William Lipovsky
Short Answer — Bank of America account holders can cash a large check (of any amount) at a branch location for free. If you’re not a Bank of America account holder, you can cash a check issued by Bank of America for a fee. However, Bank of America usually won’t cash checks issued by other banks unless you have an account, and it will sometimes impose limits on checks cashed by non-members.
Cashing a Large Check at Bank of America
If you’re a Bank of America deposit account holder, cashing a check — no matter the amount — is free. If you don’t have a deposit account with Bank of America, you can still cash a check issued by Bank of America. If the check amount is less than $50, there is no fee; if the check amount is more than $50, there is a fee of $8 per check.[1]
For non-members cashing large checks issued by Bank of America, including cashier’s checks, there is no set limit on the amount that can be cashed. However, you must present the check in person, meaning that an individual branch may set a limit at the discretion of the manager, after looking at the check, or based on the availability of cash at that branch.[2]
To cash a check at Bank of America, you’ll need two forms of identification, including a government-issued photo ID.[2] Bank of America will not place a hold when cashing a large check.
Checks Issued by Other Banks
If you aren’t an account holder and you have a check that was issued by another bank, you will not be able to cash it at Bank of America.[2] However, there may be an exception for some types of checks, such as government, payroll, and tax refund checks. This will be at each financial center’s discretion.[3]
Third-Party Checks
If you’re not a Bank of America member but you have a friend or family member who is an account holder, another option is to endorse the check to that account holder; see our article for more on Bank of America’s third-party check policy.
For more on cashing large checks, see our article on how to cash a large check without a hold.
Is a Bank of America credit card considered an account to cash a check drawn on Bank of America without a fee? Thanks
Great question, Donna! We contacted Bank of America and found that, unfortunately, you must have a deposit account to avoid the fee. The fee for Bank of America credit card holders is the same as the fee for non-customers — $8 for checks over $50. We have updated our article to include this information.
I went to an Arlington Heights branch and they told me there was a $2500 limit for non-customers even though it was a Bank of America check and a payroll check.
Hello, Michael! As noted in our article, while there is no companywide limit for non-customers at Bank of America, individual branch managers may set limits at their discretion. While the branch you visited had a limit, there may be others in your area with a higher limit or no limit at all. If you still need to cash your check or want to know which branch suits your needs for future checks, you may want to call a few different branches in your area to find out their limits.