Join Palmetto Citizens

Become a member today and enjoy better rates, fewer fees and the personalized service we’ve been providing to Midlands residents since 1936.

Online Membership Application

Membership Eligibility

Individuals who have a connection to most of the nine counties surrounding the Midlands of South Carolina (Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda, and Sumter) are eligible to join Palmetto Citizens. This includes those who live, work, worship, attend school, or volunteer in these areas.

We also have a partnership with the Carolina Consumer Council (CCC), a nonprofit organization focused on consumer advocacy and financial education, which allows anyone living in SC, NC, GA, TN, or VA to join Palmetto Citizens! Membership to the CCC is free when joining Palmetto Citizens and they won't contact our members or use or sell their information.

Membership is also available to businesses, non-profits, churches, and legal entities. Immediate family of current Palmetto Citizens members are also eligible to join.

The Credit Union Difference

As a credit union, we’re a not-for-profit financial institution. That means we, unlike banks, do not have to pay earnings to stockholders. Instead, we return profits back to our member-owners as lower loan rates, higher savings rates and fewer fees.

When you borrow and save with Palmetto Citizens, you are also keeping your money locally. That means we’re able to assist more of your neighbors, area small businesses and local charitable causes.

Funds deposited in our credit union are federally insured by a fund backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. As the FDIC does for banks, the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) insures savings of at least up to $250,000 per account. The NCUSIF is administered by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), an agency of the federal government.

The History of Palmetto Citizens

Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union, formerly known as Columbia (SC) Teachers FCU, was organized and issued a federal charter on June 4, 1936. Ten individuals each deposited $5.00 to begin the credit union which only served the employees of Columbia Public Schools.

In 2001, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), an agency of the federal government that oversees all federally chartered credit unions, gave approval for us to become a community based credit union and officially became Palmetto Citizens. We were the first credit union in South Carolina to be granted a multi-county community charter.

Today, Palmetto Citizens is one of South Carolina's larger credit unions, serving over 80,000 members with assets of over $1.3 billion.

Equality for All

In accordance with federal laws and U.S. Department of the Treasury policy, this organization is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to:

U.S. Department of the Treasury,
Director, Office of Civil Rights
and Equal Employment Opportunity
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20220;

call (202) 622 - 1160;
or send an e-mail to: crcomplaints@treasury.gov.

De acuerdo a lo establecido por las leyes federales y las políticas del Departamento del Tesoro esta organización no puede discriminar por causa de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, edad, o porque una persona tiene impedimentos.

Para presentar una queja sobre discriminación, escriba a:

U.S. Department of the Treasury,
Director, Office of Civil Rights
and Equal Employment Opportunity
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20220;

llame al (202) 622-1160;
o envíe un correo electrónico a: crcomplaints@treasury.gov.

Equal Opportunity for All