Chase processes most payments within one to three business days, depending on the payment method and account type
The time Chase takes to move money depends entirely on how you send it. A payment made through Chase's website or mobile app to another Chase account can post the same day or next business day. A payment to an account at a different bank takes one to three business days. A check you mail takes five to seven business days to clear, and a payment made after 8 p.m. Eastern Time may not start processing until the next business day.
Chase does not hold payments in a queue waiting to process them all at once. The moment you submit a payment through their system, it enters the payment network — ACH for bank transfers, the check clearing system for mailed checks, or their internal routing for transfers between Chase accounts. The timeline that follows depends on which network handles it and whether weekends or holidays fall in between.
If you are paying a bill and need the money to arrive by a specific date, you must account for these delays when you schedule the payment. Submitting a payment the day before it is due almost always results in a late payment, because Chase's processing time does not match your creditor's deadline.
Key Takeaways
- Chase-to-Chase transfers and bill payments typically post within one business day, but payments submitted after 8 p.m. Eastern Time start processing the next day.
- Payments to accounts at other banks move through the ACH network and take one to three business days, depending on the receiving bank's processing speed.
- Mailed checks take five to seven business days to clear and should not be used if you need money to arrive quickly.
- Weekends and federal holidays do not count as business days, so a payment submitted Friday evening may not post until Tuesday.
- You are responsible for submitting payments early enough that they arrive by your due date; late arrival due to processing time does not prevent late fees.
Same-day and next-day processing for Chase-to-Chase transfers
When you transfer money from your Chase account to another Chase account, the money can post the same business day or the next business day. The exact timing depends on when you submit the transfer and which Chase product you are using. If you use Chase's website or mobile app and submit the transfer before 8 p.m. Eastern Time on a business day, it typically posts by the next business day. Some transfers between Chase checking accounts post the same day.
If you submit a transfer after 8 p.m. Eastern Time or on a weekend or holiday, Chase treats it as submitted on the next business day. A transfer submitted at 9 p.m. on Friday does not start processing until Monday morning, so it will not post until Monday or Tuesday.
Chase bill payments to merchants and service providers also fall into this category. When you pay a credit card bill, utility bill, or loan payment through Chase's bill pay system, the payment typically reaches the biller within one to three business days. However, Chase's internal processing is usually complete within one business day; the remaining delay is the biller's processing time.
ACH transfers to other banks take one to three business days
When you send money from Chase to an account at Bank of America, Wells Fargo, or any other bank, the payment moves through the ACH network (Automated Clearing House). ACH is a batch system that processes payments in groups at set times each day. Chase submits your payment to the ACH network, the network processes it, and then the receiving bank posts it to the recipient's account.
The total time is usually one to three business days. Chase's part — submitting to ACH — happens within one business day. The receiving bank's part — posting the money to the recipient's account — can take an additional one to two business days. Some banks post ACH transfers the same day they receive them; others wait until the next day. You have no control over the receiving bank's speed.
If you submit an ACH transfer after the daily cutoff time (usually 8 p.m. Eastern Time), Chase queues it for the next business day. A transfer submitted on Friday evening does not enter the ACH network until Monday, so it will not reach the receiving bank until Tuesday at the earliest and may not post to the recipient's account until Wednesday.
Mailed checks and wire transfers follow different timelines
If you mail a check from a Chase account, the check must travel through the postal system, reach the recipient, be deposited by the recipient, and then clear through the check clearing system. This process takes five to seven business days under normal conditions. If the check is lost or delayed in the mail, it can take longer. Do not use mailed checks if you need money to arrive quickly or by a specific date.
Wire transfers are the opposite: they are the fastest payment method available. A domestic wire transfer sent through Chase typically arrives the same business day or the next business day. Wire transfers bypass the ACH network and move through the Federal Reserve's wire system, which processes them in real time during business hours. However, wire transfers are expensive (Chase charges $15 to $20 per outgoing domestic wire) and are irreversible once sent, so use them only when speed is critical and you are certain of the recipient's account details.
How weekends and holidays affect processing time
Chase does not process payments on weekends or federal holidays. A payment submitted on Saturday does not start processing until Monday. A payment submitted on Friday evening after the cutoff time does not start until Monday. If Monday is a federal holiday (such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Presidents' Day), processing does not begin until Tuesday.
This means a payment submitted Friday at 9 p.m. to an account at another bank can take up to five business days to arrive: Monday (Chase submits to ACH), Tuesday (ACH processes), Wednesday (receiving bank posts). If Monday is a holiday, add another day. Always submit payments at least three to five business days before the due date to account for weekends and holidays.
What to do if a payment is late or does not arrive
If a payment does not arrive by the time you expected, log into your Chase account and confirm the payment was submitted successfully. Look for a confirmation number and the date Chase processed it. If the payment shows as submitted but has not reached the recipient, contact Chase customer service with the confirmation number. Chase can trace the payment through the ACH network or check clearing system and tell you where it is.
If a payment arrives late and your creditor charges a late fee, contact the creditor and explain when you submitted the payment to Chase. Provide the confirmation number and the date submitted. Some creditors will reverse a late fee if you can show you submitted the payment on time; others will not. Chase is not responsible for late fees caused by processing delays — you are responsible for submitting payments early enough that they arrive by the due date.
If you submitted a payment and it never arrived, Chase may be able to stop it if it has not yet cleared. Contact Chase immediately with the confirmation number. If the payment has already cleared, Chase can file a trace and attempt to recover the funds, but this process takes time and is not always successful.
How to schedule payments to arrive on time
The safest approach is to submit payments at least five business days before the due date. This gives Chase one business day to process, the ACH network one business day to process, the receiving bank one business day to post, and two extra days for unexpected delays or holidays. For bills with strict deadlines (mortgage, property tax, court-ordered payments), submit even earlier — seven to ten business days before the due date.
If you know you will be cutting it close, use Chase-to-Chase transfers or bill pay through Chase's system rather than ACH transfers to other banks. Chase-to-Chase transfers often post within one business day, giving you a better chance of meeting the deadline. For payments to merchants, use Chase's bill pay feature rather than transferring money to your own account at another bank and then paying from there — bill pay is faster.
Set up automatic recurring payments for bills that are the same amount every month (utilities, loan payments, insurance). Automatic payments are submitted on a schedule you choose, so you do not have to remember to submit them manually. Chase will process them on the date you specify, giving you control over the timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel a payment after I submit it to Chase?
It depends on how far the payment has progressed. If you cancel within a few hours of submitting it, before Chase has sent it to the payment network, the payment can usually be stopped. Once the payment enters the ACH network or check clearing system, it cannot be cancelled — you must contact the receiving bank or creditor and ask them to reverse it. Contact Chase immediately if you need to cancel; do not wait.
Why does my payment show as submitted but not posted yet?
Chase has submitted it to the payment network, but the receiving bank has not yet posted it to the recipient's account. This is normal and can take one to three business days depending on the receiving bank's processing speed. Check back in one to two business days. If more than three business days have passed, contact Chase to trace the payment.
Do payments process faster if I pay more?
No. Chase processes all payments through the same systems regardless of amount. A $10 transfer takes the same time as a $10,000 transfer. The only way to speed up a payment is to use a faster method, such as a wire transfer or Chase-to-Chase transfer, rather than ACH.
What time does Chase's cutoff for same-day processing happen?
Chase's cutoff is typically 8 p.m. Eastern Time for most payment types. Payments submitted before 8 p.m. Eastern Time on a business day are processed that day; payments submitted after 8 p.m. are processed the next business day. Check your specific account or payment type in Chase's app or website, as cutoff times can vary slightly.
If I set up a payment for a future date, when does Chase actually process it?
Chase processes scheduled payments on the date you specify. If you schedule a payment for Friday, Chase submits it to the payment network on Friday morning, and it follows the normal one- to three-business-day timeline from there. Schedule payments at least three to five business days before the due date to account for processing delays.