Idaho federal credit unions are financial institutions that provide banking services to its membership. Members of Idaho federally chartered credit unions control the credit union and membership must be based on well-defined criteria such as residency within a geographical area or membership in a non-profit group.

Federally chartered credit unions in Idaho also may serve specific employee groups, known as Select Employee Groups, such as teachers or employees of a specific company. These credit unions may be able to switch to a community charter, which allows them to serve anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school within a defined area.

There are three basic reasons why government credit unions in Idaho are tax exempt:

1. A federal credit union in Idaho must be a non-profit, democratic corporation the members own.

2. Members must elect the board of directors for a credit union and they must serve as unpaid volunteers.

3. A government credit union in Idaho provides service to members of modest means as part of their social mission. It also must place limitations on its memberships with restrictions on the products and services it provides.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate specific federally chartered credit unions in ID by name

You can easily locate a federally chartered credit union in Idaho if you have some basic information about it such as its name or the location of one of its branches. A credit union's name will normally give you an idea of the basis of its membership, although the requirements for membership are frequently broader than this.

I recommend: The Community Banker, powered by Yennik, provides websites for credit unions in Idaho. Manta shows federally chartered credit unions in Colorado alphabetically by name and allows this to be further narrowed by city.

Find federal credit unions in Idaho by location

Resources are available to locate all of the credit unions based in your area, which you may wish to do because residency is a common membership requirement for many credit unions.

I recommend: Credit Union Access provides, by city, all of the registered federally chartered credit unions in Idaho. The National Credit Union Administration can locate a credit union by charter number and or by location.

Join one of the government credit unions in Idaho for which you qualify

Examine the membership requirements of a particular federally chartered credit union and the services that it provides to know if you are eligible to join and if it will provide the services you need.

I recommend: Lewis Clark Credit Union is open to anyone who lives, works, volunteers, worships or attends school in Nez Perce, Latah, Lewis or Clearwater counties. Idaho Central Credit Union accepts almost anyone living in Idaho and their relatives.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Most Idaho federal credit unions serve individuals and may be called natural-person credit unions. However, corporate credit unions exist that serve natural-person credit unions. Corporate credit unions serve as a clearing house for natural person credit unions and provide them with operational support, products and other services.
• •  Idaho federally chartered credit unions may actually have a more disparate membership base than the one implied by its name. This may be the result of a merger of several smaller credit unions. Additionally, individuals may generally remain a member of a credit union even when they would normally no longer qualify.