Your member number is most likely printed on the first page of your account statement, usually near the top. If you don’t have a statement handy, you can also find it through your online banking profile, your mobile app, or by calling your bank or credit union directly. The exact location depends on your financial institution, but the options below cover nearly every situation.
What a Member Number Is
A member number identifies your overall relationship with a financial institution. It’s the unique number assigned to you when you first opened your account or joined a credit union. It stays the same no matter how many individual accounts you add later.
This is different from an account number. Your account number identifies a specific checking, savings, or loan account. You might have several account numbers under one member number. Account numbers are what you use for direct deposits, automatic payments, and wire transfers. Your member number is what you use to log into online banking, verify your identity when you call in, or look up your full relationship with the institution. At many credit unions, your individual account numbers are actually built from your member number plus a unique identifier for each account.
Check Your Monthly Statement
The fastest way to find your member number without logging into anything is to look at a recent account statement. On paper statements and PDF versions, the member number is typically printed in the upper portion of the first page, near your name and address. It may be labeled “Member Number,” “Member ID,” or simply “Member #.” Don’t confuse it with the account numbers listed further down in the statement body next to your balances and transaction activity. Those are your individual account numbers.
If you’ve gone paperless, you can usually download past statements as PDFs through your online banking portal. The member number will appear in the same spot on the digital version.
Find It in Online Banking or Your Mobile App
Most banks and credit unions display your member number somewhere in your account settings or profile section once you’re logged in. The exact path varies by institution, but the general pattern is similar.
On a desktop or laptop, log in to your account and look for a “Settings,” “Profile,” or “User Settings” option, often in the upper right corner of the screen. Some institutions put the member number directly on that page. Others place it behind a submenu labeled “Member Number” or “Account Details.”
On a mobile app, open the menu (sometimes a hamburger icon, sometimes a tab at the bottom of the screen), then navigate to Settings or Profile. Your member number should appear there. For security, some apps hide it behind a toggle. Look for an eye icon next to the member number field that lets you reveal the full number.
If you’re having trouble locating it, try searching your institution’s help center or FAQ page for “member number.” Many publish step-by-step instructions specific to their platform.
Look at Your Original Welcome Materials
When you first opened your account, your bank or credit union likely sent you a welcome letter, membership confirmation, or new account packet. Your member number is almost always included in that paperwork. If you still have those documents filed away, check there. Some institutions also send the member number in an initial welcome email, so searching your inbox for your bank’s name along with “welcome” or “member number” may turn it up.
Check Your Checks or Debit Card
The bottom of a personal check has a series of numbers printed in magnetic ink. Typically, the first set is the routing number, the middle set is your account number, and the last set is the check number. At some credit unions, your member number is embedded within that account number or printed separately. This won’t work at every institution, but it’s worth a look if you have a checkbook nearby.
Your debit card itself won’t usually display a member number, but the card number can be useful for recovering your login credentials or verifying your identity when you call in.
Call Your Bank or Visit a Branch
If none of the options above work, calling your institution’s customer service line or visiting a branch in person is the most reliable fallback. You’ll need to verify your identity before a representative can share your member number. Expect to provide some combination of the following:
- Social Security number or Tax ID number
- Date of birth
- Last six digits of your debit card or account number
- Your current mailing address
- Answers to security questions you set up when you opened the account
If you visit a branch, bring a government-issued photo ID. The process is usually faster in person because the teller can verify your identity on the spot rather than working through security questions over the phone.
Recovering Your Number If You’re Locked Out
If you need your member number specifically because you’re locked out of online banking, most institutions offer an automated recovery process on their login page. Look for a link labeled “Forgot User ID,” “Forgot Username,” or “Need Help Signing In.” The recovery flow will typically ask for your Social Security number, date of birth, and the last several digits of a card or account number. You may then receive a one-time authorization code sent to your phone number or email address on file. These codes usually expire within about 10 minutes, so have your device nearby before you start.
If the automated system can’t verify you, perhaps because your phone number or email has changed, you’ll need to call customer service or go to a branch. Some institutions will also accept a home equity, mortgage, auto loan, or credit card account number in place of a checking or savings number during the verification process, which can help if you don’t have your primary account details available.
Keep Your Member Number Accessible
Once you’ve located your member number, save it somewhere secure so you don’t have to hunt for it again. A password manager is a good option since most let you store notes alongside login credentials. You could also keep a copy in a secure document at home. Avoid writing it on a sticky note attached to your computer or storing it in an unprotected note on your phone, since anyone who picks up your device could access it.