Before Cashing a Check
When dealing with checks it’s important to know the basics of check cashing. Before we get into all the places where you can cash a check, we’ll go over all the check cashing basics you need to know before taking your check to the bank.
- Some check cashing places will charge a fixed fee or a percentage of the check for their check cashing services. It’s a good idea to ask about check cashing fees beforehand so you’re prepared.
- Some check cashing places won’t cash a check if it is 6 months old or older. Know the check cashing time limits of your preferred check cashing place so you can get your checks cashed in time.
- It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few business days for a deposited check’s funds to become available in your account.
- You’ll need to show an acceptable form of photo ID to cash a check.
- If you’re cashing a check at your bank you might also need to provide your bank debit card.
You’ll also need to know how to endorse a check before you visit a check cashing place.
Step One: Flip the check over. On the back of the check, in the corner, you’ll find the words “ENDORSE CHECK HERE” and some lines or a boxed space for you to write your signature.
Step Two: Sign your signature in this spot and nowhere else on the check. By signing in the designated “ENDORSE CHECK HERE” spot on the back of the check you have now authorized the bank, credit union, check cashing store to cash or deposit the check for you.
Why You Should Use Check City Check Cashing
Check City is a check cashing store with over 70 conveniently placed locations nationwide. Since Check City began they’ve grown to provide all kinds of financial products, but Check City’s roots are in check cashing services.
The check cashing services at Check City are fast and easy. Check City is also open much later than most banks. Some Check City stores are even open 24/7!
At Check City, you don’t have to wait for the check to clear to get all of your cash. Once Check City verifies the check they can give you all your money right then.
Check City also doesn’t have a limit for the check amount. As long as Check City can verify the check, they can cash it for you.
The check cashing fees at Check City are also very simple. Check City fees are based on the type of check you want to cash. Check City’s low rates start at 1.99% for in-state payroll and government checks. That means for payroll and government checks it only cost about $2 per $100 to cash your check at Check City.
Check City also cashes all kinds of checks! Here are the kinds of checks you can cash at Check City:
- Payroll checks
- Cashier checks
- Counter checks
- Government checks
- Insurance drafts or checks
- Money orders
- Tax refund checks
- Personal checks
- Out-of-state checks
Where Can I Cash a Check?
If you aren’t very familiar with checks than you might be wondering, where can I cash my check? Figuring out where to cash a check takes careful consideration.
First, you have to consider the type of check you have and how much is on the check to figure out, where can I cash my check?
Second, you don’t want to go very far just to cash a check so you want to figure out, where can I cash my check near me? Where you cash a check will also factor into how much it costs to cash a check, how late you can cash a check, or how long you have to cash a check.
Every check cashing location will have different check cashing policies about all of these variables. That’s why it’s always a great idea to list your check cashing questions down and call the check cashing place ahead of time to get all your check cashing answers.
Where Can I Cash a Personal Check?
Are you wondering where to cash a personal check? First of all, if you want to cash a personal check then the personal check needs to be made out to you and not someone else.
Personal checks are one of the most common types of checks. This means that you can usually cash personal checks almost anywhere that accepts checks. Personal checks are the most straightforward checks and are thus usually the easiest type of check to cash.
You can cash a personal check at your bank or credit union, the bank or credit union that printed the check, retail stores like Walmart, or local check cashing stores like Check City.
Where Can I Cash a Cashier’s Check?
Or maybe you’re wondering where to cash a cashier’s check? Cashier checks are insured by the bank that printed the cashier check. This means that whoever gave you the cashier’s check, has already had the check funds taken out of their own account, so the cashier’s check won’t bounce.
Because cashier checks are insured checks, they are also pretty easy to cash. Most of your regular check cashing places will also accept cashier checks.
Where Can I Cash a Check on Sunday?
Sunday can be a great day for getting all your errands done. But you can’t cash a check on Sunday if the check cashing place is closed.
If you need to find where you can cash a check on Sunday, you can always use an ATM that accepts checks. Most likely though, cashing a check at an ATM will require a bank account and several business days for the check to deposit into your bank account before you can cash out those funds.
Lucky for you, many Check City locations have more open hours than banks do. This means that many Check City locations are even open on Sunday! Cash a check on Sunday at Check City by visiting the Check City Locations Page, finding a Check City near you, and checking their Sunday hours of operation.
Where Can I Cash a Check without ID?
If you are one of the 21 million American adults that don’t have a government-issued photo ID then you might be wondering, where can I cash a check without my ID?
One way to cash a check without ID is to use a mobile app to deposit the check to your bank account using your phone. But this method only works if you have a bank account.
If you need to know where you can cash a check without ID and without a bank account, then you can use 2 forms of secondary ID instead of a single primary ID at any check cashing store, like Check City.
All you need is 2 of the following examples of secondary ID:
- Alien registration photo card
- College photo ID
- Employment photo ID
- Firearms permit photo ID
- Foreign driver’s license photo ID
- Permanent resident photo card
- U.S. birth certificate
- U.S. employment authorization photo ID
- Welfare photo ID
Where Can I Cash a Check for Free?
The only place where you can cash a check for free is at a traditional bank or credit union where you have an account in good standing, and the bank or credit union also offers free check cashing.
In order to get free check cashing though, you have to first find a bank or credit union that offers free check cashing services to their members, and then meet all the minimum requirements to be a member of that bank or credit union.
How to Cash a Check at a Bank
Step One: Check the check for errors. You want to make sure the check is properly signed on the front by the check sender, that all sections of the check are correctly filled out, and that the check isn’t damaged in any way that will cause problems for you. Make sure you endorsed the check properly in the right spot on the back of the check as well.
Step Two: Visit your nearby bank location.
Step Three: Hand the bank teller the endorsed check you wish to cash, your photo ID, and possibly your debit card from the bank. You might need to provide your bank’s debit card if you want to deposit the check into your bank account.
Step Four: Endorse the back of the check at the teller’s desk, not before. This helps prevent check fraud in the case the check were to get stolen or lost before you got to the bank.
Step Five: Tell the bank teller what you want to do with the check. Do you want to deposit the check into your account? If so, which account do you want to deposit the funds into? Or do you want to receive the check funds in cash?
Step Six: So long as everything is in order, the teller will process your check, hand you your cash, and you can be on your way!
Most banks won’t cash checks unless either the check sender or receiver has an account with them. This means you can cash your checks at your own bank or you can cash your check at the bank of the person who wrote the check out to you.
How to Cash a Check at a Credit Union
Step One: Visit the local credit union where you or the check issuer has a membership.
Step Two: Provide the endorsed check and your photo ID to the credit union worker.
Step Three: If you have a membership at this credit union then you can ask the credit union teller to deposit the check’s funds in your account. If it’s the check issuer that has an account at this credit union, then you’ll most likely want to ask for the check in cash.
Step Four: The credit union teller will process your check and hand you the check funds in cash.
Like many banks, you can’t cash checks at just any credit union. You either have to have an account in good standing with the credit union, or the check issuer needs to have an account with the credit union in order for you to cash a check there.
Banks and credit unions prefer to only cash checks for members of their bank or credit union. This is because for the credit union, a cashed check is money going out, and they want to be sure those funds are good. This is why it’s more difficult to cash a check at a bank or credit union when neither the check issuer nor the check receiver has accounts with that financial provider.
Credit unions can be especially strict about this policy since credit unions are a membership-based financial institution. Credit unions are more likely to exclude customers who aren’t members of the credit union from their financial services.
How to Cash a Check at an ATM
Step One: Find an ATM that accepts checks.
Step Two: Double check that you have enough funds already in your account to take out the money on the check.
Step Three: Insert your debit card into the ATM.
Step Four: Type in your debit card pin to access your account.
Step Five: Select the option “Cash Check” or “Deposit Check.” Some ATMs will allow you to deposit a check, but they won’t allow you to directly cash that same check. In this case, you’ll want to deposit the check into your account and then cash out the check amount from that same account.
Step Six: Endorse the check by signing the back of it and insert the check into the ATM when prompted.
Step Seven: Verify the amount on the check. Once verified you’ll be able to either directly cash the check or deposit the check so you can indirectly cash the check through depositing it and taking out funds from your account.
In order to deposit or cash a check at an ATM, you’ll most likely need to have an account with a bank or credit union that has ATMs that accept checks.
Some ATMs will let you take cash from the check immediately, while other ATMs will only let you deposit the check. It will then take a few business days for the check’s funds to be available in the account.
Once they are available you can use your debit card to take out the cash from your account at an ATM.
How to Cash a Check at a Check Cashing Store
Step One: Visit your local check cashing stores, like Check City.
Step Two: Provide the endorsed check and your photo ID to one of the tellers.
Step Three: Fill out a short customer information form.
Step Four: Walk out with your cashed check!
Another way to cash a check without a bank account or credit union membership is to use a check cashing store. Check cashing stores specialize in check cashing services. This usually means that there won’t be as many restrictions about the checks you’re allowed to cash or the amount you’re allowed to cash at one time.
Check cashing stores also don’t have memberships so no one has to qualify for a membership in order to utilize the financial services of a check cashing store.
Instead, Check cashing stores normally charge a flat fee or a percentage of the check for their simplified check cashing services.
You can easily check these check cashing fees at the store, by asking a teller, or by visiting the check cashing store website.
How to Cash a Check at a Retailer
Step One: Visit your local retail store that accepts checks and check cashing services and go to the customer service counter.
Step Two: Provide a cashier at the customer service counter with the endorsed check and your photo ID.
Step Three: The cashier will process the check and get your cash. Depending on the check cashing rates at that retail store you might also have to pay a fee at the cash register for cashing a check there.
Some retailers and stores will let you cash your checks at the customer service counter. Many retailers will also charge a check cashing fee. Other stores only allow check cashing for customers who are a part of their membership program.
The store might also have a cash limit for how much you’re allowed to cash at one time. You’ll need to know all of this information before going to the store to cash your check.
Retail Stores that Accept Checks:
- Liquor stores
- Walmart
- Gas stations
- Western Union
- 7 eleven
- Casinos
- Convenience stores
- Kroger
How to Cash a Check with your Phone
Step One: Open your bank or credit union’s mobile app.
Step Two: Select the menu and find “Deposit Checks” or an action like it.
Step Three: Choose the account you want to deposit the check to and verify the exact amount on the check.
Step Four: Take a photo of the front of the check and the back of the check. Make sure you properly endorse the back of the check before taking the photos.
Step Five: Follow the rest of the instructions for depositing the check on your bank or credit union’s mobile app. Once the check is deposited, void the check by writing the word “VOID” in big letters across the front of it. That way, you’ll know you already deposited that check.
Many banks now let you use their mobile app to snap a picture of your check and deposit it with your phone. And using your phone to deposit a check is so easy!
You can’t cash a check on your phone, but you can deposit a check on your phone, and then those funds will be available for you to cash out by getting cash back at the store or by visiting an ATM.
How to Cash a Check Online
Cashing a check online is going to be the same process as cashing a check on your phone. Use your bank’s mobile app to deposit the check, then cash out the check’s funds at an ATM.
This might seem like a roundabout way to cash a check. But if you deposit the check on your phone, the funds might drop into your account sooner. That means your check’s funds will be available sooner for you to cash out at an ATM.
Some bank websites might also let you deposit checks online. The process will still be the same. You’ll still need to endorse the check, take pictures of the front and back of the check, verify the check amount, and upload all of this into the correct place on your bank’s website.
How to Cash a Check on PayPal
Step One: Open the PayPal app on your phone.
Step Two: On the bottom of your PayPal home screen, click the “More” button in the lower right-hand corner.
Step Three: In the “More” menu, click “Cash a Check” near the bottom of your menu list.
Step Four: Follow the instructions after you click “Get Started.” Snap a picture of the front and back of the check you want to deposit, enter the check amount, and click “Next.”
Step Five: Pick how quickly you want access to the funds and click “Confirm” to finish. Now you’ll just have to wait for your check to get approved and deposited into your PayPal account.
Once your check has been deposited into PayPal you can void the paper check. You might also need to set up a PayPal Cash Plus account in order to deposit checks to your PayPal account.
Can You Cash a Check at Walmart?
Can I cash a check at Walmart? Yes, you can cash a check at Walmart, but Walmart does have some check cashing fees, limits, and requirements you should be aware of first. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions for cashing checks at Walmart:
How to Cash a Check at Walmart:
- Visit your local Walmart store and go to the customer service counter.
- Provide the customer service clerk with the endorsed check, your photo ID, and pay the check cashing fee.
- The customer service clerk will process the check and get your cash.
Can I cash a personal check at Walmart?
Can you cash a personal check at Walmart? Yes, you can cash a personal check at Walmart, but the personal check must be made out to you.
Can I cash a cashier’s check at Walmart?
Yes, you can cash a cashier’s check at Walmart.
How late can you cash a check at Walmart?
How late can I cash a check at Walmart? You can normally cash a check at Walmart during their normal store hours or so long as their customer service or Money Center counters are still open and operating. Typically, you can cash a check at Walmart as late as 9:00PM, but it’s always good to call ahead and ask to be sure.
What do you need to cash a check at Walmart?
What you need to cash a check at Walmart is a current and valid ID and the check you want to cash.
How much is it to cash a check at Walmart?
Walmart bases its check cashing fees on the amount of the check. Checks that are $1,000 or less cost $4 to cash at Walmart and checks that are more than $1,000 cost $8 to cash at Walmart.
Two-party personal checks have a separate check cashing fee of $6 or less for two-party personal checks up to $200. Walmart won’t cash checks that are over $5,000.
How much does AMSCOT charge to cash a check?
AMSCOT bases its check cashing fees on both the type of check and how much the check is. Their lowest check cashing fee is $3 and their highest check cashing fee is $14.95. For checks that are over $1,000, AMSCOT charges 2% of the check amount.
How much does Kroger charge to cash a check?
Kroger bases its check cashing fees on whether you have a Kroger Shopper’s Membership Card, the amount on the check, and what type of check you want to cash.
For Kroger Shopper’s Members check cashing fees start at $3 for checks that are $2,000 or less and for checks higher than $2,000 check cashing fees start at $5.50. Kroger won’t cash checks that are over $5,000.
How to cash a fake check at Walmart:
You cannot and you should not cash a fake check at Walmart. Checks are a very secure form of payment and checks are very traceable. This makes checks incredibly hard to fake or steal.
If you are in desperate need of funds there are legal options available to you. You could take out a Check City Personal Loan or you could get into contact with your city’s human resources to get the help you need.
Where Can I Cash a Check Near Me?
Looking for where I can cash a check near me? Visit Check City’s Locations Page to find a Check City near you so you can easily cash your check today with just one simple visit.