33 Places That Cash Government Checks: Fees, Limits Detailed

There are a variety of places to cash a government check other than the bank. Many national grocery and retail chains, such as Kroger and Walmart, offer check cashing that typically costs $6 or less per check. Below, we review the government check cashing options at grocery stores, retail stores, check cashing stores, and gas stations, as well as list places that don’t cash government checks.

Table of Contents

What We Recommend

The most affordable places to cash a government check without a bank account are Kroger and Walmart. Each is widely available across the U.S., and their check cashing fees are generally under $6. There is no additional rewards card or enrollment required at either store.

For more options in your local area, check out similar, smaller chains like H-E-B, which offer similar services and fees to Kroger and Walmart.

A check cashing store may also be a good alternative; however, since check cashing stores commonly charge fees that are a percentage of the total check amount, they are best for cashing small checks. If you need to cash a large check, our related research covers how and where to cash large checks.

Comparison Table

The table below features each check cashing option’s fees, ID requirements, and store check cashing card requirements. Note that you can sort the table by clicking the arrows at the top of each column. Click each company name or scroll through the list below for more information about cashing a government check.

Company	Fees	ID Required?	Store Card Required?
Walmart	$4 to $8	Yes	No
Kroger	$3.50 to $6	Yes	No
Fred Meyer	$3.50 to $6	Yes	No
Giant Food	Up to $1.50	Yes	Yes
Kmart	About $5	Yes	No
Food Lion	Vary	Yes	No
Stater Bros.	Vary	Yes	Varies
BI-LO	Vary	Yes	No
Vons	$2.25 per $100	Yes	No
H-E-B	About $3	Yes	No
Stop & Shop	About $0.50	Yes	Yes
Ralphs	Up to $6	Yes	No
Smith's	$3 to $6	Yes	No
Food City	$3	Yes	No
Dillons	$3.50 to $6	Yes	No
ShopRite	Vary	Yes	Yes
Fry's Food Stores	Up to $6	Yes	No
Hy-Vee	About $6	Yes	Yes
Tops Friendly Markets	About $1	Yes	No
Giant Eagle	Varies	Yes	Yes
King Soopers	$3 to $6	Yes	No
Albertsons	Vary	Yes	No
Shaw's	Vary	Yes	No
Safeway	About $2.25 per $200	Yes	No
Check Into Cash	About 3% to 5%	Yes	Yes
Check 'n Go	Vary	Yes	Varies
The Check Cashing Store	About 3.5%	Yes	No
United Check Cashing	About 2%	Yes	No
Amscot	Up to 10%	Yes	No
PLS Check Cashing	About 1% plus $1	Yes	No
Pilot/Flying J Travel Centers	Vary	Yes	No
TravelCenters of America	Vary	Yes	No

The List

Note: The lists below — broken down by store type — appear in order from lowest to highest fees.

Grocery/Retail

Stop & Shop

Fees: 50 cents^[1]
Limit: $500^[1]
Requirements: Membership card and photo ID^[1]
See our dedicated research on Stop & Shop’s check cashing policy.

Tops Friendly Markets

Fees: $1 per check^[2]
Limit: $500^[2]
Requirements: Valid photo ID^[2]
See our dedicated research on Tops’ check cashing policy (select stores).

Giant Food

Fees: Up to $1.50 per check^[3]
Limit: None^[3]
Requirements: Payroll and Business Check Cashing card (required for all government checks); valid government-issued ID the first time you cash a check^[3]
See our dedicated research on Giant Food’s check cashing policy.

Safeway

Fees: About $2.25 for every $200^[4]
Limit: $1,500^[4]
Requirements: Photo ID^[4]
See our dedicated research on Safeway’s check cashing policy.

Vons

Fees: $2.25 for every $100^[5]
Limit: $1,000^[5]
Requirements: State-issued photo ID^[5]
See our previous research on Vons’ check cashing policy.

H-E-B

Fees: About $3 for checks up to $3,000; variable for larger checks^[6]
Limit: $9,500^[6]
Requirements: Government-issued photo ID^[6]
See our previous research on H-E-B’s check cashing policy (at most stores).

Food City

Fees: $3^[7]
Limit: $1,000^[7]
Requirements: Valid photo ID^[7]
See our previous research on Food City’s check cashing policy.

King Soopers

Fees: From about $3 to $6 (50-cent discount for rewards card members)^[8]
Limit: $5,000^[8]
Requirements: Photo ID, Social Security or Tax ID number^[8]
See our dedicated research on King Soopers’ check cashing policy.

Smith’s

Fees: $3 for up to $2,000; $6 for more than $2,000; rewards cardholders get 50 cents off fees^[9]
Limit: $5,000^[9]
Requirements: Valid photo ID and Social Security or Tax ID number^[9]
See our dedicated research on Smith’s check cashing policy.

Kroger

Fees: $3.50 for checks under $2,000; $6 for checks over $2,000; 50-cent discount for rewards members^[9]
Limit: $5,000^[9]
Requirements: Valid state-issued ID and Social Security number^[9]
See our dedicated research on Kroger’s check cashing policy.

Fred Meyer

Fees: $3.50 for checks up to $2,000 and $6 for checks over $2,000^[10]
Limit: $5,000^[10]
Requirements: Valid state-issued ID and Social Security number^[10]
See our dedicated research on Fred Meyer’s check cashing policy.

Dillons

Fees: $3.50 for checks under $2,000; $6 for checks over $2,000; 50-cent discount for rewards members^[9]
Limit: $5,000^[9]
Requirements: Photo ID and Social Security number^[9]
See our dedicated research on Dillons’ check cashing policy.

Ralphs

Fees: Up to $6 (rewards members save 50 cents on fees)^[9]
Limit: $5,000^[9]
Requirements: Valid photo ID^[9]
See our dedicated research on Ralphs’ check cashing policy.

Fry’s Food Stores

Fees: Up to $6 (VIP cardholders get a 50-cent discount on fees)^[9]
Limit: $5,000^[9]
Requirements: Photo ID^[9]
See our dedicated research on Fry’s check cashing policy.

Hy-Vee

Fees: Up to about $6^[11]
Limit: $5,000^[11]
Requirements: Photo ID; some stores ask for a second form of ID; check cashing service enrollment required^[11]
See our dedicated research on Hy-Vee’s check cashing policy (select stores only).

Walmart

Fees: $4 per check up to $1,000; $8 for checks over $1,001^[12]
Limit: $5,000^[12]
Requirements: Valid state-issued ID and Social Security number^[12]
See our dedicated research on Walmart’s check cashing policy.

Kmart

Fees: About $5 or less, depending on location^[13]
Limit: $2,000^[13]
Requirements: Valid state-issued ID^[13]
See our dedicated research on Kmart’s check cashing policy.

Shaw’s

Fees: Vary by store^[14]
Limit: $1,500^[14]
Requirements: Photo ID and Social Security number^[14]
See our dedicated research on Shaw’s check cashing policy.

Food Lion

Fees: Vary by location^[15]
Limit: $1,000^[15]
Requirements: Valid state-issued ID^[15]
See our dedicated research on Food Lion’s check cashing policy.

Albertsons

Fees: Vary by location^[16]
Limit: $1,000^[16]
Requirements: Photo ID and electronically signed checks^[16]
See our dedicated research on Albertsons’ check cashing policy (check cashing availability varies by location).

Stater Bros.

Fees: Vary by store^[17]
Limit: $700^[17]
Requirements: Photo ID; some stores require a Stater Bros. card and a $25 minimum purchase; check cashing is not available at all locations.^[17]
See our dedicated research on the Stater Bros. check cashing policy.

BI-LO

Fees: Vary by store^[18]
Limit: $500^[18]
Requirements: Photo ID^[18]
See our dedicated research on BI-LO’s check cashing policy.

ShopRite

Fees: Vary by store^[19]
Limit: Varies^[19]
Requirements: At select stores; members only^[19]
See our dedicated research on ShopRite’s check cashing policy.

Giant Eagle

Fees: Vary by type of check^[20]
Limit: Varies by store^[20]
Requirements: Giant Eagle rewards card required at most locations (the name on the check must match the name on the account); valid photo ID^[20]
See our dedicated research on Giant Eagle’s check cashing policy.

Check Cashing and Financial Services

PLS Check Cashing

Fees: About 1% of the total check amount plus $1^[21]
Limit: The above fee is based on a $1,500 check; check limits may vary^[21]
Requirements: Current photo ID^[21]
See our dedicated research on PLS’ check cashing policy.

United Check Cashing

Fees: About 2% of the total check amount^[22]
Limit: Varies^[22]
Requirements: Valid photo ID^[22]
See our dedicated research on United Check Cashing’s check cashing policy.

The Check Cashing Store

Fees: About 3.5% of the check amount^[23]
Limit: Varies^[23]
Requirements: Valid photo ID^[23]
See our dedicated research on The Check Cashing Store’s check cashing policy.

Check Into Cash

Fees: About 3% to 5% of the check amount plus a one-time $2 enrollment fee^[24]
Limit: None^[24]
Requirements: Valid photo ID^[24]
See our dedicated research on Check Into Cash’s check cashing policy.

Amscot

Fees: Up to 10% of the total check amount^[25]
Limit: No limit^[25]
Requirements: Valid photo ID^[25]
See our dedicated research on Amscot’s check cashing policy.

Check ‘n Go

Fees: Vary by location^[26]
Limit: Varies^[26]
Requirements: Current photo ID^[26]
See our dedicated research on Check ‘n Go’s check cashing policy.

Gas Stations

TravelCenters of America

Fees: Vary by location; free for UltraONE Platinum and Standard members^[27]
Limit: $300^[27]
Requirements: Valid photo ID^[27]

Pilot/Flying J Travel Centers

Fees: Vary by location^[28]
Limit: $999.99^[28]
Requirements: Valid government-issued ID^[28]

Note: Individually owned gas stations have the option to offer check cashing to customers — see our related research on gas stations that offer check cashing.

Banks

Regions

Fees: 1.5% of check amount ($5 minimum fee)^[29]
Limit: No limit^[29]
Requirements: Non-accountholders cashing a check for the first time must enroll in the check-cashing service. To enroll, you must present a valid ID and Social Security number.^[29]

We contacted many of the other major banks in the U.S., including PNC, Fifth Third Bank, and U.S. Bank, and they all verify that only checks drawn on their bank can be cashed by non-accountholders. However, account holders can deposit or cash government checks.

Places That Don’t Cash Government Checks

In the course of our research and communications with companies, we found that the following places do not cash government checks. (Note: Linked titles will take you to our dedicated research on each company.)