Membership Details

PECU Logo

Why PECU?

Once just for state workers, PECU is now open to you!  PECU is a not-for-profit cooperative governed by a volunteer Board of Directors that is elected by its members.  When you join PECU, you become a member/owner of PECU that has a voice and a vote.  Conversely, banks are owned by outside stockholders and controlled by paid Boards that constantly seek to increase profits.  This often occurs through more and higher fees, higher loan rates and reduced savings interest rates.  PECU has more free services, less fees, and some of the best loan rates in the industry.

PECU is Austin-owned and Austin proud!  State workers started PECU in 1952 to better serve the employees of Austin’s state agencies.  The number of state agencies has greatly expanded over time, but PECU is still here to serve you.  When we served just state workers, we’d often receive requests from the general public to join PECU.  In recent years, we opened our membership.  It now includes:

  • Anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Travis County.
  • Anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Williamson County.
  • Anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school within a 10-mile radius of any of our Central Texas branches.
  • Anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school within a 10-mile radius of our Beaumont branch.

What’s more, you can join PECU no matter where you live if you are a family member of a current PECU member or you have membership in specified Texas associations.  Even if you move away from the Austin area, your PECU membership goes with you.  With our 24/7 e-Branch, extensive suite of free electronic services, and 5,000+ globally shared branches, you can do your PECU business from almost anywhere!

PECU has a conservative advertising budget, but we work diligently to help our community.  We sponsor many high school and youth sports teams. We give kids free opportunities to visit the Austin Zoo through our PECU Zoo Crew kids accounts.  Our teen accounts feature fun events, contests and activities.  Our Double Nickel accounts have special benefits for those 55 years of age or older.  Finally, it’s not just an advertising mark, we keep the State of Texas outline that’s located inside our logo close to our heart.  We’re here to help you.  We hope you’ll join us at PECU.

Additional Details:
You may become a voting member by purchasing at least one share ($5) plus paying the one-time membership fee of just $5. We want to make you aware that you authorize PECU, to the extent permitted by law, to check your credit history, your account experience and your employment history to verify your eligibility for the accounts and services that you request. By opening and using your account, you authorize PECU to report credit history and account experience to credit and check reporting services. In order to open an account at PECU, or most any financial institution, you must supply your correct taxpayer identification number or social security number and complete an IRS Form W-9 (or, if applicable, a Form W-8). Failure to comply may result in your account being closed, and your account may be subject to backup withholding.