Direct Deposit Times for 19 Major Banks (Chase, Wells Fargo, BofA…)

William Lipovsky headshot William Lipovsky
Verified & Updated Nov 2, 2020

Most employers nowadays rely on direct deposits to pay employees. One benefit of this system is that you can typically get access to your paycheck immediately, and sometimes, you can even access your funds before your scheduled payday. Continue on for more information about direct deposit, including how it works, the benefits of using it, and, most importantly, when you can expect your direct deposit to hit your bank account.

What Is Direct Deposit?

A direct deposit occurs when an employer, government agency, or other party provides instructions for its financial institution to digitally deposit funds directly into your bank account on a specific date. Direct deposit eliminates paper checks and the need to make a trip to the bank to deposit funds. Once the funds hit your bank account, they are available to you.

To set up direct deposit, your employer or another payer will ask you to enroll, which usually involves filling out a direct deposit form and providing your bank’s name and address, as well as your account number and routing number. You may also be asked to provide a voided check.

With direct deposit, you don’t need to worry about your paper check getting lost, stolen, or damaged. Additionally, you have control over where your paycheck goes (you can divide the funds into multiples accounts), and you can access the money as soon as it hits your account.

If you’re not satisfied with the time your bank deposits, see our article that lists the banks and credit unions that offer early direct deposit (sometimes up to three days early).

Reference Table

You can use the table below for a quick explanation of the typical direct deposit times for 19 of the major banks in the U.S., then click any bank or scroll for more details.

Bank Direct Deposit Time
Axos Bank Up to 2 days early
Bank of America Typically same-day processing
BECU Typically between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m. (PST)
BBVA Same business day when employer sends notification
BB&T Typically between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. (EST)
Capital One No later than 9 a.m. (EST)
Chase Bank Typically between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. (EST)
Citibank Typically between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m.
Citizens Bank Typically between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. (EST)
Fidelity Typically between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m. (EST)
Fifth Third Bank Typically same-day processing
Navy Federal Credit Union Typically between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. (EST) Monday through Friday
PenFed Credit Union Typically between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. (EST)
PNC Bank Typically between 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. (EST)
Security Service Federal Credit Union Typically between 4:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. (CST)
State Employees Credit Union Overnight processing if employer sends by 5:30 p.m.
SunTrust Bank Typically between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m. (EST)
TD Bank Typically 6 a.m. on payday
USAA Up to one day early
U.S. Bank Typically 8 a.m. (PST) on payday
Wells Fargo Typically 6:30 a.m. (EST) on payday
Woodforest National Bank Same-day processing if deposited before 8 p.m. (CST)

Direct Deposit Times by Bank or Credit Union

We spoke to representatives from the following banks to find out the exact time frame you can expect a direct deposit to post to your account.

Note: While payroll companies like ADP are responsible for disbursing funds to financial institutions for direct deposit, the specific banks/credit unions determine when the funds are posted to accounts.

Axos Bank

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Axos Bank makes direct deposits as soon as your employer sends a payroll notification to its bank, which can be up to two days before your regular payday. The company deposits funds during regular business hours as soon as it receives a payroll notification, and the funds will be available the same day.[1]
  • Find an Axos Bank

Bank of America

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Most direct deposits credit your account in “real time” on the day your employer makes the deposit. However, it can vary depending on the instructions provided by the originator. It can be different for every customer and is determined by the sender.[2]
  • Find a Bank of America

BECU

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits will post to your account early in the morning on the day the bank receives the file from your employer, usually between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m. (PST).[3]
  • Find a BECU

BBVA

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits will post to your account as soon as your employer sends the payment, with availability during the same business day.[4]
  • Find a BBVA

BB&T (now Truist)

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits will post to your account on the date the bank receives the deposit from your employer; typically between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. (EST).[5]
  • Find a BB&T

Capital One

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits arrive in accounts no later than 9 a.m. (EST) on the day the bank receives the deposit.[6]
  • Find a Capital One

Chase Bank

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Generally, direct deposits are posted between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. (EST) on the day the bank receives the deposit.[7]
  • Find a Chase Bank

Citibank

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits are posted on business days as soon as the deposit is sent to them by your employer. Typically, they are posted between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m.[8]
  • Find a Citibank

Citizens Bank

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits usually post to your account between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. (EST) on the day the bank receives the deposit from your employer.[9]
  • Find a Citizens Bank

Fidelity

Fifth Third Bank

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? There is not a set time that direct deposits post to accounts, but the funds are typically made available the same day the bank receives the deposit. (Funds received after the bank’s cut-off time will be available the next business day.)[12]
  • Find a Fifth Third Bank
  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits typically hit accounts between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. (EST) on the day your employer sends the deposit (Monday through Friday).[13]
  • Find a Navy Federal branch

PenFed Credit Union

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits are posted from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. (EST).[14]
  • Find a PenFed branch

PNC Bank

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits are posted to accounts between 12 a.m. and 8 a.m. (EST) on the day the bank receives the deposit.[15]
  • Find a PNC Bank

Security Service Federal Credit Union

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits typically post to accounts early in the morning, between 4:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. (CST).[16]
  • Find a Security Service FCU

State Employees Credit Union

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits are available the day the credit union receives the deposit from your employer. However, the funds must be scheduled by the company by 5:30 p.m. (EST) on a business day to be eligible for same-day processing.[17]
  • Find a SECU

SunTrust Bank (now Truist)

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? The expected time frame for direct deposits to post is between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m. (EST) on the date your employer sends the deposit (or the date instructed by the sender).[18]
  • Find a SunTrust Bank

TD Bank

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposit funds will be available to use no later than 6 a.m. on the date of your deposit. If you’re anticipating a payroll deposit and your paydays are Fridays, for example, you can expect to receive the funds by 6 a.m. (EST) on Friday of your pay week.[19]
  • Find a TD Bank

USAA

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Provided your employer posts funds at least two business days in advance of your scheduled payday, USAA will put the funds in your account one day early. If not, the funds will be available the day USAA receives the deposit.[20]
  • Find a USAA location

U.S. Bank

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits are available by 8 a.m. (PST) on the date requested by the sender.[21]
  • Find a U.S. Bank

Wells Fargo

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits, on average, are available by 6:30 a.m. (EST) on the date the bank receives the deposit.[22]
  • Find a Wells Fargo

Woodforest National Bank

  • When does a direct deposit hit your account? Direct deposits are available immediately on the day your employer sends the funds to the bank, as long as the deposit is made before 8 p.m. (CST) on a business day.[23]
  • Find a Woodforest National Bank

If you’re worried about when just one check will deposit, consider checking out our article about how long it takes a check to deposit and clear at the top 50 U.S. banks.

  1. https://www.axosbank.com/-/media/Axos/Documents/Legal/Personal-Deposit-Account-Agreement-and-Schedule-of-Fees–Axos.pdf[↩]
  2. https://www.bankofamerica.com/deposits/resources/deposit-agreements.go[↩]
  3. https://www.becu.org/-/media/Files/PDF/6514.pdf[↩]
  4. https://www.bbvausa.com/checking-accounts/direct-deposit.html[↩]
  5. https://www.bbt.com/content/dam/bbt/bbtcom/pdf/shared/customer-service/personal-services-pricing-guide/bank-services-agreement.pdf[↩]
  6. https://www.capitalone.com/bank/rules-governing/disclosures/[↩]
  7. https://www.chase.com/content/dam/chasecom/en/checking/documents/deposit_account_agreement.pdf[↩]
  8. https://online.citi.com/JRS/popups/ao/Consumer_Client_Manual.pdf?JFP_TOKEN=7OM725T2[↩]
  9. https://www.citizensbank.com/checking/direct-deposit-service.aspx[↩]
  10. https://www.fidelity.com/bin-public/060_www_fidelity_com/documents/customer-agreement-cash-management-and-additional-information.pdf[↩]
  11. https://www.fidelity.com/cash-management/deposit-money/overview[↩]
  12. http://linkpath.53.com/resources/pdf/checking_pew_disclosures.pdf[↩]
  13. https://www.navyfederal.org/pdf/applications-forms/NFCU_606.pdf[↩]
  14. https://www.penfed.org/forms/penfed-membership-disclosures [↩]
  15. https://www.pnc.com/content/dam/pnc-com/pdf/personal/Checking/Account%20Agreement%20for%20Personal%20Accounts.pdf[↩]
  16. https://www.ssfcu.org/-/media/files/misc/mobile-banking-app-terms-conditions.pdf?la=en[↩]
  17. https://www.ncsecu.org/pdf/brochures/rulesandregulations.pdf[↩]
  18. https://www.suntrust.com/personal-banking/checking/checking-account-features/direct-deposit[↩]
  19. https://www.feeds.td.com/en/document/oao/pdf/PersonalAcctAgree.pdf[↩]
  20. https://www.usaa.com/pdf/DaD0406_BillPay0704_SvcFee0606.pdf[↩]
  21. https://www.usbank.com/pdf/Deposit-Account-Agreement.pdf[↩]
  22. https://www.wellsfargo.com/help/checking-savings/deposits-faqs[↩]
  23. https://www.woodforest.com/uploadedFiles/AccountDisclosures/CheckingAccountOverview_TFC.pdf[↩]
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