Yes, you can deposit a check by taking a picture of it. Nearly every bank and credit union offers this through its mobile app, and the feature is usually called mobile deposit or remote deposit capture. The process takes a couple of minutes: endorse the back of the check, photograph the front and back inside your bank’s app, enter the amount, and submit. The rest of this article walks through what to do so the deposit actually goes through, when the money becomes available, and what to do with the paper check once you’re done.
Endorse the Check the Right Way
Before you open the app, flip the check over and sign the back. Below your signature, write “For Mobile Deposit Only.” Most banks require that exact restrictive endorsement, and missing it is one of the most common reasons a mobile deposit gets rejected.
The wording isn’t arbitrary. Under 12 CFR 229.34(f)(3), that endorsement shields the depositing bank from certain indemnity claims if someone later takes the original paper check into a different bank and tries to deposit it again.1Federal Reserve Board. Regulation CC – Availability of Funds That’s why banks insist on it. Use dark ink so the imaging software can read your signature clearly.
How To Take the Photos
Place the check on a flat, dark, non-reflective surface in a well-lit room. A dark background helps the camera find the edges of the check; even lighting keeps glare and shadows off the image.
Open your bank’s app, log in, and tap the deposit option. Pick the account you want the money to land in. The app will ask for a photo of the front, then the back. Hold the phone directly above the check, parallel to it, and wait for the image to sharpen before capturing. All four corners have to be inside the frame. Enter the exact dollar amount of the check when prompted, verify it matches what’s written, and submit. You should see an on-screen confirmation and, at most banks, a follow-up email or push notification.
If the deposit is rejected, the reason is almost always one of these:
- A blurry photo, or lighting so poor the app can’t read the MICR line along the bottom of the check.
- A corner cut off, or a fold or wrinkle that hides an edge.
- Glare from a glossy surface, or an image too dark to read.
- A missing signature or missing “For Mobile Deposit Only” endorsement.
- An amount that exceeds your deposit limit.
The app will usually tell you which of these caused the failure. Retake the photo under better conditions or fix the endorsement and try again.
Which Checks You Can Deposit This Way
Personal checks, payroll checks, and government-issued checks such as tax refunds and Social Security payments generally work with mobile deposit. Several categories usually don’t:
- Third-party checks — checks made out to someone else who signed them over to you — typically have to go to a branch.
- Foreign checks, meaning those drawn on banks outside the U.S. or not in U.S. dollars, are usually excluded.
- Postdated checks (dated in the future) give the bank reasonable cause to doubt collectibility, which can trigger rejection or an extended hold.2Federal Reserve. A Guide to Regulation CC Compliance
- Stale-dated checks — more than six months old — may be rejected for the same reason.2Federal Reserve. A Guide to Regulation CC Compliance
- Any check showing signs of tampering — crossed-out amounts, whiteout, mismatched handwriting — will be declined.
Each bank sets its own list, so your institution’s terms may allow more or fewer types than the general pattern above.
Deposit Limits
Banks cap how much you can send through mobile deposit each day and each month. For personal accounts, daily limits commonly fall in the $2,500 to $10,000 range, with monthly limits often between $10,000 and $25,000. Your specific ceiling depends on your account type, how long you’ve held the account, and your history with the bank; premium or preferred customers often get higher limits. If a check exceeds your limit, take it to a branch or an ATM instead.
When the Money Becomes Available
Regulation CC sets minimum standards for how quickly banks have to release deposited funds. For a check deposited through your phone, the first $275 of your total daily deposit generally has to be available by the next business day.3eCFR. 12 CFR Part 229 – Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks (Regulation CC) – Section 229.10 That threshold rose from $225 to $275 effective July 1, 2025.4Federal Register. Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks The rest of the check usually clears by the second business day after deposit.
Your bank can put an extended hold on the funds in a handful of situations spelled out in Regulation CC:
- Deposits above $6,725: the amount over that figure can be held longer, though the first $6,725 still follows the standard schedule.2Federal Reserve. A Guide to Regulation CC Compliance
- New accounts: if yours has been open less than 30 days, the bank may hold funds beyond the first $6,725 until the ninth business day after deposit.2Federal Reserve. A Guide to Regulation CC Compliance
- Repeatedly overdrawn accounts.
- Reasonable doubt of collectibility — postdated or stale checks, or checks the paying bank has said it won’t honor.
When a bank places an exception hold, it has to notify you in writing, tell you why, and tell you when the money will land. Don’t spend against a deposit until it fully clears.
What To Do With the Paper Check After It’s Deposited
Hold onto the original check until you’ve confirmed the funds have posted. Retention guidance varies by bank; some suggest as little as five days, others up to 30 days. Check your bank’s mobile deposit terms for the specific window. Once the deposit has cleared, write “VOID” across the check or shred it so it can’t be presented again.
Don’t take the same check to a branch or ATM after you’ve mobile-deposited it. Even an accidental second deposit can cause one of the transactions to reverse, along with a returned-item fee.
Duplicate Deposits and Fraud
Submitting the same check twice — mobile deposit plus an ATM, say, or through two different banks’ apps — creates a duplicate presentment. If it’s an honest mistake, your bank will reverse one deposit and may charge a fee. When a deposited check bounces or is flagged as a duplicate, that fee typically runs $10 to $19.5Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. CFPB Issues Guidance to Help Banks Avoid Charging Illegal Junk Fees on Deposit Accounts
Doing it on purpose is a different matter. Knowingly depositing the same check more than once to collect the money twice can be bank fraud under federal law. The bank fraud statute carries penalties of up to $1,000,000 in fines, up to 30 years in prison, or both.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 1344 – Bank Fraud Banks run automated systems that compare check images and MICR data across institutions, so duplicates get caught.