Check cashing "near me:” 19 places to go in 2024

In a world of direct deposits and money transfer apps that make sending and receiving cash easy and instant, paper checks have fallen to the wayside.

However, if you do receive a paper check, there are lots of places to cash them — the easiest and cheapest of which is your own bank or credit union.

Get a fee-free checking account at Discover and get 1% cash-back on debit card purchases.

If you don’t have a bank account, you can cash a check at Walmart in most states for a minimal fee.

If you have a smartphone, you can also cash a check through Paypal, with funds available within 10 days for no fee (or a $5 minimum fee for immediate funds).

Keep reading for a list of other places to “cash checks near me.”

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Where else can I cash a check?

If you’re looking for “check cashing near me,” these are some options:

Banks or credit unions

Although cashing a personal check at a bank where you are an account holder is likely the easiest and cheapest method, it’s not always an option. Your bank might not be open or — like millions of other Americans — you might not have a bank account.

According to the FDIC, the number one reason people don’t open bank accounts is because they don’t have enough money to meet minimum balance requirements.

If you need money to open a bank account, check out these posts:

Giant Eagle check cashing

Giant Eagle has approximately 200 retail store locations across Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland. The store will accept personal checks made out to cash for no fee, with a limit up to $30. However, you have to apply and be approved for a Giant Eagle Advantage Card first.

You’ll also need a valid driver’s license or a state or military photo ID to be eligible to cash checks.

Giant Eagle also accepts payroll and government checks after a verification and registration process. Service fees apply except for child support checks.

Other personal checks, such as one written to you by another party, are not accepted.

You can also write a personal check payable to Giant Eagle as a form of payment in the store. Checks can be written for up to $30 more than the purchase amount to receive as cash back.

HEB check cashing

HEB, a grocery chain with over 420 stores in Texas and Mexico, cashes personal checks at their customer service desk for amounts up to $200 for a $2 fee.

Publix check cashing

Publix has over 1,300 stores in the Southeast, and you can cash personal checks at all store locations. You’ll need a driver’s license or a state or military photo ID to be able to cash checks. According to a store representative, it can cost up to $4 to cash a personal check up to $500. Fees vary per check amount and by store.

Walmart check cashing

To cash a personal check at Walmart, you’ll need to have a valid photo ID and visit the customer service or Money Services center. Walmart will cash a two-party personal check for up to $200, with a maximum fee of $6. This is available in all U.S. states except:

Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Minnesota
Mississippi
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Ohio
Rhode Island
Tennessee
West Virginia
Wisconsin

Check cashing stores “near me:”

Although you can Google the search phrase “cash check near me” or “personal check cashing near me” to find check cashing stores nearby, here’s a handy list of check cashing stores, plus requirements and fees.

ACE Cash Express

ACE Cash Express has over 850 locations across the U.S. At ACE Cash Express, you can cash personal checks with a valid photo ID. Fees range from 2%-10%, depending on location. A manager’s approval is required for personal checks written for more than $200.

According to an ACE Cash Express manager, you might not be able to cash a personal check over the weekend because agents must verify the availability of funds with the issuing bank.

Amscot

Amscot, also known as The Money Superstore, has 238 locations in Florida. The store will cash personal checks for a 9.9% fee or a $3 minimum, whichever is more. So it will cost you $19.80 to cash a $200 check. When cashing a check at Amscot, you may be asked for any or all of the following information:

Name
Address
Birthdate
Valid government-issued photo identification
SSN, TIN or alien identification number
Transaction details
Additional identifying documents

The Check Cashing Store

The Check Cashing Store charges a 10% fee to cash personal checks. In some states, there’s also a per-item fee of 69 cents to $1.99. In Florida, there’s no additional per-item fee, but the check-cashing fee differs depending on whether you want to cash a one- or two-party personal check:

Fee for a one-party personal check: 10% or a $5 minimum
Fee for a two-party check: 4.9% or a $5 minimum

Requirements for cashing a personal check vary by store, so call ahead to find out what you need to bring.

Check Into Cash

Check Into Cash has more than 650 locations across 25 states. At Check Into Cash, you can cash a personal check for a 10% fee. According to store personnel, there is no limit on the amount of the check.

Money Mart

Money Mart is the sister store of The Checking Cashing Store. Like The Check Cashing Store, standard check cashing fees vary by state, and an item fee will often apply. Money Mart and The Check Cashing Store charge the same fees.

You’ll pay a 10% fee to cash personal checks, and in some states, a per-item fee of 69 cents to $1.99. In Florida, the fee for a one-party personal check is 10% with a $5 minimum, and the fee for a two-party check is 4.9% with a $5 minimum.

Speedy Cash

Speedy Cash has more than 200 locations across the U.S. It cashes all types of checks, including personal checks, for a 10% fee. When you visit a Speedy Cash store, be prepared for the agent to verify your ID, the check, the person who wrote it and the amount.

Where can’t I cash a personal check?

The following stores do not cash personal checks:

Albertson’s
CVS
Kroger
Martin’s Foods
Target
Walgreens
Winn Dixie
Sam’s Club
Costco

Get a fee-free checking account at Discover and get 1% cash-back on debit card purchases.

Check cashing FAQS:

Can you cash a check at an ATM?

You can cash a check at some ATMs. For example, if you have an account and a Regions ATM card, Regions CheckCard or a Regions Now Card, Regions Bank will allow you to cash a check at one of its DepositSmart ATMs. The fee that will apply depends on the amount of the check and whether the check was issued from a Regions Bank account.

However, Regions Bank notes that approval to cash a check may take up to an hour, and you might have to complete the transaction at a banking branch instead.

Can you cash a check at a pawn shop?

When you ask yourself, “Where can I cash a check?” you probably don’t immediately think of a pawn shop, but some pawn shops will allow you to cash a personal check.

For example, Fastcash Pawn and Checkcashers in Pawtucket, R.I., cashes personal checks for 2%-10% of the check’s value. However, FirstCash, which has more than 2,800 locations across 25 U.S. states, does not offer check-cashing services. The best thing to do is call ahead to find out if any of the pawn shops in your area cash checks and also ask about fees.

Can you cash a check at any bank?

It depends. If neither you nor the person who wrote the check has an account at the bank where you’re trying to cash the check, it’s likely the bank will refuse to cash it. If you’re not an account holder at a bank, it's best to visit the bank that the check was issued from.

Also, if you are trying to cash a check at the payer’s bank and you’re not an account holder, you might have to pay a flat fee or a percentage fee based on the check’s amount. There might also be a limit on the value you can cash. For example, if you are not an account holder, Bank of America charges an $8 fee to cash a check of more than $50 that’s drawn from a Bank of America personal account.

How can I cash a check without a bank account?

If you don’t have a bank account and aren’t able to cash the check at the issuing bank, you can consider asking a trusted friend or family member with a bank account if you can endorse the check over to them to cash. If the person agrees, he or she will need to contact the bank and ask if they will accept a signed-over check and find out the requirements.

To sign over the check, follow these steps:

Endorse the back of the check in blue or black ink by signing your name in the designated area.
Underneath your signature, write “Pay to the order of:”
Write the name of the person to whom you’re signing the check over after the colon.
Ask the person to sign his or her name underneath the “Pay to the order of:” line.
Once the person cashes the check, you can receive the funds.

What else can you use to cash a check?

If you don’t have a bank account and your online search for “check cashing open near me” doesn’t yield any useful results, you can cash a check online or through a checkless account such as the following:

Ally

You can open an account with an online-only bank, like Ally, to cash your check. Once you’ve opened your account, you’ll have access to Ally eCheck deposit, which will allow you to snap photos of your check and deposit it from your smartphone.

If you deposit a check by 4 p.m. EST, the funds should be available the next day.

Chime

Chime is a financial technology company that offers a full-featured deposit account. Chime allows account holders who have received at least $1 in qualifying direct deposits to use the Mobile Check Deposit feature without a fee.

Brinks

Prepaid cards, like Brinks Money Prepaid Mastercard, are another way to cash a personal check. With the Brinks card, you order the card and activate it. Then, you can download the app and add check funds to the card through the Brinks mobile app.

It can take as little as three to five minutes or up to an hour to have a check’s funds approved so you can use them. If you choose to expedite the funding, the greater of 5% of the check amount or a flat $5 fee will be deducted from your check before loading the funds onto your card.

GreenDot

All debit cards issued by Greendot Bank offer mobile check deposit or cashing. Fees will vary depending on the debit card you have. For example, if you have the Go2Bank Debit Card, personal check cashing incurs a 5% fee, with a $5 minimum.

Ingo® Money

You can download the Ingo Money App and link your Paypal account, prepaid card or bank account to cash a check. You can submit personal checks in amounts from $5-$5,000 for approval in Ingo Money App as long as the check is made out to you, endorsed by you and the check is drawn on a bank account in the U.S. or a U.S. territory. The fee for personal checks is 5%, with a $5 minimum.

Transact by 7-Eleven app

With the Transact by 7-Eleven app, you can use Mobile Check Load to load funds from a personal check to your Transact Prepaid Mastercard. Funds approval from checks usually takes three to five minutes but may take as long as an hour. If you choose to expedite the funds from your personal check, a fee of 5% of the total check amount or $5, whichever is greater, will be deducted from your check.

PayPal

With the PayPal app and a PayPal Balance account, you can cash checks. Funds will be available within minutes for a $5 minimum fee or within 10 days for free.

NetSpend

The NetSpend Prepaid Debit card allows users to use the Mobile Check Load via the NetSpend Mobile App. Checks might be approved in as little as three to five minutes, or it might take up to one hour. Standard mobile check load is free.

If you choose to expedite the check load, the fee is the greater of 5% of the check amount or $5 and will be deducted from the check’s amount before loading it onto your card.

Can you cash a check at an ATM?

Can you cash a check at a pawn shop?

Some pawn shops will allow you to cash a personal check.

Can you cash a check at any bank?

How can I cash a check without a bank account?