Become a member

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Becoming a member has never been easier. You can either sign up online or in store scanning a QR code or at a Member Services counter. Anyone wishing to become a member should read and review our Member Rules and Membership Terms and Conditions.

Sign up online

Simply click the link, fill in a few details, verify your identity, and you'll be good to go. 

> Sign up now

Sign up in-store

If you would prefer to pop into one of our Member Services counters and become a member in person, please read the instructions below to find out what is required. 

You can start your application on the form below or visit one of our instore Member Services counters. 

Where to go:

Visit one of our Member Services counters located at our in-store Post Offices.

View our opening hours

Photo ID:

Current valid passport
Current valid driving licence (if it contains your photo)
Current national identity card (if it contains your photo) 
Current identity card issued by the armed forces

Where, as a member you have only ever purchased the initial £1 A share capital, and you do not have one of these forms of identification, then we will accept: 

Citizen Card
Crimestoppers I.D Card
Guernsey Youth commission I.D Card
Disabled Parking Badge
OAP Bus Pass (provided they contain a photo)
Jersey Parish Card.

Address verification:

New members or those who have only ever paid the £1 for their initial A share account capital are only required to confirm their address using the form that the counter colleague will provide to you.

Our legal and regulatory obligations

The Channel Islands’ Co-operative Society Limited is supervised by the Jersey Financial Services Commission in respect of anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism and countering proliferation financing. We have legal obligations to ensure continued compliance with the anti-money laundering, countering of terrorism finance and countering proliferation legislative frameworks in each Island.

This means that on becoming a member or if you invest and transact more in withdrawable share capital with your Coop we will require you to provide certain information to us, which is set out below.

Individuals

The Society has two types of individual members, namely: 

Those who only open an A share account by paying the initial £1 and enjoy the benefits of being a member; and

Those who also purchase additional withdrawable share capital (excluding stamps) in either A Class or B Class shares.

A member can only acquire additional share capital one month after the initial application has been approved. 

Upon application all members are required to: 

Provide their full name,

Any aliases, former names or maiden names

Date of birth

Nationality

Gender

Additionally, they must provide a proof of identification including photographic image.

Suitable forms of identification: 

Proof of identity 

Current valid passport

Current valid driving licence (if it contains your photo)

Current national identity card (if it also includes your photo)

Current identity card issued by the armed forces

Where a member has only ever purchased the initial £1 share capital and they do not have one of these forms of identification then we will accept the following, either in original or certified form: 

Citizen Card

Crimestoppers I.D Card

Guernsey Youth commission I.D Card

Disabled Parking Badge

OAP Bus Pass (provided they contain a photo)

Jersey Parish Card.

Address verification 

Suitable certification

“Suitable certification” is a process where, rather than requesting a person to present evidence of identity directly to the Society, the person can present themselves to a trusted external party along with original documentation that supports that person’s identity (and which is current) specifically for the purpose of entering into a relationship with the Society.

Where certified documents are to be presented either by a member, an agent of a member or on behalf of a charitable or non-profit organisation, then a suitable certifier is considered to be:

a member of the judiciary, a senior civil servant, or a serving police or customs officer

an officer of an embassy, consulate, or high commission of the country of issue of documentary evidence of identity

an individual who is a member of a professional body that sets and enforces ethical standards, for example a Doctor, Advocate, Chartered Accountant or Solicitor

an individual that is qualified to undertake certification services under authority of the Certification and International Trade Committee (in Jersey this service is available through the Jersey Chamber of Commerce–not applicable in Guernsey)

a director, officer, or manager of a person carrying on a regulated financial services business in Jersey or Guernsey

Photographs of identity documentation must be clear, and any text must be legible.

The relationship between the certifier and the subject should be of a professional rather than personal nature.

A person cannot be a suitable certifier if they are related to the person being identified by birth or marriage, in a relationship or living with the person being identified.

The copy of the identification documentation must be signed and dated by the suitable certifier, confirming that the copy is a true copy of an original document (or extract thereof) that includes information on the identity and/or residential address of the individual.

They must certify that they have met the person whose identity the document is verifying and that any photograph is a true likeness of that person.

The certifier must include their name, position or capacity, their address and telephone number, or email address, at which they can be contacted. Any certified documents presented will be retained by the Society.

What should you do if you do not have any of the above forms of identification?

We understand that there may be circumstances where it is not possible to meet the requirements as set out above.

Where a proof of identification is not held, then a birth certificate can be acceptable where it is supported by a bank statement, utility bill, government issued document or letter from JFSC/GFSC regulated entity, other reliable evidence of residential address.

In all such circumstances please contact member relations at customer.relations@channelislands.coop, who will confirm the acceptability of the due diligence.

The Society reserves the right to refuse to accept a form of identification or address verification.

Acquiring additional share capital 

Where a member acquires additional share capital they are required to provide the information set out above as well as: 

Place of birth

Occupation or profession

Government issued personal identification number or other government issued unique identifier (e.g. passport number / driving licence card number)

Information regarding source of funds (note: this will be required when purchasing additional withdrawable share capital)

The intentional use of account

Address verification

Any member transacting in withdrawable share capital over and above the initial £1, whether through additional purchase or withdrawal, then a suitable form of address verification is required. Suitable forms of address verification must be dated within in the past 3 months and either be an original, or a suitably certified copy of an original, examples include: 

Utility bill

Letter from the States of Guernsey or Government of Jersey

Current, valid driving licence (if it contains your address)

Bank letter or statement (not a credit card or store card statement)

Where a utility bill is received electronically by way of email, this will be accepted only where the original email including the utility bill is forwarded to an email account held by a Society colleague, where the authenticity of the email can be verified. 

What does source of funds mean? 

Source of funds means the activity which has given rise to the funds that have been used for purchasing additional withdrawable share capital. Depending on the circumstances we may require you to provide appropriate documentary evidence to support the source of funds. 

Politically Exposed Persons (“PEPs”)

We have a legal obligation to identify members who may be politically exposed persons (PEPs). A PEP is a person who holds a prominent position in Government, State, or State owned enterprise, is a close family member of such a person, holds position in a supranational organisation or a close associate thereof. Where we identify a member is a PEP by virtue of position held, close family relationship or close association, we will contact the member and request additional information from you. Where a member confirms to us that they are a PEP then the member will be contacted by us to request additional information. Additional information will include determining the source of wealth for the member.

Please contact customer.relations@channelislands.coop for questions relating to PEPs.

What does source of wealth mean?

Source of wealth refers to understanding how a member has generated their wealth. Information in respect of source of wealth will only be requested in very specific circumstances including where a member is identified as a PEP and on a case by case basis.

Charity Accounts (including for social purposes)

Opening a share account is a great way for people to donate to your charity or non-profit organisations.

To apply for a charity account, please provide the documents below to us at customer.relations@channelislands.coop

An original copy of the organisation’s Certificate of Incorporation/establishment

An original copy of the organisation’s Regulatory Registration, including where applicable copy of the non-profit organisation certification (where applicable) or prescribed NPO status (Jersey based organisations)

An up-to-date copy of the authorised signatory list

The organisation’s written resolution (or similar) authorising the opening of a Share Account

Where the above is certified by a Trustee, Committee member, or similar associated to the organisation, then their due diligence must either be held or presented as part of the account opening process.

For Jersey, charities and social purpose entities, each authorised signatory and (where different) a senior member of the governing body or committee of the charity or an executive (where the governing body does not have day-to-day control over the charity’s affairs) must have their identities verified (in accordance with the requirements for individuals) in person at one of our Member Services counters.

In Guernsey, the requirement is that only a senior member of the governing body or committee of the charity or an executive where the governing body does not have day-to-day control over the charity’s affairs must have their identities verified (in accordance with the requirements for individuals) in person at one of our Member Services counters.

Authorised signatories will need to provide both proof of identification and address as required for individuals noted under above. Charity accounts will also be subject to the same provisions as any member who has acquired additional share capital as outlined above should they subscribe to additional withdrawable share capital.

 Apply to open a Charity Share Account.

Joint Applications

If you would like a share account to be in joint names with someone else, the person who wishes to be the primary member should complete the online application form, the joint party will then be added when you finalise your application at one of our Member Services counters. 

We are required to obtain due diligence on both parties to the Joint Account and this is the same as that noted above. As with accounts for individuals, you will not be permitted to purchase withdrawable share capital until one month after the application process for the share account has been completed. Please also note that only the primary member has voting rights at any Society Annual Member Meeting or Special Member Meeting. 