You need to cash a check, but you're not sure where to go? Most people either have to pay excessive fees or go through the hassle of finding a check-cashing place.
We understand that you want to get access to your money as easily as possible. That's why we've done the research for you and found the best places to cash your check without having to worry about excessive fees.
Using this list, you can find options on how you'll be able to cash your check quickly and conveniently.
Let’s get started!
Best Places to Cash A Personal Check
To make the process of cashing a personal check easier, we've come up with a list of establishments you can visit to do so.
| PLACE | CHECK AMOUNT LIMIT | CHECK CASHING FEE |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Bank | Varies by bank | Free / Minimum Fee |
| Credit Union | Varies by bank | Free / Minimum Fee |
| Issuing Bank | Varies by bank | $7-$10 per check or10% of check amount for non-customers |
| Walmart Check Cashing | $200 for two-person personal check$5,000 for other checks | $6 for two-person personal check$4 for each check, up to $1,000$8 for each check greater than $1,000 |
| Kmart | up to $500 | $1 |
| Publix | up to $75 | $3 to $6 |
| Giant Eagle | up to $30 | Varies per location |
| Food Lion | up to $500 | Varies per location |
| Market Basket | up to $500 | 1.25% of the amount |
| Prepaid Debit Cards | Varies per card | Varies per card |
| Ingo Money | $5,000 | $5 for handwritten checks below $1005% for handwritten checks above $100$5 for pre-printed payroll and government checks under $2502% for pre-printed checks above $250 |
| PayPal | $5,000 | 1% fee for payroll and government checks5% fee for all other checks |
| Venmo | $5,000 | 1% fee for payroll and government checks5% fee for all other checksNo fee for 10-day approval option |
| Check Cashing Stores | Varies by outlet | 1% to 12% of the check amount |
1. Your Personal Bank
One of your first stops should be your personal bank. Many major banks in the United States offer free check cashing services if you’re an account holder.
If you receive check payments often, you should look for a bank that offers these services at no extra charge.
If you have a checking account, you can deposit it from an ATM or a bank then access the money once it's cleared. But if you’re in a hurry, you can go to the bank and cash it on the spot as long as you present an ID.
2. Your Credit Union
Another option is to cash a check in your credit union. Just like when you cash a check in your local bank, the process is usually the same with a credit union.
Credit unions also offer check cashing for free or at a very low rate.
If you don’t have a bank account, consider joining a credit union.
A credit union is an institution that provides financial services at lower rates. Joining one lets you enjoy lower minimum balance requirements as well as lower fees.
3. The Issuing Bank
Can you cash a check at any bank? This is a question many people ask when they receive a personal check.
Not all banks will accept just any check. Usually, you need to have an account with that particular bank before you can cash a check.
However, one good option is to cash the check at the issuing bank, which is the name of the bank printed on the check that you received.
For example, you’ve been paid a check by your customer, and the bank name printed on the check is Bank of America. Then the issuing bank is Bank of America and you can visit any Bank of America branch to cash the check.
Cashing a check at the issuing bank is advisable, especially if the amount you need to cash is quite high. Many other cash checking places have limits so you cannot cash a check with a higher amount.
In addition, you can get cash immediately from the issuing bank without having to wait for it to clear in your account.
When it comes to fees, the issuing bank’s charges vary. Banks have a different rate for cashing a check and usually, you may be charged more if you’re a non-customer of that bank.
For example, if the issuing bank is Chase and you also have an account at Chase, then you may enjoy free check cashing or be charged a minimum fee. However, if you don’t have an account with Chase, then you will have to pay a non-customer fee.
The fees issuing banks charge for cashing a check are usually a flat fee of $7 to $10.
Other banks will charge 10% of the check amount especially if it's a high amount, while others will waive the fee for checks below $50.
4. Walmart
One of the most convenient places to cash a check is Walmart as there are Walmart stores all over the United States.
You don't need to stop by the bank if you need to cash a check because you can drop by the nearest Walmart to do this errand.
Cashing a check at Walmart is also one of the best solutions for people asking where to cash a check without a bank account.
The good news is that Walmart can cash many different types of checks including the following:
- payroll checks
- government checks
- tax refund checks
- stimulus checks
- cashiers' checks
- insurance settlement checks
- 401(k) or the retirement account disbursement checks
- most pre-printed checks
The fee for cashing these checks at Walmart is maximum $4 for amounts below $1,000 and $8 for amounts over $1,000.
The limit is $5,000 and increases to $7,500 from January to April. The check cashing limit may also vary depending on your state law.
But what about personal checks? Can Walmart cash personal checks?
According to the Walmart website, it cannot cash personal checks, however, it can cash a two-party personal check as long as it doesn’t exceed $200. The fee is a maximum of $6.
If your personal check is below this amount, it’s worth giving your nearest Walmart a call to see whether you can cash it there.
Other checks that Walmart will NOT cash includes:
- handwritten checks
- personal checks made out to cash
- post-dated checks or checks over 180 days old
- starter checks
- savings bond checks
- EFS checks
5. Grocery Stores
Where can you cash a personal check on Sundays?
One solution is to check out a nearby grocery store. Aside from Walmart, there are other grocery stores that offer check cashing services.
The advantage is that if you have one of these retailers near you, it can save you time and travel, especially if the bank is further away.
The downside, however, is that most grocery stores only cash personal checks that have a low amount.
Below are some of the grocery stores that cash personal checks. You can check the main table above for limits and fees.
6. Prepaid Cards
If you don’t have a bank account and you need to cash a check, using a prepaid debit card is another option for you. A prepaid card is a reloadable card that you can load funds into.
You have to make sure that your prepaid card allows mobile check deposits for this option to work. You will need to download an app from your prepaid card provider, take a photo of your check and load it into your account.
Depending on your provider, the amount of time it will take for the money to appear in your account will vary. Using this option is recommended for people who can wait a few days before accessing the funds.
Some of the more popular prepaid cards that allow mobile check deposit include:
- PayPal Prepaid Mastercard
- NetSpend Visa Prepaid Card
- Bluebird American Express Prepaid Debit Account
- ACE Elite Visa Prepaid Debit Card
- Green Dot Prepaid Visa Card
- Transact by 7-Eleven
7. Check Cashing Apps
How can you cash a check online instantly? You can use cash checking apps, which are mobile platforms that you need to download and install on your device.
Some of the more popular apps include:
With most of these apps, all you need to do is install the app, take a picture of the check for mobile check deposit and wait for the check to clear.
According to Ingo Money, Venmo, and PayPal, it takes between 3 minutes and up to 1.5 hours to clear the check.
The fees associated with using these apps also vary depending on the amount of the check you are cashing.
8. Check-Cashing Stores
When you search for places to cash a check, you will find many check-cashing stores that will advertise this service.
The advantage of going to these stores is that they will usually cash checks that banks or other retailers won't accept.
Check-cashing stores will cash personal checks and even checks from small businesses. This makes it a convenient option if you need the money ASAP.
However, you should be ready to pay a much higher fee. The typical amount is 1% to 12% depending on the cash checking store.
If the cash checking outlet near you only charges 1% to 3% with no additional fees to cash a personal check, this can be a quick option for a one-time transaction.
It could even be cheaper compared to check cashing apps that charge 5% for non-payroll and non-government checks.
On the other hand, you should avoid check-cashing outlets that charge higher percentage rates and additional fees.
Things To Note When Cashing A Personal Check
But before going to one of the places we will list down in this article, it's also important to verify that your check is valid.
You don't want to go through the process of cashing the check only to find out that you won't be able to cash it.
Here are some of the steps that you could take to make sure that the check is legitimate.
What You Need to Cash A Personal Check
You will need to cash personal checks on your own so one important requirement is to bring a form of identification.
Some of the common government-issued IDs that are accepted when you cash checks include the following:
- Driver's license
- Green card
- Passport
- Military ID
- US citizen ID card
- State ID card
- City ID card
Is the check issued by a legitimate bank?
If you’ve been issued a personal check and you're not familiar with the bank listed on the check, do your research online and call the number listed on the check to confirm that it's a legitimate bank.
Many scammers issue fake checks with fake bank names so you should be careful when accepting payment in the form of a check from untrusted sources.
Are the other details listed on the check correct?
Another thing you can do is to check all the other details listed on the check.
For example, is your name written correctly? Or is the amount written correctly?
Make sure that these details don’t have mistakes because if your name doesn’t match your ID, you could have a hard time cashing the check.
Does the check physically look like a real check?
Paper checks come in different styles and designs so it may be difficult to spot whether it's real or fake.
However, there are obvious signs like unusual markings or misspellings that could help you determine if your check is fake or altered.
If there are smudges, discoloration, or inconsistent information, you should be cautious in accepting the check.
Cashing Your Checks Quickly and Conveniently
So, there you have it – a list of the top ways to cash your checks quickly and conveniently. Hopefully, at least one of these methods will work for you. Have you tried any of them? Let us know in the comments below.
Aidan has been writing about personal finance for over 6 years. Prior to this, he worked as a Corporate Finance Analyst where he specialized in Due Diligence, Company Valuations and more. He is a CFA charterholder.
