Checks, holds and cashing
How to cash a check without a bank account
Enter the amount of the check. The tool shows what the issuing banks and Walmart charge someone with no account; below it, the free options for money orders.
Published fees, 5 of 16 places
$4 to $16
Fees for cashing a check drawn on that bank when you have no account there. Your own bank cashes or deposits it free.
| Walmart | $4 |
| Regions | $6.40 |
| Bank of America | $8 |
| Truist | $8 |
| PNC | $16 |
| Chase | not published |
| Wells Fargo | not published |
| Citi | not published |
| U.S. Bank | not published |
| Capital One | not published |
| TD Bank | not published |
| M&T Bank | not published |
| Fifth Third | not published |
| Citizens | page not readable |
| Huntington | page not readable |
| KeyBank | page not readable |
Everything you enter stays in this browser: nothing is sent or stored.
Without a bank account, a check can still be turned into cash in four ways. The first is the bank the check is drawn on: banks usually cash their own customers’ checks for non-customers who show ID, and several publish the fee, $8 at Bank of America above $50, $8 at Truist above $50, 2.5% above $100 at PNC, 1% with a $5 minimum and $20 maximum at Regions, while Chase notes on its own guide that banks may charge non-customers without stating its amount. The second is Walmart, which cashes payroll, government, tax refund and cashier’s checks drawn on any bank for at most $4 up to $1,000 and $8 above. The third is a check cashing store, which accepts more kinds of checks for a percentage set by the store. The fourth is a payment app or prepaid card that accepts check photos, usually free if you wait and paid if you want the money at once. A postal money order is easier: any Post Office cashes it free. Fees read on October 27, 2026.
When will a personal check be available?
All of it by
Wednesday
| $275 | Tuesday (§ 229.10(c)(1)(vii)) |
| $365 | Wednesday (§ 229.12(b)) |
Teller deposit of a local personal check, no exception, no holiday. Days are the latest the rule allows.
Fees, limits and rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Your options, from cheapest to most expensive
| Option | Accepts | Published cost | ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank the check is drawn on | its own customers’ checks | free to 2.5%, by bank | photo ID, sometimes two |
| Walmart | payroll, government, tax refund, cashier’s, insurance, 401(k) | $4 max to $1,000, $8 above | photo ID |
| Post Office (postal money orders only) | postal money orders | free | photo ID |
| Check cashing store | most checks | percentage set by the store | photo ID |
| Payment app or prepaid card | checks by photo, within app limits | free if you wait, a fee for instant funds | identity verified in the app |
If you were paid by money order
A money order is cashed more easily than a check. A postal money order is cashed free at any Post Office, and Walmart cashes Western Union and MoneyGram money orders at its check cashing fees. The finder below shows the places for each issuer.
Cheapest published way to turn it into money
free
Any Post Office, exact amount, photo ID
| Deposit at your own bank: next business day if handed to a teller (Reg CC) | free |
| Some stores and check cashers | their own fee |
| Publix | does not cash them |
| Check cashing store | percentage fee, set by state and store |
Verify a postal money order first: Money Order Verification System 1-866-459-7822; fraud to the Postal Inspection Service 1-877-876-2455.
Everything you enter stays in this browser: nothing is sent or stored.
What the fees add up to
For someone paid $640 every two weeks by check, the yearly cost of cashing depends heavily on the place. At Walmart’s maximum of $4, 26 paychecks cost $104 a year; at PNC’s 2.5%, $416, provided the employer banks there. A check cashing store at a few percent costs more. A deposit account costs nothing per check, and the law makes the money available within two business days for an ordinary payroll check.
Paperwork and safety
Every option asks for a photo ID matching the payee name. Cash leaves with you, so plan to spend or store it safely. Above $10,000 in cash in one business day, a currency transaction report is filed, which is routine. Never cash a check from a stranger who asks you to send part of it back: the place that cashed it can come after you for the full amount when it bounces, and the fake check page explains why.
Government benefit checks
Federal benefits and tax refunds can usually be received by direct deposit or on a prepaid debit card instead of a paper check, which removes the cashing problem altogether. If a Treasury check does arrive, Walmart lists government and tax refund checks among those it cashes, within its seasonal limit of $7,500 from January to April, and a bank deposit of one is available the next business day.
Apps and prepaid cards
Payment apps and prepaid card programs that accept checks by photo usually offer a free option that takes several days and a paid one for instant funds, often a percentage of the check. They are convenient, but the CFPB warns that balances held in a payment app are generally not FDIC insured. If you use one, move the money to an insured account or spend it, rather than keeping a large balance there. The instant transfer fees page compares what the main apps charge to move money out quickly.