Here's How Long It Takes A Check To Clear At 10 Major Banks (2024)

Here's How Long It Takes A Check To Clear At 10 Major Banks (1)

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The reason these two numbers may be different is because it takes time for your bank to verify the funds for the check you deposited. A person who lives paycheck by paycheck should have a good grasp on how long it takes for a check to deposit. You do not want to be surprised if a check takes longer than expected to clear.

Compare the time it takes to clear a check at the top 10 banks.

Depending on who you bank with will determine how long it takes for a check to clear. All banks are built and organized differently. Some banks offer funds available the next day, while it may take up to three or longer for others. Use the following table to get a breakdown how long checks take to clear at the top 10 banks.

How Long It Takes a Check to Clear at the Top 10 Banks

BankStandard DepositMobile Deposit
Bank of America Same day as long as it is before the cut-off time (posted at branch and ATMs). Next business day as long as deposited before cut-off time (varies by region).
Wells Fargo Next business day. Available next day if deposit is made before 9 P.M. EST, and on second business day if after.
Chase Funds available after midnight if deposited before 8 P.M. local time. Funds available one to two business days after deposit if deposited before 8 P.M. local time.
Citibank All checks deposited subject to standard two to three day clear time. All checks deposited subject to standard two to three day clear time.
U.S. Bank $200 available upon deposit. Rest of funds available next business day, but may take up to five if account is newer than 30 days old. Deposited funds available next business day (cut-off time 9 P.M. CST Monday through Friday).
PNC Funds available next day, or two business days if account is less than 30 days old. Available next day. Out of state checks through remote deposit take two days to clear.
Capital One Funds present on first business day after initial deposit. (cut-off 2 P.M. local time). Funds available next day with 360 Checking or a Capital One Bank account.
TD Bank Available next day if deposited before 8 P.M. EST cut-off time. Available next day if deposited before 8 P.M. EST cut-off time.
BB&T BB&T Checks- Available same night Non-BB&T Checks- Available first business day after deposit. All mobile deposits take three days to clear.
SunTrust Bank Available next day as long as before cut-off time (4 P.M. at local branch and 9 P.M. EST for ATM deposits). Available next business day if deposited before 9 P.M. EST.

(Note: business days do not include Saturday, Sunday, or holidays.)

Waiting for a check to clear

If you have written a check to someone and are waiting for it to clear, the process is different than if you were to deposit it. You have to take the payee into consideration, and when he/she decides to deposit the check, and their banking institution’s policies. You cannot truly predict when the funds will be pulled from your account on a check you wrote, because the other person may wait a while to deposit it on their end.

Review your online statement, account balance at an ATM, or call your bank to verify when the check is deposited.

What about cashier’s checks?

Cashier’s checks are a bit different. Depending on where the cashier’s check originated from will determine how long it takes for the funds to clear. Most banks will make the funds available to you the next day. Practice caution when depositing a cashier’s check.

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There are many counterfeit cashier’s checks in circulation. Do not be fooled if the funds are shown available in your account. It can take banks several weeks to figure out a cashier’s check is fake. When a bank finds a fake cashier’s check they retract the money you deposited earlier from your account.Learn how to spot a counterfeit cashier’s checkto prevent the chance that you fall for a scam.

Here's How Long It Takes A Check To Clear At 10 Major Banks (2024)

FAQs

Here's How Long It Takes A Check To Clear At 10 Major Banks? ›

Generally, it takes two to five business days to get all the funds from a check into your account. However, some factors might hold up the check-clearing

check-clearing
Cheque clearing (or check clearing in American English) or bank clearance is the process of moving cash (or its equivalent) from the bank on which a cheque is drawn to the bank in which it was deposited, usually accompanied by the movement of the cheque to the paying bank, either in the traditional physical paper form ...
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Cheque_clearing
process, like the status of your account or the place where you deposited the check.

How long do banks hold large checks to clear? ›

In some cases, checks can be held for up to seven business days. (For example, if you deposited on a Monday, the check might take until Wednesday of the following week.) Delays usually occur because: You're depositing a large amount in checks — generally more than $5,500 — in a single day.

What time of day do checks usually clear? ›

In general, you can expect most checks to clear the day after you deposit them, as long as you make the deposit on a business day and during bank business hours. So if you make a deposit at 1:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, for example, the check should clear by Wednesday.

Which bank clears checks the fastest? ›

Mobile deposit availability: PNC offers one of the fastest turnarounds for mobile check deposits among all the banks on our list. PNC customers who use its Express Funds feature can access their money as soon as the same day a deposit is made. Its standard deposit time is one business day.

Why do banks put 10 day holds on checks? ›

Check holds are designed to protect both you and the bank. They allow the bank time to ensure that the check deposit will go through so that you're not in danger of going into overdraft or having the check returned. That's a plus since overdraft and non-sufficient funds fees can quickly pile up.

What is the fastest way to get a check cleared? ›

The fastest way to have access to check funds is to deposit the check in person at a bank or credit union branch. That ensures the deposit is made before the bank's cutoff time, which speeds up the process. Mobile check deposits and those made at ATMs after hours typically take longer to clear.

Why is there a 7 day hold on my check? ›

The hold allows us (and the bank paying the funds) time to validate the check – which can help you avoid potential fees in the event a deposited check is returned unpaid. Keep in mind, though, that a check may still be returned unpaid after funds have been made available to you.

What time do checks clear the bank? ›

Once you receive a check, you may not have immediate access to the full amount when you deposit into your bank account. Usually, it takes up to two business days for a deposited check to fully clear. This may be true even if your stated balance indicates otherwise.

When you deposit a check is it available immediately? ›

Generally, a bank must make the first $225 from the deposit available—for either cash withdrawal or check writing purposes—at the start of the next business day after the banking day that the deposit is made. The rest of the deposit should generally be available on the second business day.

How long does a check take to clear on a Friday? ›

The good news is that checks generally clear fairly quickly, usually the day after you deposit the check at your bank (unless you make the deposit on a weekend, in which case you can expect to wait two days for the check to clear.)

Do checks clear faster at ATM or teller? ›

In-Person Deposits: Going to your bank and depositing the check with a teller may lead to faster clearing times since the check is being handled directly by the bank.

Do checks clear at midnight? ›

As a general rule of thumb, checks deposited by 8 PM will typically be available in your account by Midnight. Checks deposited after 8 PM will be available in your account the next business day.

Do checks clear on Saturdays? ›

Do checks clear on Saturdays? Business days don't typically include weekends or holidays. That means a check deposited Friday night after business hours will be treated as if it were deposited Monday morning (if it isn't a holiday). Some financial institutions may advertise extended business hours or days.

Can a bank legally put a hold on a check? ›

Q: Can a bank place a hold on my check deposit? A: Yes. Check deposits must generally be made available for withdrawal the business day after the banking day on which they were received.

Do banks always put a hold on large checks? ›

If deposited by check, the bank generally must make the first $5,525 available consistent with the bank's normal availability schedule. The bank may place a hold on the amount deposited over $5,525.

Can I withdraw 1 million from my bank? ›

Unless your bank has set a withdrawal limit of its own, you are free to take as much out of your bank account as you would like. It is, after all, your money.

How long does a bank hold a check over $100000? ›

“Large transactions usually have a hold period of two to seven days to verify the authenticity of the check and the ability of the payor to meet the obligation,” Thompson said.

Do bigger checks take longer to clear? ›

Check Amount

Checks over $5,000 may take longer for you to access, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Sometimes larger checks must undergo a more extensive verification process to ensure the payer has sufficient funds to cover the check amount.

Do banks put a hold on large checks? ›

If deposited by check, the bank generally must make the first $5,525 available consistent with the bank's normal availability schedule. The bank may place a hold on the amount deposited over $5,525.

What happens when you deposit a check over $10000? ›

Does a Bank Report Large Cash Deposits? For individual cashier's checks, money orders or traveler's checks that exceed $10,000, the institution that issues the check in exchange for currency is required to report the transaction to the government, so the bank where the check is being deposited doesn't need to.

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