MEMBERSHIP
Five dollars makes you an owner
Summit has been member-owned since 1948. There are no shareholders to pay, so earnings come back to the 412,000 people who bank here as better rates and fewer fees.
Eligibility
Three ways to qualify
You only need to meet one of these. Most people qualify without realizing it.
Where you live or work
Anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers, or attends school in one of the counties we serve is eligible. Our 42 branches sit inside that footprint, and the field of membership covers the surrounding area too.
A family member already belongs
If a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild is a member, you are eligible no matter where you live. That includes step and adoptive relationships, and it includes anyone in your household.
Your employer or association
More than 900 employers and community organizations have a partnership with Summit. Ask your human resources team, or send us the name and we will check the list while you wait.
How it works
From application to open account
Online applications take about eight minutes. Most are approved the same business day.
Tell us how you qualify
Pick the eligibility path that applies to you and enter the county, employer, or family member's name. Nothing here is verified against a credit bureau.
Verify who you are
Enter your legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address, then photograph the front and back of your ID. Federal law requires this for every new account.
Fund the $5 share
Move $5 from a debit card or another bank account. That deposit becomes your ownership share and stays in your membership savings account.
Set up online banking
You get your member number immediately and can enroll in online banking the same day. Debit cards and checks arrive by mail in seven to ten business days.
What ownership means
The $5 is a share, not a fee
A credit union has no outside investors. Your $5 buys one share of Summit, and that share never gets spent, charged, or eaten by maintenance costs. It sits in your membership savings account earning 0.25% APY, and if you ever close your membership we give it back.
Before you start
What you need to apply
Gather these four things and the application takes under ten minutes.
Government photo ID
A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID that has not expired. You will photograph both sides during the application.
Social Security number
Or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. We need it to verify your identity and to report any dividends you earn.
Current physical address
A street address in the United States, not a post office box. If you have moved in the last two years, have the previous address handy too.
$5 for the share deposit
Fund it with a debit card or a transfer from another institution. If you are opening checking at the same time, you can add more in the same step.
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.
Common questions
Does applying affect my credit score?
Opening a deposit account does not. We verify identity and check a deposit account database, neither of which is a hard credit inquiry. Applying for a loan or credit card is a separate step and does involve a credit pull.
What if I have had a bank account closed before?
Tell us. A past charge-off does not automatically disqualify you, and we have a second-chance checking option for members working through it. It is easier to solve at the start than after a declined application.
Can I join if I move out of the area later?
Yes. Once you are a member you stay a member for life, no matter where you move. That is one of the reasons the family eligibility path matters so much.
How long until I can use my account?
You get a member number and online banking access the same day most applications are approved. Debit cards and check orders arrive in seven to ten business days, and you can use a branch or shared branching location in the meantime.
Can I open an account for my child?
Yes. Any member can open a youth savings account for a child under 18 with the child listed as owner and you as joint owner. It takes the same $5 share and can be done at any branch.
Do I have to close my current bank account?
No, and we suggest you do not right away. Move your direct deposit first, let one full billing cycle run through the new account, then close the old one once nothing is still pointed at it.
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 end of it.