Chase charges a monthly fee on most checking accounts, but you can waive it

Chase's standard checking account, the Chase Total Checking, carries a $12 monthly maintenance fee. However, you can eliminate this fee by meeting one of several conditions: maintaining a minimum daily balance of $500, setting up direct deposit of any amount, or keeping an average daily balance of $1,500. If none of those work for you, Chase also offers the Chase Secure Checking account, which has no monthly fee but requires a deposit to open and is designed for people building or rebuilding credit.

Beyond the monthly maintenance fee, Chase checking accounts may incur other charges depending on how you use the account. Overdraft fees, out-of-network ATM fees, and wire transfer fees all apply under specific circumstances. Understanding which fees apply to your situation and which ones you can avoid is the fastest way to keep more of your money in the account.

Key Takeaways

  • Chase Total Checking has a $12 monthly fee that disappears if you maintain a $500 daily balance, set up direct deposit, or keep an average daily balance of $1,500.
  • Chase Secure Checking has no monthly maintenance fee and is open to anyone, but it requires an initial deposit and is marketed toward people with limited credit history.
  • Overdraft fees, ATM fees, and wire transfer fees apply separately from the monthly maintenance fee and depend on how you use your account.
  • The easiest way to avoid the monthly fee is direct deposit, since it requires no minimum balance and works even if you receive a small amount.

How the $12 monthly fee works and what waives it

The $12 charge on Chase Total Checking posts once per month if you do not meet one of the waiver conditions. Chase checks your account on a rolling basis, so you do not have to maintain the requirement every single day—you just need to hit it at some point during the statement period. If you have direct deposit set up, the fee waives automatically, regardless of the deposit amount. A single paycheck, a government benefit payment, or a transfer from another account all count as direct deposit.

If direct deposit is not an option for you, the balance requirement is the next easiest path. A $500 minimum daily balance means you cannot let your account drop below that threshold on any day of the month. An average daily balance of $1,500 is more forgiving—it averages your balance across all days in the statement period, so you can dip below $1,500 on some days as long as you end higher on others. Many people find the direct deposit route simpler because it requires no ongoing balance management.

Chase Secure Checking: the no-fee alternative

If you cannot meet the waiver conditions for Total Checking, Chase Secure Checking has no monthly maintenance fee at all. This account is designed for people who are new to banking or rebuilding their credit after past problems. To open it, you must deposit between $25 and $500 into a linked savings account, which Chase holds as collateral. You can withdraw that money once you have established a positive history with Chase, typically after a few months of on-time payments and responsible account use.

Secure Checking functions like any other checking account—you get a debit card, online banking, and access to Chase's ATM network. The trade-off is that you cannot use direct deposit to waive fees on this account type, and the collateral deposit requirement means you need cash upfront. For people who do not have steady income or cannot maintain a minimum balance, this account eliminates the monthly fee concern entirely.

Overdraft fees and how they stack up

Beyond the monthly maintenance fee, overdraft fees are Chase's largest source of checking account charges. If you spend more money than you have in your account, Chase covers the transaction and charges you an overdraft fee—currently $35 per overdraft. Multiple overdrafts in a single day can result in multiple fees, though Chase caps overdraft fees at a certain number per day (this limit varies by account type and has changed over time, so confirm the current limit with Chase directly).

You can prevent overdraft fees by opting out of overdraft protection, which means transactions will simply be declined if you do not have funds. However, this does not protect you from fees on checks or automatic payments, which may still overdraw your account. Setting up account alerts when your balance drops below a certain threshold gives you a chance to deposit money before an overdraft occurs.

ATM fees and wire transfer charges

Chase does not charge a fee when you use one of its own ATMs, and there are tens of thousands of them nationwide. However, if you withdraw cash from an out-of-network ATM—one that does not belong to Chase—you will pay a $3 fee. The other bank's ATM may also charge you a fee on top of Chase's charge, so out-of-network withdrawals can cost $4 to $6 total.

Wire transfers sent from your Chase checking account cost $15 for domestic wires and $45 for international wires. Receiving a wire transfer is free. If you need to send money regularly, a peer-to-peer payment app or ACH transfer (which is free and takes one to three business days) may be cheaper than a wire.

Other fees tied to specific account actions

Chase charges $5 for a stop payment request, which you file when you want to cancel a check you have already written. Cashier's checks cost $10 each. If you request a paper statement instead of using online statements, Chase charges $2 per statement. Returned deposit items (checks that bounce) cost $25 per item.

Most of these fees are avoidable by changing your behavior: use online statements, avoid stop payments by being careful with checks, and deposit only checks you are confident will clear. The fees exist but do not apply unless you take a specific action that triggers them.

Comparing Chase checking to other banks

Chase's $12 monthly fee is in the middle range for large national banks. Bank of America charges $12 on its standard checking account with similar waiver options. Wells Fargo charges $10. Many online banks and credit unions offer checking accounts with no monthly fee at all, though they may have fewer physical branches and ATMs. If you value Chase's branch network and ATM access, the $12 fee may be worth it to you—especially if you can waive it through direct deposit.

The real cost of a checking account is not just the monthly fee but the total of all fees you actually pay: overdrafts, ATM charges, wire transfers, and others. A bank with no monthly fee but high overdraft charges might cost you more than Chase if you frequently overdraw. Calculate your own situation by looking at how often you use out-of-network ATMs, whether you send wires, and how likely you are to overdraft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I waive the $12 fee with a savings account at Chase?

No. The waiver conditions for Chase Total Checking (direct deposit, minimum balance, or average daily balance) apply only to the checking account itself. Having a linked savings account does not waive the checking fee, though some banks do offer combined balance requirements across multiple accounts—Chase does not.

What happens if I do not meet the waiver conditions one month?

The $12 fee posts to your account. You can dispute it with Chase customer service, but the bank is not required to reverse it. If you miss the requirement occasionally, calling to ask for a courtesy reversal sometimes works, especially if you have been a customer for a long time, but there is no may provide.

Does Chase Secure Checking have overdraft fees?

Yes. Secure Checking has no monthly maintenance fee, but it is subject to the same overdraft fees ($35 per overdraft) as Total Checking. The collateral deposit only waives the monthly fee, not other charges.

Can I switch from Total Checking to Secure Checking to avoid the monthly fee?

Yes, you can close Total Checking and open Secure Checking at any time. However, Secure Checking requires a deposit held as collateral, so you would need cash available to open it. If you can meet one of the waiver conditions for Total Checking, that is usually simpler than opening a new account.

Do I pay overdraft fees if I opt out of overdraft protection?

Opting out prevents overdraft fees on debit card transactions and ATM withdrawals, but checks and automatic bill payments may still overdraw your account and trigger fees. You cannot opt out of overdraft protection for those payment types.