Checks, holds and cashing
Where to get a cashier’s check
Enter the amount. The tool lists each bank’s published fee; most sell to account holders, so the bank where you hold an account is usually the place to go.
Published fees, 10 of 15 banks
$8 to $10
Fees for account holders; most banks sell these only to customers, and many accounts waive them.
| TD Bank | $8 |
| Chase | $10 |
| Wells Fargo | $10 |
| Citi | $10 |
| U.S. Bank | $10 |
| PNC | $10 |
| Truist | $10 |
| Capital One | $10 |
| Regions | $10 |
| M&T Bank | $10 |
| Bank of America | not published |
| Fifth Third | not published |
| Citizens | page not readable |
| Huntington | page not readable |
| KeyBank | page not readable |
A cashier’s check is available the next business day when deposited in person (Reg CC § 229.10(c)). None of these banks publishes whether it still sells certified checks.
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Cashier’s checks are sold by banks and credit unions, and almost always to their own account holders. The usual place is a branch of your bank: bring a photo ID, the exact name of the payee and the amount, and the bank debits your account and prints the check on the spot, for $10 at most large banks that publish the fee, or free on many premium accounts. Two banks read for this site sell them online: Wells Fargo for up to $2,000, with an $8 delivery charge, and Capital One for $20, up to $250,000 a check. Credit unions offer the same product, often under the name official check or teller’s check, which Regulation CC treats the same way for availability. Without an account, options are thin: none of the fee schedules read publishes a sale to non-customers, so money orders are the usual alternative for smaller sums. If you pay in cash, a purchase of $3,000 or more in a day is recorded with your ID (31 CFR 1010.415), and more than $10,000 is reported. Fees read on October 27, 2026.
Fees, limits and rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Your options
| Where | Who can buy | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your bank, at a branch | account holders | $8 to $10 | waived on many premium accounts |
| Wells Fargo online | account holders | $10 + $8 delivery | up to $2,000 |
| Capital One online | 360 account holders | $20 | up to $250,000 per check |
| Credit union | members | set by each credit union | often called an official or teller’s check |
| A bank where you have no account | not published | – | ask; money orders are the fallback |
What happens at the counter
The teller asks for the payee’s name, the amount, and sometimes a remitter name, which is the name of the person paying. The amount is taken from your account immediately, so the money must be available, not just deposited. You receive the check and a receipt or carbon copy, which you should keep: it is your proof of payment and the starting point if the check is lost. Check the payee name before you leave; correcting it later means a stop payment and a new check.
If you pay with cash, federal rules apply to the bank as they do to any seller of monetary instruments. The calculator below shows which threshold your amount crosses.
Will this cash transaction be reported?
Currency transaction report
Yes, filed by the bank
| Threshold | more than $10,000 a business day, added up |
| ID and record for instruments | Covered by the report |
Splitting cash to stay under the threshold is itself illegal (31 CFR 1010.314). A report is routine paperwork, not an accusation.
When the payee asks for “certified funds”
Car dealers, title companies and landlords sometimes ask for “certified funds” or a “certified check”. In practice a cashier’s check is usually what they mean, since few banks still certify personal checks: none of the banks read for this site lists a certified check in its fee schedule. A wire transfer is another option for very large amounts. The comparison page explains the difference, and the cashier’s check page lists the fee at each bank.
Timing a large payment
For a closing or a car purchase, buy the cashier’s check a business day or two ahead, not on the day itself, so you are not stuck at a busy counter. The payee will want to deposit it at a teller, where Regulation CC makes it available the next business day. A cashier’s check for more than $6,725 can still be partly held under the large-deposit exception, which matters if the payee plans to spend the money the same week.
Credit unions and smaller banks
Credit unions sell official checks to members, often at lower fees than large banks, and some community banks still certify personal checks on request. Their fees are set by each institution and are listed in the fee schedule handed out when you open the account. If you belong to a credit union, ask there first.
Paying a stranger by cashier’s check
A cashier’s check you buy is genuine, but the person you pay may not be. Before buying one for a car, an apartment or a pet found online, make sure the seller and the item exist: see the car or the apartment, check the title, meet in person. Money sent to a fraudster by cashier’s check is almost never recovered once the check is cashed.