You can use a credit card at an ATM to withdraw cash, but the transaction is a cash advance, not a purchase. Expect a fee of 3% to 5% of the amount (or a $10 minimum, whichever is greater), an interest rate typically between 25% and 30%, and interest that starts the moment the cash leaves the machine. There is no grace period. For most people, it is one of the most expensive ways to borrow money.
What You Need Before You Go
Two things have to be in place, or the ATM will refuse the transaction.
The first is a cash advance PIN. This is separate from any debit card PIN you already use. You can request one through your issuer’s app, website, or customer service line. Most issuers mail the PIN to your address on file, and delivery can take up to two weeks. Some banks let you set one online instantly.
The second is knowing your cash advance limit, which is not the same as your overall credit limit. Issuers commonly cap cash access at roughly 20% to 30% of your credit line, so a $5,000 card might only allow $1,000 to $1,500 in cash. Check the number on your statement, in your online account, or by calling the issuer before you leave. Your account also has to be in good standing; issuers can suspend cash advance access if payments are past due or you’ve gone over your limit.
ATMs impose their own per-transaction caps too, which may be lower than what your card allows. Splitting a larger withdrawal across multiple transactions means paying the ATM operator fee each time.
How the Withdrawal Works
The process is close to a debit withdrawal, with one key difference in the menu.
- Insert your card and enter your cash advance PIN.
- When the ATM asks which account to draw from, choose “Credit.” Picking checking or savings will fail the transaction.
- Enter an amount within both your cash advance limit and the ATM’s per-transaction cap.
- If the ATM is outside your card’s network, accept the operator surcharge to continue.
- Take the cash and the receipt. The charge typically posts to your account within one to two business days.
The Fees Stacked on One Withdrawal
A single cash advance can trigger three separate charges.
The cash advance fee comes from your issuer and hits the moment cash is dispensed. It is usually the greater of a flat amount (often $10) or a percentage of the withdrawal, generally 3% to 5%. A $500 withdrawal at 5% costs $25 in fees before any interest. Federal rules require this fee to appear in the pricing table on every credit card application.1Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1026.60 – Credit and Charge Card Applications and Solicitations
The ATM operator fee is charged by the machine’s owner when the ATM isn’t in your issuer’s network. The national average runs around $3, and it stacks on top of the issuer’s fee.
The foreign transaction fee applies if you use the card at an ATM outside the United States. It typically runs 1% to 3% and sits on top of the cash advance fee. Not every card charges it, so check your cardholder agreement before you travel.
Interest and the Missing Grace Period
Cash advance APRs commonly run 25% to 30%, well above a typical purchase APR. The Truth in Lending Act requires your issuer to disclose both rates in your cardholder agreement,2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1601 – Congressional Findings and Declaration of Purpose and the cash advance rate must appear in the same disclosure table as the purchase rate on every application and solicitation.1Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1026.60 – Credit and Charge Card Applications and Solicitations
The rate is only part of the cost. The bigger issue is that cash advances get no grace period. On a regular purchase, you generally have at least 21 days after the billing cycle closes to pay before interest starts. With a cash advance, interest accrues from the day the money leaves the ATM.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Is a Grace Period for a Credit Card? Every day you carry the balance adds to the bill, even if you clear it before your next statement.
A worked example: $500 at a 5% fee and a 29.99% APR. The fee is $25. Pay it off in 30 days and you’ll add roughly $12 in interest, for about $37 in total borrowing cost. Stretch repayment to six months and the interest alone can pass the original fee.
How Payments Apply If You Already Carry a Balance
If your card carries both a purchase balance and a cash advance balance, the way payments are split matters. Federal rules require any amount above the minimum payment to go to the highest-rate balance first, then work down.4eCFR. 12 CFR 1026.53 – Allocation of Payments Since cash advances almost always carry the highest rate on the card, extra payments hit that balance first.
The minimum payment itself isn’t covered by that rule. Issuers can apply it however they choose, and many direct it toward the lowest-rate balance. Pay only the minimum and your cash advance can sit almost untouched while interest compounds. If you’re carrying a cash advance, pay more than the minimum.
If Someone Else Uses Your Card at an ATM
Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card use at $50, and only if certain conditions are met, including that the issuer gave you notice of that potential liability and a way to report a lost or stolen card.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1643 – Liability of Holder of Credit Card Once you report the card lost or stolen, you owe nothing for unauthorized charges made after that notice.6eCFR. 12 CFR 1026.12 – Special Credit Card Provisions Many major issuers voluntarily waive the $50 through zero-liability policies, but those are issuer promises, not federal requirements. Report a missing card as soon as you notice it.
These protections cover credit card cash advances. Debit card withdrawals fall under a different, less forgiving set of rules, so don’t assume the same rights carry over.
Cheaper Ways to Get the Cash
Because a cash advance stacks fees on top of high-rate interest that starts immediately, other options usually come out ahead.
- A personal loan from a bank, credit union, or online lender. The average personal loan rate was roughly 12% as of early 2026, well below cash advance APRs. Funding takes a few days.
- A debit card withdrawal from your own checking account. You may pay an ATM surcharge, but no interest.
- Peer-to-peer payment apps. Standard transfers from a linked bank account are usually free and can replace cash when you’re paying another person.
- A payroll advance or earned-wage access program, if your employer offers one. Fees are typically a small flat amount.
One option that looks cheaper but isn’t: the convenience checks some issuers mail to cardholders. Those checks are treated as cash advances, so they carry the same elevated APR, the same immediate interest, and a percentage-based transaction fee.7FDIC. Credit Card Checks and Cash Advances