Without a bank account, you can cash a check at the bank the check is from, at some stores, or at a check-cashing service. Most charge a fee, and all of them ask for a photo ID.
Where can I cash a check without a bank account?
- The bank the check is from. Its name is printed on the check. Many banks cash their own checks for non-customers, sometimes for a fee.
- Stores. Some large retailers and grocery stores cash payroll and government checks at the customer service desk, for a fee. Each store sets its own limits and the types of checks it takes.
- Check-cashing services. They take most types of checks. Their fee is often a percentage of the check, so it adds up if you get paid by check every week or two.
Fees and limits vary, so call ahead and ask before you go.
Can I cash a check without an ID?
Usually not. Banks, stores and check-cashing services ask for a government-issued photo ID before they cash a check. Some accept a passport or an ID from your home country, such as a consular ID. Each one sets its own rules, so ask first.
Can I deposit a check from my phone?
Yes, if your account offers mobile check deposit. You take a photo of the check in the app, and the money goes into your account. You skip the trip and the check-cashing fee.
MAJORITY does not cash checks. With a MAJORITY membership ($6.99/mo), you can deposit checks from your phone in the MAJORITY app instead. There’s no fee. Checks sent before 4 p.m. ET on a business day are reviewed that day, and funds are available within 5 business days after that. Limits vary by account.
To deposit a check with MAJORITY:
- Open a MAJORITY account with a government-issued photo ID from your home country, such as a passport or national ID. No SSN needed. Final acceptance happens during verification.
- Add a MAJORITY membership.
- Sign the back of the check and add the endorsement the app shows you: “For Majority Mobile Deposit only”.
- Take a photo of the front and back of the check, and send it.
You need a U.S. home address (no P.O. boxes) and must be 18 or older (19 in Alabama and Nebraska, 21 in Mississippi).
How do I get cash after I deposit a check?
Use your MAJORITY Visa® Debit Card at 55,000+ fee-free ATMs. The card comes with your membership. You can also pay with it in stores and online.
The bottom line
Without a bank account, you can cash a check at the bank it’s from, at some stores, or at a check-cashing service, usually for a fee and with a photo ID. If you get paid by check often, a MAJORITY membership lets you deposit checks from your phone with no fee, and get cash at 55,000+ fee-free ATMs.
MAJORITY Visa® Debit Card is issued by Axiom Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.
The MAJORITY app facilitates banking services through Axiom Bank, N.A. ("Axiom"), Member FDIC. The funds deposited in the account held at Axiom, Member FDIC, are FDIC-insured on a pass-through basis up to $250,000 per depositor in the event Axiom fails and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions.
