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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Qh18tVl2EjzPlgQ9ABz64HYHUPj/iWvFJyAGTpYReujCkqa7oVaMK9EaYgnDzIuL
 pBl9xdxJ9qy9hJgshat17g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001184492-03-000002.txt : 20030530
<SEC-HEADER>0001184492-03-000002.hdr.sgml : 20030530
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030530120857
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001184492-03-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030428
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030530

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DICERCHIO RICHARD D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001184492

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-20355
		FILM NUMBER:		03724977

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP.
		STREET 2:		999 LAKE DRIVE
		CITY:			ISSAQUAH
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98027

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000909832
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-VARIETY STORES [5331]
		IRS NUMBER:				911223280
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			WA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0830

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		999 LAKE DRIVE
		CITY:			ISSAQUAH
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98027-
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4253138100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		999 LAKE DRIVE
		CITY:			ISSAQUAH
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98027

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	COSTCO COMPANIES INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19970401

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	PRICE/COSTCO INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930728
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001184492d20030530f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-04-28</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000909832</issuerCik><issuerName>COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>COST</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001184492</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>DICERCHIO RICHARD D</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior Executive VP</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></secur
ityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-04-28</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>43951</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>132505</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The reporting person received 43,951 shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation stock from an exchange fund.</footnote></footnot
es><ownerSignature><signatureName>Richard D DiCerchio</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-30</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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