To find out whether your credit union participates in shared branching, open the CO-OP Shared Branch locator at sharedbranching.org and search by your credit union’s name or by ZIP code, or call the network at (800) 919-2872.1SharedBranching.org. Shared Branching – Find My Nearest Location More than 5,000 credit unions take part, giving members access to roughly 5,600 branches nationwide, so the answer for most members is yes. If yours is in, you can walk into any other participating branch and handle everyday transactions as if you were at your home branch.
How to Confirm Participation
The locator is the quickest check and takes under a minute. Your own credit union’s website or mobile app will usually state whether it belongs to the network too, and participating branches typically display a CO-OP Shared Branch sign on the door or window.2Velera. Shared Branch Network for Effortless Member Access
Participation runs both ways. Your home credit union has to be a network member, and so does the branch you plan to visit. If either has dropped out, the arrangement doesn’t work. Before driving across town for a time-sensitive deposit, run both through the locator.
One naming note so you don’t get thrown off: the parent company behind the network rebranded from PSCU/Co-op Solutions to Velera in 2024, but the consumer-facing service still goes by CO-OP Shared Branch.3Velera. PSCU/Co-op Solutions Enters Its Next Era as Velera That’s the signage and locator name to look for.
What to Bring to a Guest Branch
Guest tellers can’t look you up by name alone. Walk in with three things ready:
- The full legal name of your credit union, not an abbreviation or nickname.
- Your account number (not the 16-digit number on your debit card). You can find it on a monthly statement, in your mobile app, or by calling your credit union before you leave.
- A valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, passport, military ID, or state identification card.
The teller will also ask for the last four digits of your Social Security number to verify you.4CO-OP Shared Branching. Member Guide to Shared Branching Writing your account number down or saving it in your phone before you go saves a wasted trip.
What You Can Do at a Shared Branch
Shared branching covers the ordinary in-and-out banking most people need while they’re away from home. At a participating guest location, you can generally:
- Deposit cash and endorsed checks into your checking or savings accounts.
- Withdraw cash, subject to daily limits set by the host branch. Those limits vary by location and may be lower than what your home credit union would allow.
- Make a loan payment with cash or check. Bring the payment amount with you, because the guest teller won’t have access to your payoff or statement balance.
- Transfer money between linked accounts at the same credit union.
The service itself is free to members of participating credit unions.5SharedBranching.org. Frequently Asked Questions The guest branch doesn’t charge for the basic transactions above. Ancillary items like money orders or official checks sometimes carry a fee, so ask before you request one.
What You Cannot Do at a Shared Branch
Guest branches handle transactions, not account management. This is where people most often get tripped up:
- Open or close accounts. New checking, savings, or certificate accounts have to be set up through your own credit union.
- Apply for a loan, credit card, or mortgage. Those applications go through your home institution.
- Update personal information such as your address, name, or joint account holders.
- Place a stop payment on a check or ACH transaction. That request has to go to your home credit union.
- Dispute a charge or report an error. The guest branch can’t investigate; that process starts with your home credit union.
Shared branches are built for moving money in and out of your accounts. Anything administrative still requires a call, visit, or online session with your own credit union.
Holds on Check Deposits
You can deposit checks at a shared branch, but expect a hold on the funds. The hold is set by your home credit union, not by the branch processing the deposit, and the receipt you get at the teller window won’t tell you how long it lasts or when the money will post.
Hold policies differ by institution. A common pattern is for the first few hundred dollars to be available the next business day, with the rest available one or two business days later. Larger deposits can trigger extended holds. The only way to know your specific timing is to check your home credit union’s funds availability policy or call them. If you need the money right away, use your credit union’s mobile deposit feature or wait until you can get to your home branch.
If Your Credit Union Does Not Participate
Not every credit union belongs to the CO-OP network. If yours doesn’t, you still have ways to bank away from home. Most credit unions offer mobile check deposit through their app, fee-free ATM access through a network like Allpoint or MoneyPass, and online transfers or bill pay. Some belong to smaller regional shared branching arrangements that don’t appear in the CO-OP locator, so ask your credit union directly whether any reciprocal branch access exists.
If convenient in-person access matters to you and your current credit union isn’t in the network, that’s a fair reason to consider switching. Membership eligibility and network participation are two different questions, so check any credit union you’re evaluating on the shared branching locator before you join.