William Lipovsky
Short Answer
Cashier’s checks are secured, prepaid payment methods that are drawn directly on the funds of a bank. You can only get cashier’s checks from banks and credit unions, and while some allow you to order them online or over the phone, most require you to visit a physical branch. Cashier’s checks are typically reserved for account holders and may come with a small fee.
What Is a Cashier’s Check?
A cashier’s check — also known as an official check — is a paper check that represents a payment directly from the bank, rather than a personal account. The bank’s name is imprinted on the check, and the funds are guaranteed by the bank. Cashier’s checks are also pre-printed with the name of the payee, making them a highly secure and relatively risk-free form of payment.
Cashier’s checks are used in lieu of cash or personal checks to make a transaction more secure. They are often required for down payments on houses or vehicles, and many companies use them when conducting business with other companies. You may also use them personally if you want to send payment to or receive payment from a stranger for a business transaction.
In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about cashier’s checks: what they are, what they’re used for, and how and where to buy them.
How Do You Purchase a Cashier’s Check?
To purchase a cashier’s check, you’ll either need to go to your bank or credit union in person and get assistance from a teller, or you may be able to purchase them from your bank or credit union online. To get a cashier’s check, you’ll need:
- A government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or passport
- The name of the payee
- Sufficient funds to cover the check amount
You can typically use either cash or the balance of your bank account to fund a cashier’s check. A few banks or credit unions may let you use a debit card for the entire amount. Personal checks, credit cards, and prepaid debit cards can’t be used to purchase a cashier’s check.
Places Where You Can Get a Cashier’s Check
In most cases, you’ll need to be an account holder at the bank or member at the credit union to purchase a cashier’s check, but a few banks will allow non-customers to purchase cashier’s checks, usually for a higher fee.
You can buy a cashier’s check at the following financial institutions. We called each of the bank and credit union offices to verify their policies and fees for cashier’s checks — you can use the table below for a quick comparison of fees, then select any business name or scroll for more information.
| Bank/Credit Union | Account Needed? | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Ally Bank | Yes | None |
| Bank of America | Yes | $15; waived for Preferred Rewards members |
| Capital One Bank | Yes | $10 |
| Chase Bank | Yes | $10; waived for Premier Plus, Sapphire, & Private Client |
| Citibank | Yes | $10; waived for Citi Priority, Alliance, Private Banking, & Citigold |
| Fifth Third Bank | Yes | $7; waived for Preferred & Private Bank |
| HSBC | Yes | $10 for Choice; none for Premiere |
| Huntington Bank | Yes | $6 |
| KeyBank | Yes | $8 |
| PNC Bank | Yes | $10; waived for Foundation, Performance, & Performance Select |
| Regions Bank | Yes | $10 for Money Market; none for Lifegreen Preferred |
| Truist Bank | Yes | $10 |
| TD Bank | Yes | $8 |
| Wells Fargo | Yes | $10; waived for Premier & Prime |
| Alliant Credit Union | Yes | None |
| Chartway Federal Credit Union | Yes | $3 |
| Northrop Grumman Federal Credit Union | Yes | $3 |
| PenFed Credit Union | Yes | None |
| Tucson Federal Credit Union | Yes | $3 |
Banks That Sell Cashier’s Checks
Ally Bank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: None[1]
- Online option? Ally Bank is exclusively online, but you can request cashier’s checks by phone[1]
- Call (877) 247-2559 to order cashier’s checks
Bank of America
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: $15; waived if you are a Preferred Rewards member[2]
- Online option? No[2]
- Find a Bank of America branch
Capital One Bank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: $10 for all account holders[3]
- Online option? Yes; the fee is $20[4][3]
- Find a Capital One branch
Chase Bank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: None for Premier Plus, Sapphire, and Private Client account holders;[5] $10 for Total Checking account holders[6]
- Online option? No[5][6]
- Find a Chase branch
Citibank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: None for Citi Priority, Citi Alliance, Citi Private Banking, and Citigold account holders; $10 for all other Citibank account holders[7]
- Online option? No[7]
- Find a Citibank branch
Fifth Third Bank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: $8 per check[8]
- Online option? No[8]
- Find a Fifth Third Bank branch
HSBC
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: None for Premier account holders;[9] $10 for Choice account holders[10]
- Online option? Yes[11]
- Find an HSBC branch
Huntington Bank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: $6 per check[12][13]
- Online option? No[14]
- Find a Huntington Bank branch
Our article has more information on the credit card offered by Huntington Bank.
KeyBank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: $8 per check[15]
- Online option? No[15]
- Find a KeyBank branch
PNC Bank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: None for Performance, Performance Select, or Foundation Checking account holders; $10 for all other account holders[16]
- Online option? No[17]
- Find a PNC branch
Regions Bank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: None for Lifegreen Preferred Checking account holders; $10 for Money Market account holders[18]
- Online option? No[19]
- Find a Regions Bank branch
TD Bank
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: $8 per check, referred to as Official Checks by TD Bank[20][21]
- Online option? No
Truist Bank
- Account needed? No
- Fee: $10 per check[22]
- Online option? No[22]
- Find a SunTrust branch
Wells Fargo
- Account needed? Yes
- Fee: None for Premier and Prime Checking account holders; $10 for all other account holders[23][24]
- Online option? Yes; the fee is $8 in addition to any cashier’s check fees[25][24]
- Find a Wells Fargo branch
Credit Unions That Sell Cashier’s Checks
Please note that you’ll need an account at all of the credit unions listed below in order to purchase cashier’s checks from them.
Alliant Credit Union
Note: Alliant cashier’s checks are called “Official Credit Union Checks,” but function just as cashier’s checks do. Alliant members can get cashier’s checks by going to any branch, or by calling a branch office or requesting them through online banking services.
- Fee: None, unless you request expedited shipping[26]
- Find an Alliant branch
Chartway Federal Credit Union
Note: Chartway cashier’s checks are called “Credit Union Checks,” but function the same as a cashier’s check.
- Fee: None[27]
- Find a Chartway branch
Northrop Grumman Federal Credit Union
PenFed Credit Union
- Fee: None
- Find a PenFed branch
Tucson Federal Credit Union
- Fee: $3[29]
- Find a Tucson Federal branch
Other Secured Personal Check Alternatives
There are a couple of other alternatives to personal checks — certified checks and money orders are two other types of prepaid, generally secure money instruments you might use to make payments.
Cashier’s Check vs. Certified Check
Cashier’s checks are paid directly from the bank, while a certified check is a personal check from your own account that’s certified by the bank. Certified checks are signed in the presence of a bank official once the bank has guaranteed that the funds are available in your account. Cashier’s checks are often seen as a more secure form of payment, as the funds are guaranteed by the bank. Our article has more information about where to get a certified check.
Cashier’s Check vs. Money Order
Money orders are another paper alternative to cash. They are a secure form of paper payment, with funds that are guaranteed by the issuer. You can purchase money orders through Western Union or MoneyGram agents, and through the United States Postal Office (USPS). Our article has a more in-depth comparison of cashier’s checks and money orders.
For more about cashier’s checks, our articles explain how to track a cashier’s check and how to cancel a cashier’s check. We also have the list of places where you can cash a cashier’s check.
