Among the largest U.S. banks that sell money orders, Chase and Wells Fargo both issue them up to $1,000 for a $5 fee, while Bank of America does not sell them at all and Huntington Bank only cashes them for existing customers. Availability, price, and whether you need an account there vary by institution, so it’s worth checking before you drive to a branch.
Which Major Banks Sell Money Orders
Policies differ sharply from one bank to the next. Here’s where four of the biggest names stand:
- Chase sells money orders up to $1,000 at its branches. The standard fee is $5, and it’s waived on several account types, including Chase Secure Checking, Chase Premier Plus Checking, Chase Sapphire Checking, and Chase Private Client Checking.1Chase. Additional Banking Services and Fees for Personal Accounts
- Wells Fargo sells money orders up to $1,000 at any branch to customers who hold a checking or savings account. The fee is $5.2Wells Fargo. Consumer and Business Account Fees
- Bank of America does not sell money orders. It offers cashier’s checks instead.
- Huntington Bank does not sell money orders and will only cash them for existing customers.3Huntington Bank. Cashing a Money Order
Large national banks increasingly limit money order services to their own account holders. If you don’t bank there, expect to be turned away or pointed toward a post office or retail store.
What Bank Money Orders Cost
The going rate at big banks is around $5 per money order, the price at both Chase and Wells Fargo.1Chase. Additional Banking Services and Fees for Personal Accounts Some regional banks charge closer to $2. Premium checking accounts at certain banks waive the fee entirely, and credit unions often issue money orders free to members.
The fee comes out of your account balance or gets added to the cash you hand the teller. If you need multiple money orders to cover a payment above $1,000, each carries its own fee, and the costs stack up fast.
The $1,000 Limit Per Money Order
A single money order is generally capped at $1,000.2Wells Fargo. Consumer and Business Account Fees To send more, you can buy several money orders or switch to a cashier’s check. More on that choice below.
What You Need to Bring
Before you walk into a branch, have these ready:
- A government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport. The bank uses it to verify your identity.
- The recipient’s full, correctly spelled name. You’ll write it on the money order, and the wrong name can make it hard or impossible to cash.
- Enough money to cover the face amount plus the fee. Banks typically accept payment from your account balance or in cash. Some issuers accept debit cards; credit cards are rarely accepted.4USPS.com. Sending Money Orders
One rule worth knowing in advance: if you buy money orders totaling $3,000 or more in cash during a single visit, the bank must record your name, address, date of birth (for non-account holders), and identification details, and keep those records for five years.5eCFR. 31 CFR 1010.415 – Purchases of Bank Checks and Drafts, Cashiers Checks, Money Orders and Travelers Checks Multiple same-day purchases are added together, so splitting the total into smaller trips to the teller does not avoid the requirement.
How the Purchase Works at the Teller
Once you’re at the window, the process is quick:
- Tell the teller you want a money order and hand over your ID. The teller verifies your identity and checks your balance or counts your cash.
- Give the recipient’s name and the exact dollar amount. The bank’s system prints those details on the money order.
- Fill in any remaining fields the form requires, such as your address and an optional memo like “rent” or an invoice number.
- Keep the receipt or detachable stub. It carries the serial number and purchase details you’ll need if the money order is ever lost or stolen.
Cheaper and Easier Places to Buy a Money Order
If your bank doesn’t sell money orders, or you’d rather pay less, several other options are common.
The U.S. Post Office
USPS sells domestic money orders up to $1,000 at any post office. Fees are noticeably lower than at most banks. You can pay with cash or a debit card, but not a credit card.4USPS.com. Sending Money Orders Postal money orders are widely accepted.
Walmart and Other Retailers
Walmart is one of the cheapest sources, charging no more than $1 per money order.6Walmart. Money Orders Grocery stores, convenience stores, and check-cashing outlets also sell them, usually through MoneyGram or Western Union, with fees generally between $1 and $5.
Credit Unions
Many credit unions sell money orders to members at little or no cost. If you belong to one, check whether it’s included as a free benefit before paying a bank $5.
When a Cashier’s Check Makes More Sense
If you need to send more than $1,000 in a single payment, a cashier’s check is usually the better tool. There’s no standard $1,000 ceiling on cashier’s checks, which makes them the common choice for larger transactions like a vehicle purchase or a real estate closing. The bank draws a cashier’s check against its own funds rather than yours, and cashier’s checks typically cost between $5 and $15 depending on the bank and your account type.
There’s also a security difference in how the payee gets named. With a money order, you write in the “pay to” line yourself. With a cashier’s check, the bank fills in the payee at issuance, which reduces the risk that the instrument can be altered before it reaches the recipient.
For most everyday needs — paying a landlord, sending a gift, settling a small bill — a bank money order at $5, a postal money order for less, or a Walmart money order for a dollar will do the job. Reach for a cashier’s check when the amount, or the caution the transaction calls for, outgrows what a money order can carry.