Many banks prefer that you have your bank debit card with you as well. If you do not have your debit card, you may be required to fill in additional forms to cash your check. Contact the bank branch with any questions about their I. D. requirements. You won’t be required to show a photo I. D. if you cash the check at an ATM or via your smartphone.
If you need cash right away and already have sufficient funds in your bank account, you can deposit the check, then immediately make a withdrawal in the amount you need. If the bank on which the check is drawn refuses to pay your bank — in other words, the check “bounces” — your bank will reimburse itself from your bank account. Banks will also usually charge a fee for the trouble of dealing with a returned check.
Insert your debit card Type in your PIN and press Enter Select “Deposit Check” Insert the check into the check deposit slot Confirm the amount on the check Withdraw the money you need from the ATM.
Make sure to follow all the directions in the app. Endorse the check, then take clear, well-lit photographs of its front and back sides. Keep the check until you receive confirmation that it has been deposited, then destroy it. Once the check clears, though, you will have to leave the house to withdraw the money you deposited from an ATM or bank branch. You should keep a check that you deposit through a mobile app until you can confirm it’s in your account.
You must cash the check in person with a bank teller (not at the ATM) if you are not an account holder there. You may need to show a valid photo I. D. , so bring one along. If the account the check is written on does not have sufficient funds to cover the check, the bank is not required to cash it. [8] X Trustworthy Source US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau U. S. government agency for protecting consumers in the financial sector Go to source Some states in the U. S. have laws that require banks to cash checks drawn on their accounts without charging a fee. [9] X Trustworthy Source US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau U. S. government agency for protecting consumers in the financial sector Go to source
Just like when you take a check to a bank, don’t sign the back of your check until you are in front of the person who is cashing it for you. Some retailers may require you to be a member of their rewards or loyalty program, but these are nearly always free and easy to join.
For example, Visa has a reloadable “Payroll Card” that you can get through your employer. You can deposit checks and withdraw money at any ATM that accepts Visa debit cards. [12] X Research source Many large banks also offer prepaid debit cards. Chase offers a prepaid card that allows you to deposit checks at any Chase ATM, for a monthly fee of approximately $5 USD. [13] X Research source Prepaid cards are usually available through large financial institutions such as MasterCard and American Express.
These places know that they are working with customers who need the money from the check ASAP, and therefore can charge them high fees. If you do not have a bank account and need cash immediately from a personal check, check-cashing services may be your only option.
To endorse the check to another person, write “Pay to the order of _______” on the reverse side of the check. Sign your name below this. In some cases, you may also be required to initial near the written and numerical amounts on the front of the check. Never ask someone you do not know very well to cash a check for you. Never cash a check for someone you do not know and trust extremely well.
The correct first and last name and address of the person giving you the check. Contact information for the person who wrote you the check, so you can reach them if you have trouble cashing it. The name of a legitimate bank where the check is being drawn from. Check with the issuing bank to confirm that the person writing the check has an account with funds available to cover it. Many banks will verify the account the check is drawn from if you contact them. [17] X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source
The date written on the check is the first date on which the funds may be withdrawn. [18] X Research source The numerical amount box is located below the date. It represents the exact amount to be paid. Make certain that this is the correct amount you are owed and that it matches the written dollar amount located to the left of the box. [19] X Trustworthy Source US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau U. S. government agency for protecting consumers in the financial sector Go to source For the check to be valid, it must contain the signature of the owner of the account from which the funds will be withdrawn. [20] X Trustworthy Source US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau U. S. government agency for protecting consumers in the financial sector Go to source
If there is more than one payee — e. g. , “Pay to the order of Jackson and Leanna Teller” — all payees must endorse the check in order to cash it. [22] X Trustworthy Source US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau U. S. government agency for protecting consumers in the financial sector Go to source However, a check can be deposited into a joint account with only one of the joint owners signing it. Once the check is endorsed, unless there are written restrictions, the check becomes a “bearer” instrument that anyone (in theory) can cash.
