Walk in with your ID and the check, and the teller will count out cash or deposit it to your account

Cashing a check at your bank is straightforward: bring the check and a government-issued ID, endorse the back of the check by signing your name, hand both to a teller, and they will give you cash or deposit the funds to your account. The whole process takes five to ten minutes. You do not need an account at that bank to cash a check there, though some banks charge a fee if you are not a customer.

The check must be made out to you or to you and someone else. If it is made out to someone else only, you cannot cash it. If it is made out to multiple people with "and" between the names, both people usually need to be present and sign it. If it says "or," either person can cash it alone.

Key Takeaways

  • Bring the check and a photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID card) to any branch of your bank during business hours.
  • Sign the back of the check in the signature line before handing it to the teller—this is called endorsing the check.
  • You can ask the teller to give you cash, deposit it to your account, or split the amount between cash and deposit.
  • Non-customers may face a fee of $5 to $15 to cash a check at a bank where they do not have an account.
  • If the check is damaged, post-dated, or more than six months old, the bank may refuse to cash it.

What you need to bring

Bring the check itself and one form of government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, or passport all work. Some banks will accept a military ID or tribal ID. The ID does not have to match the state where the bank is located.

If you do not have photo ID, ask the teller whether your bank will accept other forms of identification—some will take a utility bill or bank statement with your address, though this is less common. Call your branch ahead of time if you are unsure.

How to endorse the check

Turn the check over to the back. On the line that says "Endorse here" or has a box marked for endorsement, sign your name exactly as it appears on the front of the check. Do this before you hand the check to the teller. If the name on the front is misspelled or different from your ID, sign it the way it appears on the check first, then sign it correctly below that.

Do not write anything else in the endorsement area—no account numbers, no instructions. Some people add "For deposit only" to protect against theft if the check is lost, but this is optional and does not affect cashing.

Checks made out to more than one person

If the check says "John Smith and Jane Doe," both people must be present, both must sign the back, and both must show ID. The bank will not cash it otherwise. If the check says "John Smith or Jane Doe," either person can cash it alone without the other present.

If you are unsure how the names are connected on the check, look at the front carefully. The word "and" means both signatures are required. The word "or" means either signature works.

What happens if you are not a customer

Most banks will cash checks for non-customers, but many charge a fee. The fee ranges from $5 to $15 depending on the bank and the check amount. Some banks waive the fee for checks under a certain amount, like $25. Call ahead or ask the teller what the fee is before you hand over the check.

If the fee is too high, you have other options: deposit the check at an ATM if you have an account elsewhere, use a check-cashing service (which also charges a fee, usually 1 to 3 percent of the check amount), or ask the person who wrote the check to write a new one to a bank where you do have an account.

Reasons a bank might refuse to cash your check

A check is post-dated if it has a future date on it—for example, today is January 10 but the check says January 20. Banks can refuse to cash post-dated checks until that date arrives. If you need the money now, ask the person who wrote it to write a new check with today's date.

A check is stale if it is more than six months old. Banks are not required to cash stale checks and most will refuse. If you have an old check, contact the person who wrote it and ask them to issue a new one.

If the check is torn, has water damage, or is hard to read, the bank may refuse it or ask you to contact the check writer to confirm the amount. If the check amount does not match the written-out amount (for example, the numbers say $100 but the words say "one hundred fifty dollars"), the bank will refuse it—the check writer needs to issue a corrected one.

How long it takes and when the money is available

If you ask for cash, you get it immediately—the teller counts it out and hands it to you. If you deposit it to your account, the funds usually show up the same day or the next business day, depending on when you deposit and your bank's policy. Checks deposited after 2 p.m. or on weekends may not post until the next business day.

Some banks place a hold on large checks, meaning the money shows as deposited but you cannot withdraw it for a few days. This is rare for checks under $5,000 from local banks, but it can happen. Ask the teller whether a hold will apply to your check.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cash a check at a different bank than the one it was drawn from?

Yes. You can cash a check at any bank, not just the bank listed on the check. However, if you are not a customer of that bank, you may be charged a fee. Your own bank will always cash it for free if you have an account there.

What if the check is made out to my business, not to me personally?

You cannot cash a business check in your personal name. The check must be deposited into a business account. If you own the business, you will need to set up a business checking account and deposit it there. Bring the check and your business registration documents to the bank.

Do I have to cash the entire check, or can I get part of it in cash and deposit the rest?

Yes, you can split it. Tell the teller you want $50 in cash and the remaining amount deposited to your account, for example. They will process both at the same time. This is useful if you need some spending money but want most of the check to go into savings.

What if I lost the check or someone stole it?

Contact the person who wrote the check immediately and ask them to stop payment on the original check and issue a new one. They can do this through their bank. Once payment is stopped, the original check cannot be cashed by anyone. This usually costs the check writer a small fee, around $25 to $35.

Can I cash a check by mail or online?

No, you cannot cash a check for physical cash by mail or online. You can deposit a check remotely by taking a photo of both sides and uploading it through your bank's app or website, but you will receive the funds as a deposit to your account, not as cash. To get cash, you must visit a branch in person.