Navy Federal $400 new-member checking bonus requirements

Membership eligibility comes first. Navy Federal's field of membership is open to the Coast Guard, all Department of Defense uniformed personnel, reservists, Active Duty, retired, Veterans, Army and Air National Guard, DoD civilian employees, contractors, and their immediate family. ¹ If that list does not describe you, this bonus does not apply. Open on Navy Federal's official checking offer page and use promo code CHK26SRC. How this offer compares: bank bonus statistics.

Who the offer is for

The offer is valid October 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026 and can expire anytime without prior notice. ¹ You must be 18 or older. ¹ It is not valid for existing members or for applicants whose Membership Share Savings account was closed within 270 days prior to establishing new membership. ¹ Limit one $400 bonus per member. ¹ The new member must be the primary account owner of the checking account. ¹ A $5 minimum balance is required to open and maintain Membership Savings and to obtain the bonus. ¹

The three steps

To qualify for the $400 bonus, complete each of the following: ¹

1. Join Navy Federal online, in branch, or by phone using promo code CHK26SRC between October 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026. ¹
2. Open a checking account as primary owner by December 31, 2026. ¹
3. Complete qualifying direct deposit transactions, as defined on the offer page, by April 30, 2027. ¹

Navy Federal's offer page lists these qualifying paths (read 6 October 2026): ¹

1. A recurring ACH from an employer, military pay, or certain government agency pay or benefits in your name, deposited to a Navy Federal deposit account where you are Primary or Secondary Owner.
2. Mobile, ATM or branch deposits, or payments from FedNow, Real Time Payments or certain debit-card payment services, totaling at least $500 and recurring for at least 3 out of 4 consecutive months, where you are Primary Owner. ¹
3. Monthly non-payroll ACH or payroll allotment totaling at least $500 and recurring for at least 3 out of 4 consecutive months, where you are Primary Owner. ¹
4. The same monthly non-payroll ACH or payroll allotment path where you are Secondary Owner.

Confirm the current wording on the official page before you plan around a single paycheck. It may take up to 120 days to confirm direct deposit establishment. ¹ What counts as a direct deposit is the cross-bank checklist.

When Navy Federal pays

The bonus is deposited to the new member's Membership Savings Account by July 30, 2027. ¹ Membership Savings must be open and in good standing for the credit to process. ¹ If Membership Savings is unfunded at credit, Navy Federal may hold the $5 share required for membership. ¹