Bank of America's overdraft limit depends on your account history and balance

Bank of America does not publish a fixed overdraft limit that applies to all customers. Instead, the bank sets an individual overdraft limit based on factors like how long you have held your account, your account balance history, direct deposit patterns, and past overdraft activity. Some customers may be allowed to overdraw by $100; others by several hundred dollars. The bank does not tell you your limit in advance—you only learn it when a transaction would exceed it.

If you attempt a transaction that would push your account below zero by more than your limit, Bank of America will decline the transaction. If the transaction falls within your limit, it will go through, and you will owe overdraft fees.

Bank of America charges $35 per overdraft transaction if your account stays overdrawn. The bank also charges a $35 daily fee if your account remains overdrawn for more than five consecutive business days. These fees can stack quickly if you stay overdrawn for a week or longer.

Key Takeaways

  • Bank of America sets your overdraft limit individually based on account history and balance patterns, and does not disclose the limit to you in advance.
  • Transactions that exceed your limit will be declined; transactions within your limit will process and trigger a $35 overdraft fee per transaction.
  • If your account stays overdrawn for more than five business days, you will owe an additional $35 daily fee on top of transaction fees.
  • You can request that Bank of America turn off overdraft protection to prevent overdrafts entirely, though this means transactions may be declined instead.
  • Overdraft fees are separate from any interest charges if you carry a negative balance for an extended period.

How Bank of America decides your overdraft limit

The bank reviews your account activity over time to set a limit. Factors that typically increase your limit include a long account history with the bank, consistent direct deposits, a pattern of maintaining a positive balance, and few or no past overdrafts. A new account holder or someone with frequent overdrafts will have a lower limit or no overdraft protection at all.

Bank of America does not send you a letter stating your limit. You may discover it only when you attempt a transaction that would exceed it and the bank declines it—or when a transaction goes through and you receive an overdraft fee notice. If you want to know your limit before it matters, you can call Bank of America customer service at 1-800-432-1000 and ask directly, though the representative may not have a precise number to give you.

Overdraft fees and how they accumulate

Each transaction that overdraws your account costs $35. If you make three separate purchases while overdrawn, you owe three $35 fees—$105 total—even if the overdraft lasted only one day. The bank charges the fee per transaction, not per day, so multiple small purchases can be expensive.

If your account remains overdrawn for more than five consecutive business days, Bank of America adds a $35 daily fee on top of the transaction fees. This fee continues each day until your balance returns to zero or positive. A week-long overdraft could cost $35 (transaction fee) plus $70 in daily fees ($35 × 2 days after the five-day threshold), for example.

These fees are charged automatically and deducted from your account, which can push you deeper into overdraft and trigger more fees. The bank will not reverse fees automatically, but you can request a reversal by calling customer service. Bank of America sometimes reverses one or two overdraft fees per year if you have a good account history, though this is not may provide.

How to find out your specific overdraft limit

Log into your Bank of America online account or mobile app and look for account details or settings. The overdraft limit is not always displayed prominently, but some account types show it under "Account Information" or "Overdraft Protection." If you do not see it listed, call 1-800-432-1000 and ask a representative directly.

Be aware that the representative may tell you the bank does not disclose limits in advance, or may give you a range rather than an exact number. The limit can also change over time as your account activity changes, so a limit you learn today may be different in six months.

Opting out of overdraft protection

You can turn off overdraft protection entirely by contacting Bank of America. Once disabled, transactions that would overdraw your account will simply be declined instead of processing and triggering a fee. This prevents overdraft fees but means your debit card or check may be rejected at the point of sale.

To disable overdraft protection, call 1-800-432-1000 or visit a branch in person. Ask to opt out of overdraft protection for debit card and ATM transactions. Note that this does not affect checks or automatic bill payments, which may still overdraw your account under separate rules.

What happens if you stay overdrawn for weeks

If your account remains negative for an extended period, the fees continue to accumulate. After 60 days of overdraft, Bank of America may close your account and report you to ChexSystems, a banking history database. This makes it harder to open accounts at other banks for up to five years.

The bank may also pursue collection action if the overdraft is large enough and remains unpaid. You will receive notices before this happens, but ignoring them does not stop the process. Paying back the overdrawn amount plus fees as soon as possible is the fastest way to stop additional charges.

Overdraft protection versus overdraft fees

Bank of America offers overdraft protection, which is different from overdraft fees. Overdraft protection links your checking account to a savings account or credit line. If a transaction would overdraw your checking account, the bank automatically transfers money from the linked account to cover it. This prevents the overdraft and the associated fees.

However, overdraft protection is not automatic. You must set it up in advance through your online account or by calling the bank. If you have overdraft protection enabled and use it, you may owe a transfer fee (typically $10) instead of a $35 overdraft fee, which is cheaper. But if you do not have overdraft protection set up, transactions will either be declined or will overdraw your account and trigger standard overdraft fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Bank of America increase my overdraft limit if I ask?

Bank of America does not increase overdraft limits on request. The limit is set based on your account history and activity, and the bank adjusts it automatically over time as your account profile changes. Asking will not change this process.

What is the maximum overdraft limit at Bank of America?

The bank does not publish a maximum limit. Some customers report limits of $500 to $1,000 or more, but this varies widely by individual account. There is no way to know your maximum without attempting a transaction or calling customer service.

Do overdraft fees apply to ATM withdrawals?

Yes. If you withdraw cash from an ATM and the withdrawal would overdraw your account, you will owe a $35 overdraft fee. ATM transactions are treated the same as debit card purchases for overdraft purposes.

If I pay back my overdraft, do the fees go away?

Paying back the overdrawn amount stops future daily fees from accumulating, but it does not reverse the fees you already owe. Those fees remain charged to your account unless Bank of America reverses them, which you can request by calling customer service.

Can I dispute an overdraft fee?

You cannot dispute the fee itself if the overdraft occurred, but you can request that Bank of America reverse it as a courtesy. The bank may reverse one or two fees per year if you have a good account history. Call 1-800-432-1000 and explain your situation; the representative will decide whether to reverse the fee.