How Long Does It Take For A Check To Clear? (2024)

Although they are less common now, you may encounter checks from time to time. When you do, you’ll want to deposit or cash that check as quickly as possible. When you deposit or cash a check, the funds must go through a clearing process before they’re available to you. The amount of time it takes for a check to clear can vary depending on the check amount and where it’s cashed.

How Long Does It Take for a Check to Clear?

It generally takes one to two business days for a check to clear, but this clearing time depends on several factors, such as the check amount, where it’s deposited and the bank’s policies.

Federal law requires banks to make the first $225 of a check deposit available by the next business day. If you deposit a $500 check into your checking account on Tuesday, you can expect to receive at least $225 on Wednesday and the rest within another day or two.

Some checks may take longer to clear, including checks greater than $5,000, checks deposited into a new account or an account with a history of overdrafts, or previously bounced checks. You can learn about your bank’s specific policies by reviewing your account agreement.

Ways To Deposit a Check

• With a teller. You can deposit a check in person at a bank or credit union. It’s easiest to visit your own bank since many banks won’t cash checks for noncustomers or may charge a fee.
• Mobile check deposit. You can cash a check from your smartphone using your bank’s mobile app. Once you’re in the app, select “deposit checks.” You’ll then be asked to take pictures of the front and back of your endorsed check using your phone’s camera.
• ATM. You can deposit checks at most ATMs. However, it may take longer than in-person deposits. Under federal law, banks have more time to make funds available for ATM check deposits. If you deposit a check at an ATM not owned by your bank, it may take even longer.

Factors That Impact Check-Clearing Times

You should have access to your funds within a few days of depositing a check. However, the factors below can prolong that timeline.

Bank Policies

Each bank has its own check-clearing policies. Banks may consider your history with them, such as how long you’ve had an account and if you’ve bounced checks in the past. If you’ve had an account with the bank for less than 30 days, your check may take longer to clear.

Weekends and Holidays

Check-clearing typically only takes place on business days. That means if you deposit a check on a Saturday, your check probably won’t clear until the following week. Bank of America states on its website that deposits made on weekends are considered deposited on the next business day (Monday), so the hold goes into effect on Tuesday.

Check Amount

Checks over $5,000 may take longer for you to access, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Sometimes larger checks must undergo a more extensive verification process to ensure the payer has sufficient funds to cover the check amount.

Types of Checks That Clear Faster

These types of checks may clear faster than others.

Cashier’s Checks

Cashier’s checks are guaranteed by the issuing bank and considered more secure than personal checks. Due to this added security, cashier’s checks often clear within one business day. The bank may require a special deposit slip to make funds available for withdrawal on the next business day.

Certified Checks

Certified checks are drawn against your checking account and guaranteed by your bank. Due to federal regulations, banks must make certified check deposits available by the next business day after the funds are deposited.

How Long Are Checks Good For?

Checks aren’t good forever—they’re meant to be cashed relatively quickly. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, a set of laws governing commercial transactions in the United States, banks are not required to cash checks over six months old. After six months, it’s generally up to the bank to decide whether or not to cash a check.

Alternatives to Checks

Wire Transfers

Wire transfers allow you to move money electronically between bank accounts. Domestic wire transfers typically take a day to clear, while international transfers may take longer.

Fees vary by bank but are generally about $30. For example, Huntington Bank’s Asterisk Free Checking Account charges $25 for domestic outgoing wire transfers. Wire transfers are considered a safer alternative to checks since there’s no risk of losing them like with a physical check.

Peer-to-Peer Payment Apps

Digital payment apps like Venmo, Zelle and Cash App have become a fast and convenient way to exchange money between friends, family and businesses. They are called “peer-to-peer” payment apps because they were designed to make it easier to transfer money to people you know.

Most apps offer a free standard transfer to your bank account, which usually takes one to three business days, and an instant transfer, which is immediate but comes with a 1% to 2% fee.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)