Where to Get a Cashier’s Check: 20 Options Listed

What Is a Cashier’s Check?

A cashier’s check — also known as an official check — is a paper check that represents a payment directly from the bank, rather than a personal account. The bank’s name is imprinted on the check, and the funds are guaranteed by the bank. Cashier’s checks are also pre-printed with the name of the payee, making them a highly secure and relatively risk-free form of payment.

Cashier’s checks are used in lieu of cash or personal checks to make a transaction more secure. They are often required for down payments on houses or vehicles, and many companies use them when conducting business with other companies. You may also use them personally if you want to send payment to, or receive payment from, a stranger for a business transaction.

In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about cashier’s checks: what they are, what they’re used for, and how and where to buy them.

How Do You Purchase a Cashier’s Check?

To purchase a cashier’s check, you’ll either need to go to your bank or credit union in person and get assistance from a teller, or you may be able to purchase them from your bank or credit union online. To get a cashier’s check, you’ll need:

• A government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or passport
• The name of the payee
• Sufficient funds to cover the check amount

You can typically use either cash or the balance of your bank account to fund a cashier’s check. A few banks or credit unions may let you use a debit card for the entire amount. Personal checks, credit cards, and prepaid debit cards can’t be used to purchase a cashier’s check.

Places Where You Can Get a Cashier’s Check

In most cases, you’ll need to be an account holder at the bank or member at the credit union to purchase a cashier’s check, but a few banks will allow non-customers to purchase cashier’s checks, usually for a higher fee.

You can buy a cashier’s check at the following financial institutions. We called each of the bank and credit union offices to verify their policies and fees for cashier’s checks — you can use the table below for a quick comparison of fees, then click any business name or scroll for more information.

Banks That Sell Cashier’s Checks

Ally Bank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: None
• Online option? Ally Bank is exclusively online, but you can request cashier’s checks by phone
• Call (877) 247-2559 to order cashier’s checks

Bank of America

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: $15; waived if you are a Preferred Rewards member
• Online option? No
• Find a Bank of America branch

BBVA

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: $10 for all account holders
• Online option? No
• Find a BBVA branch or call (800) 239-5175

Capital One Bank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: $10 for all account holders
• Online option? Yes; the fee is $20
• Find a Capital One branch

Chase Bank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: None for Premier Plus and Premier Platinum account holders; $8 for Total Checking and Student Checking account holders
• Online option? Possible through select branches
• Find a Chase branch

Citibank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: None for Citi Priority and Citigold account holders; $10 for all other Citibank account holders
• Online option? No
• Find a Citibank branch

Fifth Third Bank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: None for Preferred and Private Bank account holders; $7 for all other account holders
• Online option? No
• Find a Fifth Third Bank branch

HSBC

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: None for Premier account holders; fees vary for Basic and Choice account holders. Contact your local bank for details
• Online option? No
• Find an HSBC branch

Huntington Bank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: $6 for all account holders
• Online option? No
• Find a Huntington Bank branch

Our article has more information on the credit card offered by Huntington Bank.

KayBank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: None for Key Privilege and Key Privilege Select account holders; $8 for all other account holders
• Online option? No
• Find a KeyBank branch

PNC Bank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: None for Performance or Performance Select Checking account holders; $10 for all other account holders
• Online option? No
• Find a PNC branch

Regions Bank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: $10 for all account holders
• Online option? No
• Find a Regions Bank branch

SunTrust Bank

• Account needed? No
• Fee: No charge for Signature Advantage, Advantage Checking, or Exclusive Checking accounts; $8 for other account holders and $15 for non-customers
• Online option? No
• Find a SunTrust branch

TD Bank

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: None for Sixty Plus, Premier, Private Premier, Relationship, Private Relationship, Private Tiered, 50 Plus, and Private 50 Plus checking account holders and select savings and money market account holders; $8 for all other account holders
• Online option? No
• Find a TD Bank branch

Wells Fargo

• Account needed? Yes
• Fee: None for Preferred, Premier, and Portfolio Checking account holders; $10 for all other account holders
• Online option? Yes; the fee is around $18
• Find a Wells Fargo branch

Credit Unions That Sell Cashier’s Checks

Please note that you’ll need an account at all of the credit unions listed below in order to purchase cashier’s checks from them.

Alliant Credit Union

Note: Alliant cashier’s checks are called “Official Credit Union Checks,” but function just as cashier’s checks do. Alliant members can get cashier’s checks by going to any branch, or by calling a branch office or requesting them through online banking services.

• Fee: None
• Find an Alliant branch

Chartway Federal Credit Union

Note: Chartway cashier’s checks are called “Credit Union Checks,” but function the same as a cashier’s check.

• Fee: $3
• Find a Chartway branch

Northrop Grumman Federal Credit Union

• Fee: $5
• Find a Northrop Grumman branch

PenFed Credit Union

• Fee: None
• Find a PenFed branch

Tucson Federal Credit Union

• Fee: $3
• Find a Tucson Federal branch

Other Secured Personal Check Alternatives

There are a couple of other alternatives to personal checks — certified checks and money orders are two other types of prepaid, generally secure money instruments you might use to make payments.

Cashier’s Check vs. Certified Check

Cashier’s checks are paid directly from the bank, while a certified check is a personal check from your own account that’s certified by the bank. Certified checks are signed in the presence of a bank official once the bank has guaranteed that the funds are available in your account. Cashier’s checks are often seen as a more secure form of payment, as the funds are guaranteed by the bank. Our article has more information about where to get a certified check.

Cashier’s Check vs. Money Order

Money orders are another paper alternative to cash. They are a secure form of paper payment, with funds that are guaranteed by the issuer. You can purchase money orders through Western Union or MoneyGram agents, and through the United States Postal Office (USPS). Our article has a more in-depth comparison of cashier’s checks and money orders.

In Summary

If you’re making a large purchase and want to make sure the transaction is secure, a cashier’s check is a good choice. You can purchase cashier’s checks at a number of banks and credit unions, and you may even be able to get them for free, depending on the type of bank account you have. The funds will be backed by the bank, and you can usually even pay with a direct withdrawal from your bank account.

For more about cashier’s checks, our articles explain how to track a cashier’s check and how to cancel a cashier’s check. We also have the list of places where you can cash a cashier’s check.