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

Chase's most common checking accounts carry a monthly maintenance fee of $12, but you can eliminate it by meeting one of several conditions. The easiest route is to keep a minimum balance—usually $1,500 to $15,000 depending on the account type—or set up direct deposit. Some accounts waive the fee if you maintain a linked savings account with a certain balance. A few Chase accounts have no monthly fee at all, though they come with fewer features.

The specific fee and the ways to avoid it depend on which Chase checking account you hold. Chase offers at least five different checking products, each with its own fee structure. Before you open an account or after you receive a fee, knowing which account you have and what triggers the charge matters more than the fee itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Chase's standard checking accounts charge $12 per month, but you can waive the fee by maintaining a $1,500 minimum balance, setting up direct deposit, or linking a savings account with $500 or more.
  • Chase Total Checking and Chase Premier Plus Checking are the two most widely available accounts, and both allow you to avoid the monthly fee through multiple methods.
  • Chase has one no-fee checking account called Chase Secure Banking, though it requires a ChexSystems report and offers limited features.
  • If you are charged a fee you believe you should not have been, you can contact Chase to request a reversal, and they often waive one or two fees per year for customers in good standing.
  • The fee appears on your statement as "Monthly Service Charge" and is deducted automatically unless you meet the waiver conditions.

The two most common Chase checking accounts and their fees

Chase Total Checking carries a $12 monthly maintenance fee. You can waive it by doing any one of these: keeping $1,500 or more in the account at all times, setting up at least one direct deposit per month, maintaining a linked Chase savings account with a $500 minimum balance, or being a student under 18 (the fee is waived until age 18). If you do none of these, you pay $12 every month.

Chase Premier Plus Checking charges $25 per month and is designed for customers who want higher limits and more perks. You can waive this fee by maintaining a $15,000 minimum balance, setting up direct deposit, or keeping a linked savings account with $10,000 or more. This account includes benefits like higher ATM withdrawal limits and priority customer service, but you only get those benefits if you avoid the fee.

Both accounts waive the fee if you meet just one condition. You do not need to do all of them—meeting any single requirement stops the charge. Chase does not combine conditions, so $750 in the account plus $750 in a linked savings account will not waive the fee; you need $1,500 in checking or $500 in savings, not both.

Other Chase checking accounts with different fee structures

Chase Secure Banking has no monthly fee. It is designed for people who have had banking problems in the past or have no banking history. To open it, you must pass a ChexSystems check (a banking history report), and the account comes with a debit card and online access. However, it does not include overdraft protection, and you cannot write checks. If you can open a standard Chase account, Total Checking is usually a better choice because it offers more features.

Chase Sapphire Banking is a premium account with a $25 monthly fee. It waives the fee if you maintain a $15,000 balance or set up direct deposit. This account is marketed toward customers who want premium features like higher ATM withdrawal limits and concierge service, but the fee structure is similar to Premier Plus Checking.

Chase College Checking has no monthly fee for students under 18, and the fee is waived until age 18. After you turn 18, it converts to Chase Total Checking and the $12 fee applies unless you meet one of the waiver conditions. This account is designed to help young people build banking habits without cost.

What counts as direct deposit and how it waives the fee

Direct deposit means your employer or a government agency (like Social Security) deposits money into your account electronically. Chase counts one direct deposit per month as meeting the waiver condition. The deposit must be recurring—a one-time transfer from another bank does not count. Paycheck deposits, Social Security payments, pension payments, and unemployment benefits all count as direct deposit.

If you receive direct deposit, you do not need to do anything special. Chase monitors your account automatically and removes the fee if a direct deposit posts during the month. The fee is waived the following month. If direct deposit stops—for example, you change jobs and your new employer has not set it up yet—the fee will resume the next month unless you meet another waiver condition.

How to check if you are being charged and how to dispute the fee

Log into your Chase online account or mobile app and look at your recent transactions. The monthly fee appears as "Monthly Service Charge" on your statement. It is usually deducted on the last day of the month or the first day of the next month. If you see this charge and believe you should not have been charged, contact Chase through the app, by phone, or in person at a branch.

Chase often reverses one or two monthly fees per year for customers in good standing, especially if you explain that you thought you met a waiver condition. If you recently set up direct deposit or moved money to meet the balance requirement, tell the representative when you called. They may reverse the fee retroactively. If the fee has been charged repeatedly and you have been meeting the conditions, ask for a review of your account history.

If Chase refuses to reverse the fee and you believe it was charged in error, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) through their website. The CFPB investigates complaints about bank fees and practices, though filing does not may provide a reversal.

Comparing Chase checking to no-fee alternatives

If you want to avoid fees entirely without meeting balance or direct deposit requirements, other banks offer no-fee checking accounts. Online banks like Ally, Charles Schwab, and Discover have no monthly maintenance fees and no minimum balance requirements. Credit unions often have no-fee checking as well. The trade-off is that these banks may have fewer physical branches or ATMs than Chase, and some do not offer the same features (like check writing or overdraft protection).

If you use Chase's ATM network frequently or prefer in-person banking, the $12 annual fee for Total Checking (if you pay it monthly) may be worth it compared to switching banks. If you rarely use branches and can meet the direct deposit or balance requirement, Chase Total Checking is competitive. If you cannot meet either condition and do not want to pay, a no-fee online bank is usually the better choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I waive the Chase checking fee by using my debit card a certain number of times?

No. Chase does not waive checking fees based on debit card usage, number of transactions, or account activity. The only ways to waive the fee are direct deposit, maintaining the minimum balance, linking a savings account with the required balance, or being a student under 18 (for Total Checking only).

What happens if my direct deposit stops—will Chase charge me the fee again?

Yes. If you do not receive a direct deposit in a given month and do not meet another waiver condition, the fee will be charged the following month. If your job situation changes, set up a minimum balance or link a savings account to keep the fee waived while you transition.

Does Chase charge a fee to close a checking account?

No. Chase does not charge a fee to close a checking account. You can close it online, by phone, or in person at a branch. If you have a balance, Chase will send you a check or transfer the money to another account you specify.

Can I get the monthly fee refunded if I just opened the account?

Chase does not automatically waive fees for new accounts. However, if you contact them within a few days of opening and explain that you did not realize there was a fee, they may reverse it as a courtesy. After that, the fee applies unless you meet one of the waiver conditions.

Is the $12 monthly fee the same at all Chase branches?

Yes. Chase is a national bank, so the fee and waiver conditions are the same whether you open the account online, by phone, or at a branch. However, some branches may offer promotions (like waiving the fee for the first few months), so it is worth asking when you open the account.