Chase charges monthly fees on most checking accounts, but you can waive them

Chase's most common checking account, the Chase Total Checking, carries a $12 monthly maintenance fee. However, you can eliminate this fee by meeting one of several conditions: maintain a minimum daily balance of $500, set up direct deposit of any amount, or link a Chase savings account with a $300 minimum balance. If you do not meet any of these requirements, the $12 fee posts to your account each month.

Chase also offers Chase Secure Banking, which has no monthly fee and requires no minimum balance. This account is designed for people building or rebuilding credit and comes with a debit card and online banking access, but it does not include overdraft protection or the ability to write checks.

The fee structure varies slightly depending on which Chase checking product you open. Understanding which account fits your situation and which waiver option works for you can save you $144 per year or more.

Key Takeaways

  • Chase Total Checking charges $12 per month unless you maintain a $500 daily balance, set up direct deposit, or link a Chase savings account with $300 in it.
  • Chase Secure Banking has no monthly fee and no minimum balance requirement, making it free if you cannot meet Total Checking's conditions.
  • Direct deposit of any amount—even a small transfer from another bank—counts toward waiving the monthly fee on Total Checking.
  • If you close your account or fail to meet fee waiver conditions, the $12 charge will appear on your statement each month until you do.
  • Chase offers no monthly fee waiver for overdraft fees or out-of-network ATM charges, which are separate from the account maintenance fee.

How the $12 monthly fee works on Total Checking

The $12 fee on Chase Total Checking posts automatically on the same day each month. If you meet any one of the waiver conditions before that date, the fee does not post. If you do not meet any condition, the charge appears on your statement and reduces your account balance.

The three ways to waive the fee are independent—you only need to satisfy one. A $500 minimum daily balance means the lowest balance your account reaches on any single day during the month must be at least $500. Direct deposit means any recurring transfer from an employer, government agency, or another financial institution counts; it does not have to be your paycheck. Linking a Chase savings account means opening or already having a Chase savings account with at least $300 in it at the time the fee would post.

If you meet a waiver condition for part of the month but not all of it, Chase still waives the fee. The requirement is simply that you meet the condition at some point during the billing cycle.

Chase Secure Banking as a fee-free alternative

Chase Secure Banking is Chase's only checking account with no monthly maintenance fee and no minimum balance. It is designed for customers who are new to banking, rebuilding credit, or who prefer a simpler account structure. You get a debit card, online banking, bill pay, and access to Chase's ATM network at no cost.

The trade-off is that Secure Banking does not include overdraft protection, meaning if you spend more than your balance, transactions will be declined rather than covered. You also cannot write checks with this account. For people who primarily use a debit card and online bill pay, these limitations are often not a problem.

Secure Banking is available to anyone 18 or older with a valid ID and Social Security number. There is no credit check, and Chase does not report activity to credit bureaus, so it does not help or hurt your credit score.

Other Chase checking accounts and their fees

Chase offers several other checking products, each with different fee structures. Chase Premier Plus Checking charges $25 per month and is aimed at customers with higher balances; it waives the fee if you maintain a $25,000 minimum daily balance or set up direct deposit. Chase College Checking has no monthly fee for five years after opening, then converts to Total Checking and begins charging $12 per month unless you meet a waiver condition.

Chase also offers Chase Sapphire Checking as part of its premium banking tier, which requires a separate relationship with Chase investment or wealth management services. This account has different fee structures based on your overall relationship with the bank.

If you are a student, Chase College Checking is worth opening before the five-year window expires, since you get free checking during that period and can switch to another account type when the fee would begin.

Overdraft fees and other charges beyond the monthly fee

The $12 monthly maintenance fee is separate from overdraft fees and other transaction charges. If your account goes negative, Chase charges an overdraft fee of $35 per transaction (as of the most recent update, though this can change). You can have up to four overdraft fees per day, meaning a bad day could cost you $140 in overdraft charges alone.

Chase also charges $2.50 for each out-of-network ATM withdrawal—meaning ATMs that are not part of the Chase network. These fees stack on top of any fee the other bank's ATM charges you. There is no way to waive out-of-network ATM fees, so using Chase's ATM network or requesting cash back at a store is the only way to avoid them.

Returned deposit fees, wire transfer fees, and stop payment fees are also possible, though they only occur if you use those specific services. The monthly maintenance fee is the only recurring charge you will face simply by holding the account.

How to set up direct deposit to waive the fee

Direct deposit is often the easiest waiver condition to meet because it requires no minimum balance and no savings account. To set up direct deposit, you need your Chase account number and routing number, which you can find on a check, in the Chase mobile app, or by calling Chase customer service.

You can set up direct deposit from your employer's payroll system, from a government agency (Social Security, unemployment, tax refunds), or from another bank account. Some people set up a small automatic transfer from a savings account at another bank to their Chase checking account each month—even $1 counts as direct deposit and waives the fee.

Once direct deposit is active, Chase recognizes it and waives the fee going forward. If direct deposit stops for a month, the fee will post the following month unless you meet one of the other waiver conditions. You do not need to notify Chase that you have set up direct deposit; the system detects it automatically.

What happens if you do not waive the fee

If you do not meet any waiver condition, the $12 fee posts to your account each month. Over a year, this totals $144. The fee reduces your account balance, which can push you below your minimum balance threshold if you are close to it, potentially triggering additional fees or overdraft charges.

You can close your Chase checking account at any time without penalty, either online, by phone, or in person at a branch. If you close the account, you will not be charged the monthly fee going forward. However, if you have an outstanding balance or pending transactions, Chase may hold the account open until those clear.

If you want to keep the account but stop paying the fee, the simplest path is usually to set up a small direct deposit transfer from another account. This takes a few minutes and costs nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I waive the Chase Total Checking fee with a linked credit card?

No. Linking a Chase credit card does not waive the checking account fee. The only linked product that works is a Chase savings account with at least $300 in it. Credit cards, investment accounts, and mortgage accounts do not count toward the waiver.

Does the $500 minimum balance have to stay in the account all month?

No. The requirement is that your lowest balance on any single day during the month reaches $500. If your balance dips to $400 on one day, the fee will post, even if your balance is $1,000 on other days. This is why direct deposit or a linked savings account is often easier than trying to maintain a specific balance.

What if I set up direct deposit but it does not post in time for the fee date?

Chase waives the fee if direct deposit is set up and active, even if the first deposit has not yet arrived. However, if you set up direct deposit after the fee has already posted, you cannot get that month's fee refunded. Set it up as soon as possible to avoid the charge.

Is Chase Secure Banking available to everyone?

Yes, as long as you are 18 or older and can provide a valid ID and Social Security number. There is no credit check, and Chase does not deny Secure Banking to anyone based on banking history. However, you still need to pass Chase's standard identity verification process.

Do I pay the monthly fee if my account is overdrawn?

Yes. The $12 monthly maintenance fee posts regardless of your account balance. If your account is overdrawn, the fee will make it more negative, and you may face additional overdraft fees as a result. This is another reason to set up a waiver condition or switch to Secure Banking if you cannot maintain a positive balance.