Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
SINEGAL JAMES D
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW [COST] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President and CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
999 LAKE DRIVE		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/17/2005
(Street)

ISSAQUAH, WA 98027-8990		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 03/17/2005   M   100,000 A $ 6.6563 913,926 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2005   S   100,000 D $ 0 (1) 813,926 D  
Common Stock               1,942,143 I By LLC
Common Stock               230 I By GRAT
Common Stock               230 I By Spouse's GRAT

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option $ 6.6563 03/17/2005   M     100,000 05/26/1995 05/25/2005 Common Stock 100,000 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
SINEGAL JAMES D
999 LAKE DRIVE
ISSAQUAH, WA 98027-8990		   X     President and CEO  

Signatures

 James D Sinegal   03/21/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Number of Shares Price 700@ $44.3400 3,736@ $44.1854 100@ $44.3500 3,100@ $44.2648 1,780@ $44.3900 5,200@ $44.2263 76@ $44.3200 87@ $44.1200 20@ $44.3400 3,800@ $44.2861 2,100@ $44.3300 188@ $44.1400 700@ $44.4000 300@ $44.3700 100@ $44.3200 153@ $44.1800 2,100@ $44.3576 100@ $44.3800 2,532@ $44.1000 186@ $44.1700 4,678@ $44.1498 1,254@ $44.2300 100@ $44.3100 200@ $44.1800 4,400@ $44.3098 100@ $44.2800 2,116@ $44.2338 100@ $44.1900 3,376@ $44.2285 4,342@ $44.1726 58@ $44.2400 18@ $44.1000 2,100@ $44.2824 100@ $44.2200 14,957@ $44.1100 7,796@ $44.0957 100@ $44.2900 11,155@ $44.1200 100@ $44.3000 3,400@ $44.1300 1,930@ $44.1205 3,686@ $44.3198 200@ $44.3100 114@ $44.3400 200@ $44.3300 100@ $44.2900 1,100@ $44.3264 100@ $44.3300 5,062@ $44.2257

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