Deposit Footer Bulletin For Free

The Federal Reserve requires that a bank hold most checks for a reasonable period of time before crediting the customer's account. A "reasonable" period of time can range from two business days to up to six business days. A hold can also be placed if a bank has reasonable cause to doubt the collectability of the check.

Generally, a returned check is one that a bank declines to honor ? typically because there's not enough money in the check writer's account to cover the amount of the payment. You might know this situation as a ?bounced check,? while the bank calls it ?nonsufficient funds,? or NSF.

Banks place holds on checks to make sure that the check payer has the bank funds necessary to clear it. In addition to protecting your bank, a hold can protect you from spending funds from a check that is later returned unpaid. That's important because it could help you avoid accidental overdrafts and related fees.

Depositing a large check If you make an unusually large deposit, your bank may place a hold on bank account funds until they can verify that these funds will clear. The same applies to multiple large deposits made in a short-time period.

The hold allows us (and the bank paying the funds) time to validate the check ? which can help you avoid potential fees in the event a deposited check is returned unpaid. Keep in mind, though, that a check may still be returned unpaid after funds have been made available to you.

How long does it take for a check to bounce? Generally speaking, a check for an amount greater than $225 won't clear until two or more business days after it's deposited at a bank. 6 In the same vein, it typically takes at least two business days for a bad check to bounce.

When you deposit a check, the money isn't always available right away. The amount of time that it takes for your funds to become available is sometimes referred to as a check hold. It means the bank is holding the money and you can't spend it yet.