A working-capital account is the first banking decision most Northern California owners make. This reference covers the three Exchange Bank business checking tiers, the transaction counts that separate them, the treasury features that attach, and the signer setup steps that shape the opening day.
Exchange Bank publishes three tiers of business checking because an espresso bar, a contractor with a crew of six, and a regional distributor all operate at different transaction volumes. Buying the wrong tier either leaves balance minimums unused or pushes excess-item fees past what analyzed treatment would have cost. The tiers exist to match pricing to real activity rather than to bundle features for their own sake.
Starter business checking fits sole proprietors, single-member LLCs, and early-stage entities that deposit a handful of checks a week and run a small debit card program. Mid-market business checking adds higher allowances, night drop access, and the option to attach a secondary operating account. Analyzed business checking is earnings-credit based: the bank calculates an implicit yield on average collected balances and applies it against service charges, which is how higher-volume businesses avoid paying per-item fees out of pocket.
The signer card is the legal heart of a business checking relationship. It names the individuals who can sign checks, authorize transfers, and move money on the account. Exchange Bank asks that the signer list match the corporate resolution, which most LLCs attach to their operating agreement and most corporations record in a board minute. Getting that alignment right on day one prevents the awkward call six months later when a wire is stopped because the initiator's name is not on file.
Bring a government-issued ID for every signer, the entity's EIN letter from the Internal Revenue Service, the formation document filed with the California Secretary of State, and a beneficial ownership certification listing anyone who owns twenty-five percent or more of the business. If the company uses a fictitious business name, include the county recorder filing too. These items are required by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rules on customer identification — see the CFPB compliance library for the underlying framework.
| Tier | Monthly transaction allowance | Monthly fee | Good fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Up to 200 items | Low flat fee, waivable on minimum balance | Sole proprietors, single-member LLCs, side-business entities |
| Mid-market | Up to 600 items | Modest flat fee, waivable on higher balance | Growing operators with small crews and weekly payroll |
| Analyzed | Effectively unlimited, priced per item | Offset by earnings credit on collected balances | High-volume companies with treasury needs and active deposits |
Business checking rarely sits alone. Most Exchange Bank customers layer a business savings or money market account for idle reserves, add merchant services to accept cards, and tie a line of credit to the same deposit relationship. That bundling is why the application captures more than just the company name — the bank is setting up the scaffolding for the relationship to expand without reopening paperwork each time a new service is added.
On the digital side, the same online banking login that a sole proprietor uses also opens the door to ACH origination, wire initiation, and remote deposit when those services are enabled. Customers who plan to run payroll internally usually pair business checking with an ACH origination agreement rather than relying on a third-party processor pull. That pattern is covered in more detail on the treasury management reference.
Business banking ties into most of the other sections of this reference. Owners moving deposits also consider business savings, treasury management, merchant services, and SBA loans for working capital. Real estate plans touch commercial real estate lending, while digital operations depend on online banking, the mobile banking app, wire transfers, and bill pay. Personal finances for the owner remain on personal checking, personal savings, and money market accounts. For security hygiene see the security center, for account access the Exchange Bank login guide, and for onboarding questions the help resources hub. Background information lives on about Exchange Bank and leadership.
"Opening business checking at Exchange Bank was straightforward. The banker walked through the signer card with me and caught a missing line in my operating agreement before it became a problem."
Wesley Ainsworth Mechanic, Ainsworth Auto Repair · Cloverdale, CA
"We moved to the mid-market tier when our deposit volume climbed past what the starter allowance covered. No upsell pressure, just a math conversation about where the break-even sat."
Marcus Ohara Plumber, Ohara Pipeworks · Forestville, CA
Start with a recent three-month average of deposits, withdrawals, and check writes. If monthly activity sits under two hundred items, the starter tier is usually a fit. Between two hundred and six hundred items, mid-market is the common home. Above that, analyzed checking pays for itself through earnings credits.
Yes. Exchange Bank business checking supports several signers on one account, with documentation that lists who can write checks, approve wires, and initiate ACH. The relationship team confirms signature cards during onboarding and refreshes the resolution when the officer list changes.
Standard business checking includes online banking, mobile deposit, and bill pay. Add-on treasury features such as positive pay, ACH origination, lockbox, and sweep accounts are described on the treasury management reference and attach to the analyzed tier most cleanly.
Each tier publishes a monthly transaction allowance. Activity above the allowance is billed per item at the posted rate, which is flat and disclosed in the fee schedule. Analyzed checking customers typically absorb that cost through earnings credits on collected balances.
Sole proprietor accounts can open the same day when the owner brings identification and an EIN confirmation letter. LLCs, partnerships, and corporations typically take two to five business days because formation documents, operating agreements, and beneficial ownership forms are reviewed before funding.