept or process applications, or make approval decisions.

Eligibility criteria, credit requirements, APRs, fees, and application methods may change. Readers should verify current information directly with Citi and Costco before applying. Meeting any factor discussed in this guide does not guarantee approval.

Official References

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