You can cash a two-party check at the bank that issued it, at either payee’s own bank or credit union, or at some retail check-cashing locations such as Walmart. The catch is the small word between the two names on the payee line: if it reads “and,” both people generally have to show up together, endorse the check, and present photo ID. If it reads “or,” either person can handle it alone.
Check the Word Between the Names First
Before you go anywhere, look at how the payee line is written. A check made out to “Pat and Chris Doe” needs both people’s endorsements before any bank or business will cash or deposit it.1Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Do Both My Spouse and I Have to Sign the Back of a Check Made Out to Us? Under the Uniform Commercial Code, a check payable to multiple people who are not listed as alternatives can only be negotiated with every named payee’s endorsement.2Legal Information Institute. UCC 3-110 Identification of Person to Whom Instrument Is Payable
A check made out to “Pat or Chris Doe” can be endorsed and cashed by either person acting alone.1Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Do Both My Spouse and I Have to Sign the Back of a Check Made Out to Us? If the names are stacked on separate lines with no connecting word, or the check reads “and/or,” the answer depends on the bank. Some treat ambiguous wording as “or” and let either person negotiate the check; others take the cautious view and require both signatures. Call ahead before making the trip.
The Bank That Issued the Check
The most direct option is the bank printed on the front of the check, which holds the check writer’s account. That bank can verify the funds on the spot and will generally cash its own checks. If neither payee has an account there, expect a fee. Non-customer check-cashing fees at major national banks typically run from about $5 to $10, though some charge a percentage of the check amount and a few waive the fee on smaller checks.
Your Own Bank or Credit Union
If one or both payees have an account somewhere, that institution will usually accept the check. It is simplest when both payees share a joint account there, because the bank does not have to sort out which payee receives the money. Without a joint account, the bank may require the check to be deposited into one payee’s individual account with both people present to endorse it.
Credit unions follow similar rules but may limit services to members. If only one payee is a member, the credit union might still process the check but could hold the funds longer before releasing them.
Banks often prefer to deposit a two-party check rather than pay cash, especially on larger amounts. Two-party checks can also face longer holds than single-payee checks because they carry higher fraud risk.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Long Can a Bank or Credit Union Hold Funds I Deposited?
Walmart and Check-Cashing Storefronts
Retail options help when you don’t have a bank account or need service outside banking hours, but the limits are tighter and the fees higher.
Walmart cashes two-party personal checks up to $200 with a maximum fee of $6.4Walmart. Check Cashing Grocery chains sometimes offer check-cashing services, though many refuse two-party personal checks entirely and only handle government or payroll checks.
Dedicated check-cashing storefronts may accept larger amounts but charge percentage-based fees, often 2% to 5% of the check’s face value, and sometimes more for personal checks. Both payees will need government-issued photo ID and may have to complete a brief registration. Rates vary widely between providers, so it pays to compare before committing.
Mobile Deposit and ATMs
Mobile banking apps and ATMs work well for single-payee checks but are unreliable for two-party “and” checks. Some banks accept them through mobile deposit as long as both payees endorse the back before the photo is taken. Others reject or restrict two-party checks because no employee is there to witness the endorsements. Check your bank’s mobile deposit terms before trying.
ATMs raise the same problem. The machine cannot confirm that both required signatures are present, and if the bank later determines the check was improperly endorsed, the deposit can be reversed. If you already spent the money, that reversal can overdraw the account. Depositing into a joint account where both payees are named account holders lowers the risk.
What Both Payees Need to Bring
For an “and” check, both payees should plan to do the following at the counter:
- Endorse the back of the check in the endorsement area, which is the top 1.5 inches of the trailing edge (the left side when the check is face-down).
- Sign as the name appears on the front. If a name is misspelled, sign it as written and then sign again with the correct spelling.
- Bring a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.
- Show up together, since most banks require both payees to be present so the teller can witness the endorsements and match them to the IDs.
Writing “For Deposit Only” above your signature along with the account number creates a restrictive endorsement, meaning the check can only be deposited into that account and cannot be cashed over the counter.5Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Does It Mean for a Check to Be Indorsed For Deposit Only? On a two-party “and” check, both payees should still sign even with this restriction added.
If One Payee Can’t Be There
Things get harder when one payee is unavailable. Banks are cautious in these situations because they face liability if they pay a check without a required endorsement.
Power of Attorney
If one payee holds a valid power of attorney for the other, that person can typically endorse the check on the absent payee’s behalf. The endorsement should show the representative capacity, for example “Chris Doe by Pat Doe, attorney-in-fact.” The bank will usually want a copy of the POA document, and individual banks have their own policies on which documents they accept.
Deceased Payee
When one payee has died, the path depends on the type of payment. For government checks such as tax refunds or payments for U.S. securities, the executor or administrator of the deceased payee’s estate can endorse the check by noting their capacity, such as “John Jones by Mary Jones, executor of the estate of John Jones.” For recurring benefit or annuity payments, the check generally has to be returned to the issuing agency.6eCFR. 31 CFR 240.15 Checks Issued to Deceased Payees
For non-government checks such as insurance settlements, the rules follow state probate law. In most cases, the practical step is to contact the check issuer and ask for a replacement made out to the surviving payee and the estate of the deceased payee.
Old Checks and Large Cash Payouts
Two situations can stop you at the counter even when everything else is in order.
A bank has no obligation to honor a check presented more than six months after its date.7Legal Information Institute. UCC 4-404 Bank Not Obliged to Pay Check More Than Six Months Old A bank may still process an older check in good faith, but most will reject stale-dated items, and two-party checks already draw extra scrutiny. Retail check-cashers are even less likely to take an old check. If yours is nearing six months, ask the issuer for a replacement.
If you plan to walk out with more than $10,000 in currency, the bank must file a Currency Transaction Report with the federal government. The report is routine and does not signal anything wrong with your transaction. Splitting the check into smaller cash withdrawals to stay under $10,000 is called structuring and is itself a federal crime, even when the money is legitimate.8Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Notice to Customers – A CTR Reference Guide Cash it in a single transaction and bring ID for the filing. Depositing the check instead of cashing it avoids the CTR, because no currency changes hands.