Checks, holds and cashing
Where can I cash a check?
Enter the amount of the check. The tool computes the fee each bank and Walmart publishes for cashing it when you have no account there.
Published fees, 5 of 16 places
$4 to $21.25
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 |
| Bank of America | $8 |
| Truist | $8 |
| Regions | $8.50 |
| PNC | $21.25 |
| 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 |
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There are four places to cash a check, in order of cost. Your own bank or credit union cashes or deposits it free, and Regulation CC sets the dates: the first $275 of an ordinary check the next business day and the rest by the second. The bank the check is drawn on, printed on the check with its name, will often cash it for a non-customer with ID, for a fee some banks publish: $8 at Bank of America for checks over $50, $8 at Truist above $50, at PNC nothing up to $25, $2 up to $100 and 2.5% above, at Regions 1% with a $5 minimum and $20 maximum. Walmart cashes payroll, government, tax refund and cashier’s checks, among others, for at most $4 up to $1,000 and $8 above, up to $5,000 ($7,500 from January to April). Check cashing stores take any check for a percentage set by each store, within state rules. Fees read on October 27, 2026.
Fees, limits and rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Fees for cashing a check without an account
| Bank | Fee to cash $850 (non-customer) | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Walmart | $4 | maximum fee for a pre-printed check up to $1,000; $8 above $1,000; two-party personal checks up to $200 at some stores, $6 maximum |
| Bank of America | $8 | non-customer cashing a check over $50 drawn on a Bank of America personal account |
| PNC | $21.25 | non-client: free up to $25, $2 from $25.01 to $100, 2.5% above $100 |
| Truist | $8 | non-client cashing a Truist check; $0 for checks of $50 or less and in New Jersey |
| Regions | $8.50 | non-account holders: Regions checks free up to $25, then 1% ($5 minimum, $20 maximum); payroll and government checks 1.5% ($5 minimum); other checks 4% ($5 minimum) |
| Chase | not published | Chase says banks may charge non-customers to cash their checks; no amount published |
| Wells Fargo | not published | |
| Citi | not published | |
| U.S. Bank | not published | |
| Capital One | not published | |
| TD Bank | not published | |
| Fifth Third | not published | published percentages (1% on Fifth Third checks, 2% payroll, 4% personal, $4 minimum) are for Express Banking account holders, not walk-in customers |
Bank fees apply to checks drawn on that bank, presented by someone who is not a customer. A bank has no obligation to cash a check drawn on another bank for a non-customer, and most refuse. Fifth Third publishes check cashing percentages, but for holders of its Express Banking account, not for walk-in customers.
Which place for which check
| Check | Best published option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll check from a large employer | the employer’s bank, or Walmart | payroll checks are on Walmart’s list |
| Government or tax refund check | your bank, or Walmart | US Treasury checks are next-day items when deposited |
| Personal check from a friend | the friend’s bank, or deposit | Walmart takes two-party personal checks at some stores only, up to $200 |
| Cashier’s check | the issuing bank, or Walmart | next business day when deposited at a teller |
| Postal money order | any Post Office, free | see the money order cashing page |
Cashing versus depositing
Depositing into your own account is free, and the money is protected by deposit insurance once it is there. The bank must make it available on the Regulation CC schedule (12 CFR 229.12), which the tool below shows for a deposit made on any weekday. Cashing gives you the money at once, but costs a fee unless it is your own bank, and leaves you carrying cash.
When will a personal check be available?
All of it by
Wednesday
| $275 | Tuesday (§ 229.10(c)(1)(vii)) |
| $575 | Wednesday (§ 229.12(b)) |
Teller deposit of a local personal check, no exception, no holiday. Days are the latest the rule allows.
Prepaid cards and apps
Some prepaid card programs and payment apps let you deposit a check by photo, with a free option that waits several days and a paid option for instant funds. Their fees and limits are set in each program’s terms, and their balances are not always protected like a bank deposit: the CFPB notes that money kept in a payment app is generally not FDIC insured, and advises moving it to an insured account.
Checks you should not cash
A check from someone you met online, for more than the price of what you sold, or with a request to send part of it back, is the signature of a fake check scam. A store or bank may cash it, and you will still owe the money when it bounces. The fake check page explains why availability is not proof.