Can You Cash a Check at an ATM? Can You Deposit? Answered

Can You Cash a Check at an ATM?

While you can deposit checks at most ATMs, you usually cannot cash a check at an ATM. There are a few reasons for this. First, ATMs have a limit to the amount of cash stocked inside the machine. Second (and more importantly), banks want to ensure the check you deposit has the funds in the issuing account to cover the amount of the check. If the bank issues you the cash on the spot but the check bounces, that puts the bank at risk. It doesn’t make financial sense for the bank to hand over cash from the ATM before knowing if the check is good.

This is why banks typically won’t allow access to funds from a check you deposit for at least one business day. You can withdraw cash from the ATM if you have additional funds available in your account, but the cash from the check you are depositing won’t be available immediately. See our related research for the ATM withdrawal limits at several big banks. To get the funds from your check quickly, we also list 30+ places that cash checks.

Can You Deposit a Check at an ATM?

Yes, you can deposit a check at most ATMs. There are some rules in place, but depositing a check through an ATM is fairly standard bank practice. You will have to meet three main requirements:

1. You must have an ATM card, debit card, or check card in order to use the ATM.
2. The ATM has to be a deposit-smart ATM. Some ATMs are withdrawal-only and don’t have a place for you to insert the check.
3. You have to use an ATM owned by your bank. You can’t deposit checks at ATMs that do not belong to your bank.

To deposit a check through an ATM, you’ll need to insert your card like you would when making a cash withdrawal. From the menu screen, look for an option to make a deposit and specify to which account. Be sure your check is endorsed. If you’re depositing multiple checks, some ATMs allow you to insert them as a stack, while others will require a bank envelope. Verify your transaction to complete it.

ATM Check Policies by Bank

We’ve researched some of the largest U.S. banks and their associated ATM check policies. Unfortunately, none of them offer check cashing through ATMs, but all of them offer ATM check deposits. We’ve also included information on which banks have smartphone apps, in case you would prefer to use mobile check deposit.

Bank of America

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes; you can deposit up to 10 checks at a time, depending on the ATM.
• Accepted check types:
  • Business
  • Cashier’s
  • Government
  • Money orders
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Foreign checks (not in U.S. dollars)
  • Home-printed checks that don’t use magnetic ink
  • Third-party checks
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

BMO Harris Bank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes
• Accepted check types:
  • Cashier’s
  • Government
  • Money order
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Checks with missing, restrictive, or conditional endorsements
  • Foreign checks (drawn on banks outside the U.S. or not in U.S. dollars)
  • Postdated or stale dated checks
  • Third-party checks
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

Capital One

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes; you can deposit up to 30 checks at one time.
• Accepted check types:
  • Cashier’s
  • Government
  • Money orders
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Checks not made out to you, including third-party checks
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

Chase Bank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes; you can deposit up to 30 checks at one time.
• Accepted check types:
  • Government
  • Money orders
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Foreign
  • Third-party
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

Citibank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes
• Accepted check types:
  • Government
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Foreign
  • Third-party
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

Fifth Third Bank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes
• Accepted check types:
  • Cashier’s
  • Government
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Foreign
  • Third-party
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

HSBC Bank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes
• Accepted check types:
  • Cashier’s
  • Government
  • Money orders
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Foreign checks
  • Third-party
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

PNC Bank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes
• Accepted check types:
  • Government
  • Money orders
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Foreign checks
  • Third-party checks
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS Android
• Find an ATM

Regions Bank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? Yes, but check cashing service may not be available for all types of checks.
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes, you can deposit up to 20 checks or 50 bills at a time.
• Accepted check types:
  • Government
  • Payroll
  • Personal
  • Two-party business checks
• Excluded check types:
  • Altered checks
  • Foreign checks
  • Money orders
  • Stale dated checks
  • Third-party checks
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

SunTrust Bank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes
• Accepted check types:
  • Government
  • Money orders
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Checks addressed to someone other than you
  • Foreign checks
  • Third-party checks
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

TD Bank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes
• Accepted check types:
  • Government
  • Money orders
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Altered or duplicate checks
  • Checks that are payable to someone other than you or a joint account holder
  • Foreign checks
  • Previously deposited checks
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

U.S. Bank

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes; you can deposit up to 30 checks at one time.
• Accepted check types:
  • Business checks addressed to the name or business listed on the U.S. Bank account
  • Cashier’s
  • Government
  • Money orders
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Altered checks or photocopies
  • Checks drawn on foreign banks
  • Checks made payable to a business unless the business name is listed on your U.S. bank account
  • Checks made payable to people other than yourself
  • Checks with no date or an incomplete date
  • Checks with no payee listed
  • Checks with numeric and written amounts that do not match
  • Improperly or restrictively endorsed checks
  • Postdated checks
  • Traveler’s checks with a different counter signature
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM

Wells Fargo

• Can you cash a check at the ATM? No
• Can you deposit a check at the ATM? Yes; you can deposit up to 30 checks per transaction.
• Accepted check types:
  • Government
  • Money orders
  • Payroll
  • Personal
• Excluded check types:
  • Foreign
  • Third-party
• Smartphone app: Available for iOS and Android
• Find an ATM