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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,
 S8gW2LNkTafrgaD79IXPcfYCfvjD/G8p0M/zm0AMXSWIm8ont9N+gMxG2koD0TKy
 pUFLk8YAO86a6fipeuCDQA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001184497-03-000010.txt : 20030902
<SEC-HEADER>0001184497-03-000010.hdr.sgml : 20030901
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030902170850
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001184497-03-000010
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030829
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030902

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

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PETTERSON DAVID S
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001184497

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-20355
		FILM NUMBER:		03876888

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP.
		STREET 2:		999 LAKE DRIVE
		CITY:			ISSAQUAH
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98027
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001184497d20030902f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-29</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000909832</issuerCik><issuerName>COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>COST</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001184497</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>PETTERSON DAVID S</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>999 LAKE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>ISSAQUAH</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>98027-8990</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>1</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText>Principal Accounting Officer</otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></rep
ortingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-29</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>22.875</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></n
onDerivativeTable><derivativeTable></derivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>David S Petterson</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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