If you have a bankruptcy on your record, you can still open a basic checking account. Chime, Capital One 360 Checking, Varo, and GO2bank don’t screen applicants through ChexSystems at all. Wells Fargo’s Clear Access Banking doesn’t use ChexSystems either. And more than 500 Bank On certified accounts at banks and credit unions covering over two-thirds of the U.S. deposit market are, by design, not allowed to reject you for a bankruptcy or a negative ChexSystems report.1BankOn. Bank On These are the banks that allow bankrupts a basic account, and the sections below explain how each route works and which is likely to fit your situation.
Why Bankruptcy Blocks Most Bank Applications
Most banks screen applicants through ChexSystems or Early Warning Services, consumer reporting agencies that track banking problems like unpaid overdrafts, bounced checks, and account closures. A bankruptcy filing typically triggers the closure of accounts you held at the time, and those closures get reported. ChexSystems keeps the records for five years from the date of the report.2ChexSystems. ChexSystems Frequently Asked Questions During that window, any bank that runs a ChexSystems check may deny your application even though the underlying debts were discharged.
No federal law in the United States guarantees you a bank account. Each bank decides who it will accept. What has changed in recent years is that a growing number of institutions have voluntarily committed to accounts that ignore ChexSystems, and several skip the screening entirely. Those are the accounts to focus on.
Fintechs That Don’t Check ChexSystems
Online-only banks and financial technology companies are the most accessible route when you have a recent bankruptcy, because many of them run no ChexSystems check at all. You apply online, usually in minutes, and approval hinges on standard identity verification rather than your banking history.
- Chime: No ChexSystems screening, no credit check, no monthly fees, no minimum balance, and no overdraft fees.3Chime. Free Second Chance Banking
- Capital One 360 Checking: Capital One stopped using ChexSystems to screen applicants in 2014. The account has no fees and no minimum balance.
- Varo: An all-mobile bank that doesn’t use ChexSystems for account screening.
- GO2bank: A neobank under Green Dot that doesn’t run ChexSystems checks.
Because these providers have no branches, customer service runs through the app or by phone. If you need to deposit cash regularly, check whether the provider partners with retail locations or a fee-free ATM network before you commit.
Bank On Certified Accounts
Bank On is a national initiative that certifies checking accounts meeting specific consumer-friendly standards. Under the 2025–2026 standards, certified accounts can only deny applicants for past fraud. They cannot deny you for a bankruptcy, unpaid overdrafts, or a negative ChexSystems report. They also charge no overdraft or non-sufficient-funds fees, and monthly maintenance fees are capped at $5, or $10 if the bank offers at least two ways to waive the fee entirely, such as setting up direct deposit.4Bank On. Bank On National Account Standards 2025-2026
More than 500 certified accounts are currently available, and over 14 million have already been opened.1BankOn. Bank On You can search for a participating bank or credit union near you by zip code at joinbankon.org. Because these are offered at conventional banks and credit unions, they combine the acceptance rules of a second-chance product with the branch access and check-writing you’d expect at a mainstream institution.
National Banks With Second-Chance Accounts
Several large banks offer accounts designed for people who have been turned down elsewhere. They go by names like “second chance” or “fresh start” checking, and while the features vary, they share a willingness to look past a negative banking history. Providers known to offer these products include Wells Fargo, Chase, TD Bank, and Regions. Wells Fargo’s Clear Access Banking charges no overdraft fees and does not use ChexSystems to screen applicants.5Wells Fargo. Clear Access Banking
Monthly fees on second-chance accounts at traditional banks generally range from $0 to $12, and some carry an initial deposit requirement. You typically get a debit card, online and mobile banking, and ATM access. Check-writing and overdraft lines of credit are usually not included, which limits your flexibility but also protects you from running up new debt.
Check Your ChexSystems Report First
Before applying anywhere, request your ChexSystems consumer disclosure report. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act you’re entitled to a free copy every 12 months, and ChexSystems provides consumer disclosure and score reports at no charge.6ChexSystems. ChexSystems Home You can request it through the ChexSystems Consumer Portal online, by calling 800-428-9623, or by writing to Chex Systems, Inc., Attn: Consumer Relations, PO Box 583399, Minneapolis, MN 55458.
Read it closely. If a debt discharged in your bankruptcy still shows as unpaid, or an account closure looks wrong, dispute it. ChexSystems must complete its investigation within 30 days, or 21 days for Maine residents, though submitting additional documentation during the process can extend the timeline by up to 15 days.7ChexSystems. Submit Dispute to ChexSystems If the source can’t verify the information, ChexSystems must remove it. Removing inaccurate items can open the door to accounts that would otherwise deny you.
Documents to Have Ready
Federal anti-money-laundering rules require every bank to collect your name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number if you aren’t a U.S. citizen).8U.S. Department of the Treasury. Treasury and Federal Financial Regulators Issue Patriot Act Regulations on Customer Identification You’ll also typically need:
- A government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID.9Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Checklist for Opening a Bank or Credit Union Account
- Proof of address such as a utility bill, lease, or government letter dated within the last 90 days.
- Your Social Security card or ITIN documentation. Some banks accept the number verbally; others want to see the card.
If your bankruptcy has been discharged, bring a copy of the discharge order. If your case is still open, keep your petition or case number handy. Second-chance account providers at traditional banks are more likely to ask than fintechs, which usually rely on electronic identity verification alone.
If a Bank Turns You Down
If a bank denies your application, it has to tell you why under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. When the denial cites your ChexSystems report, you’re entitled to a free copy of that report within 60 days, and any inaccurate information is worth disputing. If the denial reflects your bankruptcy itself, apply at a provider that doesn’t use ChexSystems. The fintechs listed above are the most reliable path. Credit unions are also worth trying, since some offer second-chance accounts with eligibility tied to where you live, work, or worship rather than your banking history.
ChexSystems records drop off after five years.2ChexSystems. ChexSystems Frequently Asked Questions If you’re close to the end of that window, a fintech account in the meantime will keep you banked, and your options at traditional banks will expand once the report clears.
One Timing Point for People Still Filing
If you haven’t filed yet and you owe money to the same bank where you keep your checking account, open your new account somewhere else first. Federal bankruptcy law preserves a creditor’s right to offset mutual debts that existed before the filing, so a bank you owe may freeze your account while it sorts through what it can claim.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 553 – Setoff Move your direct deposit and automatic payments to the new account before you file so you’re not cut off from your wages when the case begins.