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We recently conducted an advertising workshop for credit unions in conjunction with CUNA. (We will be doing it again in September if you missed it.) We spent some time during the workshop talking about the NCUA official sign and statement. A credit union also recently informed us that during their recent examination the NCUA spent some time reviewing their website and raised the issue of the official sign and statement. So, although we discussed this last month on the blog, here’s some additional information.
When do I need to put the NCUA official SIGN on my website?
- You need the SIGN on those pages where you accept deposits or open accounts.
- You may but are not required to put it on the main internet page unless you accept deposits or open accounts on that page; however, see below regarding the official statement.
- The NCUA rules state: “Each insured credit union must continuously display the official sign described in paragraph (b) of this section at each station or window where insured account funds or deposits are normally received in its principal place of business and in all its branches, 30 days after its first day of operation as an insured credit union. Each insured credit union must also display the official sign on its Internet page, if any, where it accepts deposits or open accounts, but it may vary the font sizes from that depicted in paragraph (b) of this section to ensure its legibility.”
When do I need to put the official advertising STATEMENT (one of the 3 choices) on my website?
- It must be on all advertisements and on the main internet page. So, you can put “Federally Insured by NCUA” on the main internet page instead of the official sign if you do NOT accept deposits or open accounts on the main internet page.
- The NCUA rules state: “Each insured credit union must include the official advertising statement, prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section, in all of its advertisements, including on its main Internet page, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section.”
Can I alter the size or color?
- Yes
- The NCUA rules state: “An insured credit union may purchase signs from commercial suppliers or develop its own in any color scheme so long as they are legible and otherwise comply with this part. A credit union may alter the font size of the official sign to make it legible on its internet page and on documents it provides to its members including advertisements, but it may not do so on signs to be placed at each station or window where the credit union normally receives insured funds or deposits in its principal place of business and all of its branches.”
In addition, the credit union that was recently examined asked the examiner onsite if they could make the NCUA sign legible on the website by using technology that makes the sign bigger when you scroll over it (as you all know how difficult it is to make the NCUA sign on the website big enough to be legible). That examiner indicated that the member should not be required to take any action in order for the sign to be legible. Thus, the answer being “No.” So, make sure your NCUA official sign is legible on your website.
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