You can cash a U.S. Treasury check at a bank or credit union where you have an account, at some banks where you don’t, at retail chains like Walmart, or at a licensed check-cashing store. Your own bank is almost always the fastest and cheapest choice, and federal rules require it to make the funds available by the next business day. The other options exist for convenience, longer hours, or when you don’t have an account anywhere, and they usually cost money.
Your Own Bank or Credit Union
If you hold an account at the bank or credit union, deposit the check there. Under Regulation CC, the bank must make funds from a deposited Treasury check available for withdrawal no later than the next business day after deposit, as long as the check is payable to you.1eCFR. 12 CFR 229.10 – Next-Day Availability The rule applies whether you hand the check to a teller or feed it into one of your bank’s own ATMs. Most banks charge account holders nothing to deposit or cash a government check.
One thing to watch: if you deposit a Treasury check into an account that doesn’t belong to the named payee (say, a check made out to a relative going into your account), the bank can take up to two business days to release the funds.2eCFR. 12 CFR Part 229 – Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks
A Bank Where You Don’t Have an Account
No federal law forces a bank to cash a check for someone who isn’t a customer.3HelpWithMyBank.gov. Can a Bank Refuse to Cash a Check Some do it as a courtesy; others refuse.4Federal Reserve Consumer Help. Can a Bank Refuse to Cash a Check Banks that agree may charge a flat fee and cap the check amount they’ll handle. Call first. If the check is drawn on funds the bank knows how to verify quickly, and you can prove who you are, you have a reasonable chance. If not, you’ll waste the trip.
Walmart and Other Retailers
National retail chains cash pre-printed government checks at the customer service desk, and they keep the kinds of hours banks don’t. Walmart charges a maximum of $4 on checks up to $1,000, and a maximum of $8 on checks above that amount.5Walmart. Check Cashing The standard limit is $5,000, but it rises to $7,500 from January through April to handle tax refund season. The fee comes out of the payout, so you walk away with the check’s face value minus the charge.
Other grocery and retail chains offer comparable service with different fees and limits. Ask about both before you hand the check over.
Licensed Check-Cashing Stores
Check-cashing businesses specialize in this work and often stay open evenings and weekends. Their fees are set by state law, so what you pay depends on where you are. Rates typically run from about 1% to 6% of the check’s face value, meaning a $3,000 Treasury check could cost anywhere from $30 to $180 to cash. Because the fee scales with the check, this is usually the most expensive route for a large payment. Licensed stores are generally required to post their rates; ask to see the schedule before you sign anything.
Mobile Deposit and ATMs
Most major banks now take Treasury checks through their mobile apps. You photograph the front and back of the endorsed check and submit it. Government checks deposited by phone are generally eligible for the same next-day availability that applies at the branch.1eCFR. 12 CFR 229.10 – Next-Day Availability Banks often set a monthly dollar cap on mobile deposits, though, so check the app’s deposit screen before you photograph a large check. Deposits at your bank’s own ATM also qualify for the next-day rule.
What to Bring and How to Sign the Check
Bring a valid, unexpired government photo ID: a state driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID will work at most places. The name on the ID should match the name printed on the check.
Sign the back in the endorsement area at the top, and match the name on the front as closely as you can. Federal regulations require the endorsement to follow standard commercial practices.6eCFR. 31 CFR Part 240 – Indorsement and Payment of Checks Drawn on the United States Treasury If someone else needs to cash the check for you, the endorsement has to show they’re signing on your behalf, in the form “John Jones by Mary Jones.”
What the Cashier Will Check
Whoever cashes your check will run it through the Treasury Check Verification System, a public tool from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service.7Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Frequently Asked Questions for Financial Institutions and Agencies The clerk enters the check’s routing number, check number, and amount, and the system confirms whether the check was legitimately issued and hasn’t been canceled or reported stolen.8U.S. Department of the Treasury. Treasury Check Verification System Checks more than 13 months old won’t show up in the system because they’re past the one-year negotiation window.
Cashiers may also inspect the paper itself. Real Treasury checks carry a “U.S. TREASURY” watermark visible only when held to the light, ink on the Treasury seal that turns reddish when moistened, ultraviolet printing, and microprinted “USAUSAUSA” on the endorsement line.9Bureau of the Fiscal Service. U.S. Treasury Check Security Features A check with no watermark, or a watermark visible without backlighting, is a red flag.
If You’re Cashing More Than $10,000
Any cash transaction over $10,000 triggers a Currency Transaction Report to the federal government, and multiple transactions in one day that add up to more than $10,000 count the same way.10FinCEN. Notice to Customers: A CTR Reference Guide This is a routine anti-fraud filing, not a sign anything is wrong with your check. You’ll just need to hand over ID so the institution can complete the paperwork.
If Your Check Is More Than a Year Old
A Treasury check is valid for one year from its issue date. “VOID AFTER ONE YEAR” is printed on every check above the disbursing officer’s signature.11Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Cancellations, Deposits, Reclamations, and Claims for Checks Drawn on the US After that, the Treasury is not required to honor it and Federal Reserve Banks must refuse payment.12GovInfo. 31 USC 3328 – Paying Checks and Drafts
You don’t lose the money. The underlying payment obligation still stands.12GovInfo. 31 USC 3328 – Paying Checks and Drafts Contact the federal agency that authorized the payment — the IRS for a tax refund, the Social Security Administration for benefits, and so on — and ask for a replacement.13eCFR. 31 CFR Part 245 – Claims on Account of Treasury Checks Give them the check date, amount, and check number if you have them. The same process applies if the check was lost, stolen, or destroyed.
Two Situations With Different Rules
If the check is made out to someone who has died, you can’t just cash it. An appointed executor can endorse and cash certain payment types, such as tax refunds, but recurring benefit checks like Social Security have to be returned to the issuing agency.14eCFR. 31 CFR 240.15 – Checks Issued to Deceased Payees If no executor or administrator has been appointed, every check goes back to the agency for a determination of who is entitled to the payment.
If you hold power of attorney for someone who can’t cash their own check, the endorsement has to show you’re signing in that capacity, in the form “John Jones by Paul Smith, attorney-in-fact for John Jones.”15eCFR. 31 CFR 240.17 – Powers of Attorney The power of attorney must be valid under applicable state or federal law, and for recurring benefits it must specifically describe the purpose of the payments.