Becoming a member
Membership is ownership, not just an account number.
Who can join
Four paths to membership.
Most people who ask end up qualifying through more than one path. If you are not sure, a member services rep can confirm in thirty seconds.
Live, work, worship, or attend school
Anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Pierce, Thurston, Mason, Kitsap, or South King counties is eligible to join.
Immediate family of a member
Spouses, partners, children, parents, siblings, and grandparents of an existing member can join from anywhere in the country.
Employees of select partners
Employees of more than 240 partner employers and select community organizations across the South Sound qualify by employment.
Members of our affinity groups
Members of the Tacoma Maritime Federation, the South Sound Educators Coalition, and the Cascade Outdoors Cooperative are automatically eligible.
Member-owner benefits
What you get for owning a share of the credit union.
Lower fees, by structure
We do not have shareholders demanding a quarterly return. Earnings come back to members as better rates, fewer fees, and community reinvestment.
One member, one vote
Every member is an owner with one vote in our annual board election, regardless of account balance. The board is unpaid and elected from the membership.
Cooperative ATM network
Free access to 30,000+ CO-OP Network ATMs across the country, with surcharge-free use at every 7-Eleven, Costco, and major airport.
Shared branching
Conduct routine transactions at 5,600+ CO-OP Shared Branch locations nationwide, including most credit unions you pass on the road.
Community reinvestment
A fixed 4% of net income each year is reinvested in the communities we serve through grants, scholarships, and financial education.
Member-only patronage dividend
In years where earnings exceed reserves and operating needs, members receive a patronage dividend at year-end based on account activity.
How to join
Open an account in about ten minutes.
- 01
Confirm eligibility
Most people in the South Sound qualify by geography. If you are not local, confirm eligibility through a family member or partner employer in about thirty seconds.
- 02
Open online or in branch
Opening a Member Share Account takes about ten minutes online. You will need a government ID, a Social Security number, and a $5 deposit.
- 03
Fund your accounts
Move money in by transfer, mobile deposit, or by walking in. Add Commons Checking, Commons Savings, or a share certificate during the same online session.
- 04
Set up your tools
Download the member app, set up direct deposit, add Zelle, and order debit and credit cards. A member services rep is on chat the entire time.
What to have ready
- Government-issued photo ID
- Social Security or ITIN number
- Current address and email
- $5 minimum opening deposit
What members say
“Our daughter's Sapling account paid for half of her summer trip and taught her to read a statement. Worth more than the interest rate, honestly.”
The Reyes family
Members since 2018
“I have banked at three different national banks. None of them ever called me by name. The branch manager at Sixth Avenue knows my kids' birthdays.”
Theresa O.
Member since 2014
“The mortgage advisor told us, candidly, that we should wait six months and save more down payment. No commissioned lender would have done that. We waited and bought the right house.”
Jordan & Casey M.
First-time homebuyers, 2025