25 Nearby Places to Cash Starter Checks

Person putting cash in an envelope after cashing a starter check

There aren’t many places that cash starter checks, but there are options. Below, we explain how starter checks work, plus where to go when you need to cash one.

What Is a Starter Check?

Starter checks are usually given to you when you open up a new bank account; they allow you to write checks before your printed checks arrive in the mail. Starter checks have the bank’s routing number printed along the bottom of the check just like a normal check, and depending on the bank, they may have an account number printed as well. However, the account holder’s name and personal information are generally left off.

Many stores are skeptical of starter checks because they show that the user does not have an established account history.  Also, starter checks have frequently played a role in scams where bad checks were written or where counterfeit checks were designed to look like starter checks.

You may have some difficulty even paying for items with a starter check, let alone trying to cash a starter check. But we’ve found places that will cash a starter check for you. Regardless of where you go to cash a starter check, expect to need at least a government-issued photo ID to be able to confirm your identity before cashing the starter check.

Places Where You Can Cash a Starter Check

Banks and Credit Unions

Your first option for cheaper starter check cashing should be to either go to a bank where you currently have an account or the bank where the starter check is from.

The following banks verified with us that they will allow starter check cashing only if you either have an account with the bank with funds to cover the amount of the check you are cashing or if the starter check is drawn from an account at the bank.

The fees listed below are if you don’t have an account with that bank but are cashing a starter check drawn from an account at the bank. Check cashing services are free at the banks below if you already have an account.

Bank of America logo

Bank of America

BB and T Logo

BB&T

BMO Harris Bank logo

BMO Harris Bank

Bank of the West logo

Bank of the West

Chase Bank logo

Chase Bank

Chartway Federal Credit Union logo

Chartway Federal Credit Union

Note: Chartway Federal Credit Union will not cash your check if it is made out to a business

Citibank logo

Citibank

Citizens Bank logo

Citizens Bank

Connexus Credit Union logo

Connexus Credit Union

Fifth Third Bank logo

Fifth Third Bank

Mountain America Credit Union logo

Mountain America Credit Union

Navy Federal Credit Union logo

Navy Federal Credit Union

PenFed Credit Union logo

PenFed Credit Union

PNC Bank logo

PNC Bank

SunTrust logo

SunTrust Bank

TD Bank logo

TD Bank

US Bank logo

US Bank

Wells Fargo logo

Wells Fargo

Check Cashing Stores

Check cashing companies are one place where you can cash a starter check. We reached out to more than a dozen check cashing stores around the country, and the customer service representatives we spoke with from the stores below were always careful to say that, while they do cash starter checks, each check must be verified in-store.

When you bring a starter check into a check cashing store, they will attempt to verify that the person or business who wrote the check is real, the money is coming from a real bank account, and that the bank account has sufficient funds. If the starter check doesn’t pass the store’s verification process, you won’t be able to cash a starter check at that location. So, while we can say that these locations detailed below are able to cash starter checks, we can’t guarantee that they’ll cash every starter check.

Check cashing companies may provide the most convenience for you to cash your starter check; however, you should know that the fees for starter check cashing at these places are likely to be high relative to banks.

ACE Cash Express Logo

ACE Cash Express

Advance Financial logo

Advance Financial (Tennessee)

Amscot logo

Amscot

Check Into Cash logo

Check Into Cash

PLS Check Cashing logo

PLS Check Cashing (North Carolina)

The Check Cashing Store logo

The Check Cashing Store (Florida)

Money Mart logo

Money Mart

Places Where You Can’t Cash a Starter Check

Banks

The banks below will deposit a starter check into an account but won’t cash the checks outright.

Check Cashing Stores

  • United Check Cashing (confirmed by customer service).

Retail Stores

No grocery stores will cash starter checks. In addition, these retail stores with popular check cashing services don’t cash starter checks.

  • Kmart (confirmed by customer service)
  • Walmart (See our article on Walmart check cashing for more info; also confirmed by customer service)

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