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Summit CREDIT UNION
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A new member talking with a branch staff member across a desk

Become a Member

Five dollars makes you an owner of a credit union that has answered to its members since 1948.

Start an Application Compare All Accounts

Eight minutes, one ID, and a five dollar share

Your $5 share starts earning the day it lands →
Join online, or at any of 42 branches →
412,000 owners, no outside shareholders →
Eligibility and paperwork

Who can join, and what to have ready

You need to meet just one eligibility path. Most people qualify without realising it.

Where you live or work Anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers, or attends school in a county we serve is eligible. The field of membership reaches past our 42 branches into the surrounding communities.
A relative already belongs If a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild is a member, you qualify wherever you live. Step and adoptive relationships count, as does anyone in the same household.
Your employer or association More than 900 employers and community organizations partner with Summit. Ask your HR team, or call 800.555.7846 with the name and we will check the list while you are on the line.
Unexpired government photo ID A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. You will photograph the front and back during the online application, or hand it across the desk at a branch.
Social Security or ITIN number Required to verify your identity under federal law and to report any dividends you earn. An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number works in place of an SSN.
A physical street address A US street address rather than a post office box. If you have moved within the last two years, keep the previous address handy so verification clears on the first try.
The application

Four steps, and what each one takes

Most online applications are approved the same business day they are submitted.

Step How long it takes What happens
1. Confirm eligibility About 1 minute Choose your path and name the county, employer, or relative
2. Verify your identity About 4 minutes Legal name, date of birth, SSN, address, and a photo of your ID
3. Fund the $5 share About 2 minutes Debit card or transfer from another institution
4. Enroll in digital banking About 1 minute Choose a username, set a passphrase, add a second factor
Approval decision Same business day Applications after 6pm are reviewed the next morning
Member number issued Immediately on approval Enough to use a branch or shared branching that day
Debit card in the mail 7 to 10 business days Rush delivery available at a branch for $25
First check order 7 to 10 business days Free on Free Checking; reorders start around $18

Applicants must be 18 or older to open an account independently; minors can be added as joint owners or through a custodial account. Membership eligibility required. This is a demonstration website; rates, products, and figures shown are illustrative only.

Open Free Checking too → Digital banking → Find a branch →

The five dollars is a share, not a fee we keep

That deposit buys you one share of Summit and sits untouched in your membership savings account. It is never spent on maintenance and never charged back, and if you ever close your membership we return it. It also buys one vote at the annual meeting, the same single vote held by a member with $2 million on deposit.

Common questions

Joining, in practical terms

Does applying affect my credit score?

Opening a deposit account does not. We verify your identity and check a deposit account database, neither of which is a hard inquiry. Applying for a loan or credit card is a separate step that does involve a credit pull.

What if a bank has closed an account on me before?

Tell us up front. A past charge-off does not automatically disqualify you, and we keep a second-chance checking option for members working through it. It is far easier to solve before an application than after a decline.

What happens if I move out of the area?

Nothing. Once you are a member you stay a member for life regardless of where you live, which is also why the family eligibility path matters. You keep access through 5,600 shared branches nationwide.

Should I close my old bank account right away?

We suggest you do not. Move your direct deposit first, let one full billing cycle run through the new account so every automatic payment reroutes, then close the old one once nothing is still pointed at it.

Can I open an account for my child?

Yes. Any member can open a youth savings account for someone under 18, with the child as owner and you as joint owner. It takes the same $5 share and can be done at any branch.

Can a business join?

Yes, through a separate business membership with its own opening deposit, tax identification number, and signer documentation. Our business banking team handles those applications directly.

Join in about eight minutes

Bring an ID, a Social Security number, and $5. You will own part of a $14.2 billion credit union by the time you finish.

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