Struggling to open a checking account in Idaho due to a negative ChexSystems listing?
While most banks use ChexSystems to review your banking history, there are some that don’t. Additionally, some banks offer second checking accounts.
Non-ChexSystems & Second Chance Banks in Idaho
We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of Idaho banks and credit unions that allow anyone to open a checking account, regardless of their banking history.
Chime
Features & Benefits
- Over 14.5 million downloads
- No credit check or ChexSystems
- No minimum opening deposit
- Over 60,000 fee-free1 ATMs
U.S. Bank
Features & Benefits
- $400 sign-up bonus
- Minimum opening deposit of $25
- Monthly service fee: $0 or $6.95
- Over 40,000 surcharge-free MoneyPass ATMs
GO2bank
Features & Benefits
- No ChexSystems or credit check
- 4.50% APY on savings
- Over 19,000 fee-free ATMs
- $5 monthly fee can be waived
Chase
Features & Benefits
- $100 bonus after 10 purchases
- No credit check or ChexSystems
- Over 16,000+ fee-free ATMs
- Over 4,700 branches nationwide
- $4.95 monthly service fee
Current
Features & Benefits
- No minimum balance or monthly fees
- Fee-free overdraft up to $200 with Overdrive
- 40,000 fee-free Allpoint ATMs in the U.S.
- Get paid up to 2 days faster
- No credit check or ChexSystems
Capital Educators Credit Union
CapEd doesn’t access ChexSystems, EWS, or Telecheck. However, they may run a credit report when reviewing your application.
There are a few different checking accounts available, each of which comes with a debit card, checks, overdraft protection, and courtesy pay.
Good For Me Checking comes with no monthly fees or required minimum balance. Plus, you can earn 2% cash back on your debit card purchases and receive ATM refunds of up to $25. Other standard perks include online banking and bill pay.
You can become a CapEd member by having a connection to the education system in one of the following counties: Ada, Adams, Blaine, Boise, Camas, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Owyhee, Payette, Valley, or Washington.
Alternatively, you can join the Idaho CapEd Foundation for a one-time fee of $20.
Cottonwood Community Federal Credit Union
Cottonwood Community Federal utilizes your Equifax credit report rather than your ChexSystems record. If approved, you can get a share draft checking account, which includes a debit card and direct deposit.
To become a member, you must live, work, attend school, or worship in either Idaho County or Lewis County. Branches are located in Cottonwood, Craigmont, and Nezperce.
Horizon Credit Union
Horizon relies on a credit report, not ChexSystems for new account approvals. There are three account options: Explore Youth Checking, Replenish, and Bridge.
The Replenish Checking account requires a minimum opening balance of $25 but there’s no monthly service charge. All accounts come with Horizon’s Home Banking mobile app, online statements, and mobile check deposit.
Other helpful tools include MX (an online money management resource), Popmoney, and purchase rewards.
Membership to Horizon is open to anyone who resides, works, or worships within Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah, Shoshone, Latah, Nez Perce, or Lewis County of Idaho.
Idaho Central Credit Union
Idaho Central will run a credit check instead of your ChexSystems record.
You can choose from one of five checking accounts available: Free Checking, Go Green Checking, Money Market Checking, Starter Checking, and Classic Checking.
The Free Checking account has no minimum balance or monthly fee. You can get an instant-issue Visa debit card and could even qualify for a Visa credit card if approved.
Other benefits include online and mobile banking, plus the CardControl app that helps you manage your spending.
Idaho Central has branches in the following cities:
Blackfoot, Boise, Burley, Caldwell, Chubbuck, Coeur d’Alene, Eagle, Hayden, Idaho Falls, Jerome, Kuna, Meridian, Nampa, Pierce, Pocatello, Post Falls, Rexburg, and Twin Falls.
Latah Federal Credit Union
Latah Federal offers a Second Chance Checking account to help get you back into affordable checking. The monthly fee is $8, but it’s waived completely if you maintain an average daily balance of $100 in your account.
Otherwise, there’s no minimum balance required besides a $25 opening deposit. Along with your debit card comes unlimited transactions. Digital banking is available, but you’ll have to pay $6.45 monthly to take advantage of online bill pay.
If you’re interested in this account and want to become a member of Latah Federal, you must live, work, worship, or attend school in Latah, Benewah, Kootenai, Boundary, Bonner, Shoshone, Nez Perce or Lewis County.
There are five branches located throughout northern Idaho.
Mountain West Bank
Mountain West Bank does not use ChexSystems, EWS, Telecheck, nor does it pull a credit report when reviewing applications.
To open a checking, you’ll need a minimum opening deposit of $50.
Mountain West Bank offers four types of checking accounts: Totally Free Checking, Easy Interest, 50+ Interest Checking, and Premier Interest Checking.
Each account comes with a host of free features, some of which include:
- Free online banking
- Free bill pay
- Free mobile banking
- Free remote deposit
- Free Visa Debit Card
- Free eStatements
Pioneer Federal Credit Union
Pioneer Federal will likely approve you for an account if you have a minimum credit score of 500. If you don’t have any open collections on your report (besides medical or utilities) you could potentially qualify even with a lower credit score.
All checking accounts come with a monthly $1.99 fee. With Preferred Checking, you don’t have to worry about a minimum account balance.
Pioneer Federal has branch locations in Mountain Home, Glenns Ferry, Gooding, Boise, Meridian, Jerome, Nampa, Hailey, Twin Falls, Middleton, or Caldwell.
Pine Tree Credit Union
You’ll have your credit report pulled when applying for a checking account with Pine Tree, but not if you just apply for a savings account.
The share checking account requires a $100 opening deposit but has no minimum balance requirement after that. There are no monthly fees with the account unless you use an out-of-network ATM or go into a negative balance on your account.
To become a member of PTCU, you must live, work, or worship, volunteer or attend school in Idaho County. You’ll also need to keep a $25 deposit in your savings account. You’ll find two branches, one in Grangeville and one in Riggins.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC. Credit Builder card issued by Stride Bank, N.A.
1. Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply with Chime except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.
2. Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. Chime generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled payment date.
7. To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.
Non-ChexSystems Banks by State
Looking for more information and additional options available in your area? Select your state from the list below to find out all your options for banking.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, DC
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming