8 Check Cashing Places That Cash Personal Checks (Likely Near You)

Do check cashing places cash personal checks? Yes, many do. If you need to cash a personal check fast, at a convenient location near you — you’re in luck. There are many check cashing stores listed, some regional and some nationwide, where you can cash a personal check for a fee. Just watch out for high fees. While most stores don’t publish their fees for personal check cashing, and instead ask you inquire, the fees will be higher than fees for other types of checks.

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Will the Check Cashing Store Authenticate My Check?

When you cash a personal check, stores will typically go through some procedure to verify that your check is good. Personal checks are high risk, so stores try to authenticate them to lower the risk they take on when they cash your check. In a few instances, that might just mean that they check your ID, but usually, the store will verify with the bank that issued the checks.

How the store authenticates your check matters because if you go to a check cashing store that verifies personal checks by calling the bank on a Sunday, the store clerk will ask you to come back Monday when the banks are open to verify whether your personal check is good.

Some stores will also verify the check maker, that is, the person who wrote the check. Often, the person cashing the check will also be the one who wrote the check, so there won’t be a need for this step. And, even when someone other than the person cashing the check wrote the check, the store will only try to verify the check maker for larger checks.

If your check is denied, the store often won’t be able to tell you why, because ultimately it wasn’t the store, but rather the bank, that said your check was too risky. So, contact the bank the store used to authenticate the check to find out why your check wasn’t accepted and to dispute the decision. Sometimes the fix will be as simple as updating your personal information on file with the bank, so don’t be immediately discouraged if your check is denied.

A Note About Variable Personal Check Cashing Fees

While there are several stores that provide the specific fee for personal check cashing, be aware: fees for personal check cashing vary by region and check amount even within the same company. This is because state law regulates fees. Fees can also vary based on other factors, like the riskiness associated with your specific check, based on its size, for example.

As a rule, check cashing stores charge higher fees for cashing personal checks than other types of checks. It comes with the territory: higher risk, higher fee. So, it’s a good idea to find out fees beforehand and save yourself the shock of finding out at the store.

To avoid unpleasant surprises at the store, call ahead. We called each store’s customer service, and while they were all happy to answer our questions, in the end, without exception, company representatives suggested we call or go to a nearby store to inquire about specific personal check cashing fee information.

We’ve included contact information for each store’s customer service or equivalent. We recommend calling these numbers and asking to be redirected to your local store or using the store locator to find the local store’s number. You can call the store beforehand to confirm fees and store specific requirements that may get in your way.

The Check Cashing Places That Cash Personal Checks

1. ACE Cash Express

What to bring to the store: Your check and a valid Photo ID.
Fees and limits: Fees on personal checks and check limits are specified at the store by an ACE Cash Express employee, so call the store first.
Personal check verification: ACE contacts the issuing bank to verify personal checks.
Contact info: You can call (866) 223-2274 for more info.
Locations: ACE Cash Express has over 1,000 stores in 23 states, find one by using the ACE store locator
Find more info on the Check Cashing at ACE page.

2. Advance Financial

What to bring to the store: Your check and a valid Photo ID
Fees and limits: 10% of the check amount or $5, whichever is larger. Advanced Financial doesn’t have a check limit (In fact, they say “No check is too large”).
Personal check verification: Advance contacts the issuing bank to verify personal checks.
Contact info: You can call (615) 341-5900 or email [email protected] for more info, or, use their online contact form.
Locations: Advance Financial has more than 80 stores in Tennessee. Find the nearest store by using the Advance Financial store locator.
Find more info on the Advance Financial Check Cashing page.

3. The Check Cashing Store

What to bring to the store: Your check and two forms of ID, including one valid photo ID.
Fees and limits: Rates vary by check amount, customers must ask in person at The Check Cashing Store. The check limit also varies by location so you need to contact stores directly.
Personal check verification: The Check Cashing Store will contact the issuing bank to verify personal checks.
Contact info: Call (800) 412-3064 or live chat on their website. Live chat with check cashing support is available until 9:30 p.m. EST. Note that they won’t answer questions about specific personal check cashing fees via online chat.
Locations: The Check Cashing Store has several locations, all in Florida. Find the nearest store by using the Check Cashing Store store locator.
Find more info on the Check Cashing Store website.

4. Check Into Cash

What to bring to the store: Your check and a valid, government-issued Photo ID
Fees and limits: Fees and check limits aren’t specified and vary by location, call your local store for current information. For example, we called a store in Ohio and found out they charge a standard 8% fee and the check limit depends on how much money they happen to have in the store.
Personal check verification: Check Into Cash has a two-step verification process, and contacts the issuing bank to verify personal checks and, if applicable, the check maker to verify identity.
Contact info: Call (877) 262-2274 or email [email protected]. Find more contact info on the Contact Us page.
Locations: Check Into Cash has more than 1,000 branches in 30 states. Find the nearest store by using the Check Into Cash store locator.
Find more info on the Check Into Cash FAQs page.

5. Check Smart

What to bring to the store: Your check and a valid government, issued Photo ID
Fees and limits: Check cashing fees and check limit information is posted in the lobby of every CheckSmart location. Call a location near you to ask.
Personal check verification: Check Smart contacts the issuing bank to verify personal checks.
Contact info: Call (888) 562-6263 for more info.
Locations: Check Smart has stores in Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Utah, and Virginia. Find the nearest store by using the Check Smart store locator.
Find more info on the Check Smart website.

6. Friendly Check Cashing

What to bring to the store: Your check of any amount and a valid Photo ID.
Fees and limits: Friendly Check Cashing charges a 10% fee, and doesn’t have specific check limits. Call your local store for current limits.
Personal check verification: Friendly Check Cashing contacts the issuing bank to verify personal checks.
Contact info: Call (800) 939-0216 for more info.
Locations: Friendly Check Cashing has 25 locations across North Carolina. Find the nearest store by using the Friendly Check Cashing store locator.
Find more info on the Friendly Check Cashing website.

7. Money Mart

What to bring to the store: Your check and two forms of ID, including a valid photo ID.
Fees and limits: Rates vary depending on the check amount and where you’re cashing it. Check limits also vary by store. Customers must call or visit a store to ask about their specific check to find out the fees.
Personal check verification: Money Mart contacts the issuing bank to verify personal checks. For riskier checks, they’ll also verify the check maker’s identity.
Contact info: Call (800) 361-1407 or try the online live chat, but note that they won’t provide specific fee info online.
Locations: Money Mart runs hundreds of stores across the US (which are part of more than 1,335 locations worldwide). Find the nearest store by using the Money Mart store locator.
Find more info on the Money Mart check cashing page.

8. PLS Check Cashing

What to bring to the store: Your check and a valid, government-issued photo ID.
Fees and limits: Typically, the fee is 1% of check amount plus $1. However, fees may be higher in some states (e.g., in New York City the fee is 2.2% of the check amount). PLS doesn’t have companywide check limit requirements, so call your local store to find out current limits.
Personal check verification: PLS Check Cashing contacts the issuing bank to verify personal checks. Checks for $1,500 or greater are considered riskier and require more screening, typically to confirm the check maker’s identity.
Contact info: Call (855) 856-9757 or use the online contact form
Locations: Operates 400 stores in 12 states. Find the nearest store by using the PLS Check Cashing store locator.
Find more info on the PLS website.

If you’d just like to consider more options, see the list of check cashing places near you, such as banks, credit unions, and grocery stores that cash checks.

In Summary

Do check cashing places cash personal checks? Yes but watch out for high fees. Remember, you can save yourself surprises and headaches by calling the store ahead of time to confirm fees for your specific check, as the fees depend on where you are.