William Lipovsky
You can still pay with a personal check at several major grocery stores, department stores, and some specialized retailers.
Below, you’ll find the list of major U.S. retailers that will accept a personal check as payment. I also list the places that don’t take checks so you know what to expect.
The List
The following stores accept personal checks as payment. Note that they will only accept checks for in-store purchases unless otherwise indicated.
When paying by check in stores, you’ll usually need to show a photo ID that matches the name and address on the check.
I confirmed this information by contacting customer service representatives for each store and checking any policy documentation available on their websites.
- Ace Hardware (some locations; stores are independently operated)[1]
- Albertsons[2]
- Baker’s[3]
- Bass Pro Shops (in stores and by mail)[4][5]
- Best Buy[6]
- Big Lots[7]
- BJ’s Wholesale Club[8]
- Books-A-Million[9]
- Burlington (formerly Burlington Coat Factory)[10]
- Cabela’s (in stores and by mail)[11][5]
- Camping World (in stores and for orders placed by phone or catalog)[12]
- City Market[13]
- Costco[14]
- CVS[15]
- Dillard’s[16]
- Dillons[17]
- Dollar Tree[18]
- Family Dollar[19]
- Food 4 Less[20]
- Food Lion[21]
- Fred Meyer[22]
- Fry’s Food Stores[23]
- Giant Eagle[24]
- Goodwill (some locations; varies by region)[25][26]
- Hannaford[27]
- Harris Teeter[28]
- H-E-B[29]
- Hobby Lobby[30]
- The Home Depot[31]
- Jewel-Osco[32]
- King Soopers[33]
- Kohl’s[34]
- Kroger[35][36]
- Lowe’s[37]
- Macy’s[38]
- Marc’s[39]
- Marshalls[40]
- Meijer[41]
- Menards[42]
- Micro Center[43]
- Nordstrom[44]
- Office Depot/OfficeMax[45]
- O’Reilly Auto Parts[46]
- Petco (some locations; varies by region)[47]
- PetSmart[48]
- Publix[49]
- QFC[36]
- Ralphs[36]
- Rite Aid[50]
- Ross Dress for Less[51] (See more on the payment methods available at Ross.)
- Safeway[52]
- Sam’s Club[53]
- Save-A-Lot[54]
- Save Mart Supermarkets[55]
- Shaw’s[56]
- ShopRite[57]
- Smith’s Food and Drug[58]
- Staples[59]
- Target[60]
- T.J. Maxx[40]
- Tops Friendly Markets[61]
- Tractor Supply Co.[62]
- Trader Joe’s[63]
- Ulta Beauty[64]
- Valu Home Centers[65]
- Walgreens[66]
- Walmart[67]
- Wegmans[68]
- WinCo Foods[69]
- Winn-Dixie[70]
In addition to the above-listed stores, there are also some gas stations that take checks.
Tip: If you’re not certain whether you have the funds in your account to cover the amount you’re writing a check for, you should always take the time to confirm this with your bank. A bounced check can lead to unexpected fees or the loss of check-writing privileges.[71][72][73]
Alternatives
If you’d prefer to shop online, see the list of sites that take eChecks and personal checks.
Stores That Don’t Accept Personal Checks
Because other payment methods like debit and credit cards carry less risk and are more commonly used, some retailers no longer accept personal checks.
In the course of my research, I found that the following stores don’t accept personal checks:
- ALDI[74]
- Athleta[75]
- Autozone[76]
- Banana Republic[75]
- Barnes & Noble[77]
- Champs Sports[78]
- Finish Line[79]
- Five Below[80]
- Gap[75]
- Harbor Freight Tools[81]
- IKEA[82]
- JCPenney[83]
- JOANN Fabrics[84]
- Michaels[85]
- Neiman Marcus[86]
- Nike[87]
- Old Navy[75]
- Plato’s Closet[88]
FAQ
This depends on the retailer and the location. Most businesses will require a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport) each time you pay with a personal check.[15][89][90]
In Summary
While some businesses no longer accept checks for payment, you can still shop at many major retailers (including home repair, pet care, and electronics stores) and checkout using your checkbook.
Remember to bring your photo ID along, as you’ll usually need to show it at any store that allows check-writing.
You can share your own advice, experiences, and questions regarding paying by check in the comments section below.
I know that Giant and Weis Markets in Maryland accept checks. (These companies appear to be regional and only operate in a few states.) In fact, some thief has successfully used my checking account information to purchase goods at a number of different Giant and Weis stores. The total amount attempted is $1,262.11 (13 attempts at 9 different locations).
NOTE: I am not missing any checks, so I’m not totally sure how the thief figured out my account number: probably he guessed.
My bank and/or TeleCheck declined most of the attempts. These stores do not ask for ID, so anyone with a good hunch can guess at the account number, create his own checks, and try to cash them. The check is run through a TeleCheck terminal and returned to the check writer. No proof of identity is needed to cash a check (so, it’s similar to using a debit card without a PIN). It’s treated as an ACH payment.
The check is not photographed, so there is NO RECORD and NO EVIDENCE of the crime. I have filed police reports, and Giant has had to reimburse my bank for their lax security. (There are cameras, though, in the ceilings, so my prayer is that this crook gets caught.)
Hi Sarally,
I am so sorry to hear about all your troubles! We only included the larger regional and national chains in our article, but as you said, smaller chains like Giant and Weis Markets will accept checks. I hope you find a resolution to this mess, and I hope they catch the person who did this!
I think you should distinguish between “purchasing” with echecks and “making a credit card payment” with echecks. Most of the stores that you list that take checks online, only take them when making a credit card payment, you cannot actually purchase with checks online. I have tried several of these stores and they only accept credit cards for payments when checking out.
Hi Christy,
This article is specifically about paying with a check in store, and not about echecks. Most stores will only take checks in store. We specified that some stores accept checks in-store only because those stores specifically said that in their published policies. We have a separate article for stores that accept checks online: Where to Shop Online and Pay with Checking Account Numbers Only.
What is Jewel-Osco’s check policy?
Hi Roxy,
We checked their website and then contacted their customer service department. We were unable to successfully speak with anyone in their customer service department, and their website did not detail their check writing policy. We will keep trying and keep you updated if were are able to find an answer.
I work for Petco we accept personal checks with I.D and phone number. I.D Number, expiration date and phone number need to be written on the check.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for this information! We will examine the Petco personal check policy and update the article accordingly.
Do the places that accept personal check do they give cash back
The “Stores that do not accept personal checks” section is a little misleading as some of this is based off of links that refer only to online purchase policies, not physical store policies which can often differ somewhat. For instance, the Nike link above, besides saying they don’t accept checks, it also says Nike doesn’t accept cash which I would find hard to believe in their physical stores, but makes more sense for online purchases.
Also, the Whole Foods link takes you to their delivery arm which as an online entity would make sense if they didn’t take checks, but am not seeing anything either for or against definitively stating their physical store locations do not accept a check. And found that their catering arm does accept checks which would lead me to believe that in their local stores, they are taking checks (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/service/catering-16)
Appreciate the effort to better define this, but feels like the best way to confirm this is to do some legwork and visit these stores physically,
Mike,
Thank you so much for bringing your concerns to our attention. I confirmed with Nike corporate headquarters that their store locations will indeed accept cash as a form of payment, but that their stores do not accept checks, and I’ve already updated the article accordingly. I’ve also added cash as a payment method for other stores where applicable. I’ve individually checked other stores on the list that don’t clearly state an in-store policy on their website to make sure their in-store policy is accurately reflected in the article.
I spoke to a representative of Whole Foods and they confirmed that they cannot accept personal checks as a method of payment.
We have just contacted every company listed in this article that doesn’t publish an in-store accepted payment methods page to confirm their in-store policies; of course, it is always possible that policies will vary by individual location, but we’ve done the legwork in terms of confirming the details for each individual company by contacting their corporate headquarters.
I appreciate your attention to accuracy, and I hope this helps!
Does car toys accept checks??
Hi J,
Car Toys’ physical store locations do generally accept checks. (It may be worth finding the phone number for your local store and verifying that this is the case at that location, just to be sure.) However, according to Car Toys customer support, the company does not accept checks for online orders. I hope this helps!
I’ve written a check at many of the locations that you have listed under “will not accept a check.” Home Depot, JCPenny, Petsmart, CVS, just to name a few. Personally I think it depends more on the area than the actual store as to their particular policy on checks.
Hi Bill,
Thanks for bringing this to our attention! Policies definitely can and do vary by individual store location. It seems that for some of the stores you mentioned, the policies cited in the article refer specifically to online purchases, and may not apply to in-store purchases. We’ll be reviewing the other stores listed in the article to verify accuracy and check for similar oversights. I apologize for any confusion that the article has caused and thanks again for writing in!
Hi Bill,
I wanted to let you know that we have re-assessed each individual store to be sure it’s in the correct category and updated the listings based on our new research. Of course, as you said, policies often vary by individual store location, but the revised version of the article is now a more accurate reflection of the general company policy with each of these stores. Again, thanks for writing in!
I worked at a Lowe’s store for a year and a half and we’ve accepted personal checks as long as we could check I’d and the names matched. May have just been my store but Lowe’s is very connected to corporate (in a good way) so I doubt it was just my store.
Hi Travis,
You’re absolutely right! I apologize for the ambiguity in the article. Lowe’s does not accept personal checks for online orders, but checks are accepted for in-store purchases. I reached out to Lowe’s customer support to confirm this and updated the article accordingly. Thanks for letting us know!
I used to work at both JoAnns Craft store and Toys R Us and I also shop at CVS. All 3 of these stores do accept personal checks.
Hi Ally,
I went ahead and made a note in the article to clarify that the published policy at those stores applies specifically to online orders, so customers may be able to pay by check for in-store purchases. Thank you for writing in and bringing that to our attention!
Does shoe department accept checks?
Hi Bella,
I couldn’t find any information on the Shoe Department website, but I went ahead and contacted the company and was advised that the stores do accept personal checks.
I use personal checks at giant eagle all the time (slippery rock, PA). As long as your store card matches the name on the check they’ll accept them
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for your comment! You’re are absolutely right and the post has been updated. We are deeply sorry for any confusion this has caused you or others.
Does any convenience store, “711” or other gas stations” accept checks?
Hi Malia,
Not many gas stations accept checks as payment but Meijer gas stations do accept checks. Use the location finder on the top right corner of this page to see if there’s a location near you.