Understand your state's check cashing requirements
"My state had a new regulation for check cashers. I talked to EmagineNET and they updated their system quickly to meet the new requirement."-Check Casher 4 U, North Carolina
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Select on your state to learn more about its check cashing regulations
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Mexico
- New York
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
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Alabama
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: http://www.banking.alabama.gov/ -
Alaska
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/bsc/ -
Arizona
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
Permissible Fees: Limited to 3% or $5 (whichever is greater) for cashing checks issued by a US state agency or State of Arizona. No limits otherwise.
Possible Exemptions: Any business who cashes less than 10 checks per year and does not exceed more than $500 in check cashing compensation per month.
State Banking Link: http://www.azdfi.gov/ -
Arkansas
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: 5% for state public assistance, social security, or a check issued by federal or state entity; 10% for personal checks or money orders; 6% for all other checks; a fee of no more than $5 to set up an initial customer account and issue an optional identification card for providing check-cashing services.
Possible Exemptions: Any business who primarily engages is selling consumer or other goods and whose check cashing or money order services do not exceed 3% of their gross revenues
State Banking Link: http://www.state.ar.us/bank/ -
California
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: 3% with ID for payroll or government checks, or 3.5% without identification, or $3, whichever is greater; 12% of the face value of a personal check. Permitted to charge an amount not greater than $10 to set up an initial account and issue an optional identification card.
Possible Exemptions: Any business who primarily engages is selling consumer or other goods and whose check cashing or money order service fees do not exceeding $2 as a service to its customers that is incidental to its main purpose or business.
State Banking Link: http://www.dfi.ca.gov/ -
Colorado
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: http://www.dora.state.co.us/banking/ -
Connecticut
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: 3% with ID for payroll or government checks, or 3.5% without identification, or $3, whichever is greater; 12% of the face value of a personal check. Permitted to charge an amount not greater than $10 to set up an initial account and issue an optional identification card.
Possible Exemptions: Any business who primarily engages is selling consumer or other goods and whose check cashing or money order service fees do not exceeding $2 as a service to its customers that is incidental to its main purpose or business.
State Banking Link: http://www.ct.gov/dob/site/default.asp -
Delaware
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: 2%, or $4, whichever is greater, for cashing a check, draft or money order.
Possible Exemptions: If you charge less than 10 cents for cashing each check, draft or money order.
State Banking Link: www.banking.delaware.gov/ -
Florida
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 5% of the face amount for someone with identification, or 6% without identification, or $5, whichever is greater; For state public assistance or social security, a business cannot charge more than 3% with identification, or 4% without identification, or $5, whichever is greater; For personal checks or money orders, a business cannot charge more than 10% or $5, whichever is greater.
Possible Exemptions: he law does not apply to a business that cashes a check of less than $2,000 per person per day, and if that person is incidental to the retail sales of goods and services and whose compensation for cashing payments does not exceed %5 of the total gross income by such person during the last 60 days.
State Banking Link: www.myfloridacfo.com/ -
Georgia
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 5% of the face amount of the check or draft or $5, whichever is greater; 3% or $5, whichever is greater, for state public assistance or social security payable to the bearer of the check; 10% or $5, whichever is greater, for personal checks or money orders.
Possible Exemptions: A business may register (rather than be licensed) as a check casher if it engages in cashing checks, money orders, or other drafts for a fee limited to the greater of $2 or 2% of the face amount of the check, whichever is greater. A registered casher of checks is not permitted to advertise its check cashing services.
State Banking Link: www.gadbf.org/ -
Hawaii
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 3% of face amount of the check or $5, whichever is greater, for state public assistance or social security payable to the bearer of the check; 10% or $5, whichever is greater, for personal checks or money orders; 5% or $5 of face amount, whichever is greater, for all other checks. Limit of $10 to setup an initial account and issue an optional membership or identification card.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to any person who is principally engaged in the primary business is retail sale of goods or services and from time to time cashes items for a fee not greater than 2%, or $2 of the amount of the check, whichever is greater.
State Banking Link: http://hawaii.gov/dcca/dfi -
Idaho
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: http://finance.idaho.gov/ -
Illinois
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 1.4% of face amount plus a service charge of $1 on all checks $100 or less; 2.25% on checks greater than $100.
Possible Exemptions: If check cashing services are incidental to the main business of the merchant and the merchant does not charge fees in excess of the greater of .50¢ or 1% of the face value of the check cashed. State
State Banking Link: http://www.idfpr.com/ -
Indiana
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 10% of the face amount of a personal check or $10, whichever is greater; 5% of the face amount or $5, whichever is greater, for all other checks.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to persons engaged in the business of cashing checks if the transaction is incidental to the retail sale of goods or services and consideration for cashing checks does not exceed 2%, or $2, whichever is greater, of the face amount of the check
State Banking Link: http://www.in.gov/dfi/ -
Iowa
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: www.idob.state.ia.us/ -
Kansas
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: www.osbckansas.org -
Kentucky
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: No limit. Licensee must conspicuously display a schedule of all fees and charges for authorized services.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to any person who cashes checks without receiving any consideration or fee, or any business that engaged in the retail sale of goods or services who, either as an incident to or independently of a retail sale, from time to time cash checks for a fee or other consideration.
State Banking Link: http://www.kfi.ky.gov/ -
Louisiana
License, Permit, or Registration Required:Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 2% of the face amount of the check or $5, whichever is greater, for public welfare or public assistance of the United States, the State of Louisiana or any political subdivision of the state; 10% of the total amount of the check presented for cashing or $5, whichever is greater, for all other checks or money orders.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to a business that cashes a check, draft, money order, or traveler's check, or other commercial paper for a fee that does not exceed $2 and the currency exchange is incidental to the primary business.
State Banking Link: http://www.ofi.state.la.us/ -
Maine
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 5% with identification, or 6% without identification, or $5, whichever is greater; For state public assistance or social security cannot charge more than 3% with identification or 4% without identification, or $5, whichever is greater; and Cannot charge more than 10% or $5, whichever is greater, for personal checks and money orders.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to a business that is primarily engaged in the selling tangible personal property or services at retail and does not derive more than 5% of its income from check cashing.
State Banking Link: http://www.maine.gov/pfr/financialinstitutions/ -
Maryland
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 2% or $3, whichever is greater, for government checks; 10% or $5, whichever is greater, for personal checks; 4% or $5, whichever is greater, for all other payment instruments. A one-time membership fee cannot exceed $5.
Possible Exemptions: Cannot charge more than 2% or $3, whichever is greater, for government checks; 10% or $5, whichever is greater, for personal checks; 4% or $5, whichever is greater, for all other payment instruments. A one-time membership fee cannot exceed $5.
State Banking Link: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/finance/ -
Massachusetts
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: No Limit. A schedule of fees and charges to be charged for the cashing of checks, drafts or money orders must be filed annually by each licensee with the commissioner.
Possible Exemptions: A business is exempt if the fees charged for cashing checks, drafts or money orders does not exceed more than $1 per.
State Banking Link: http://www.mass.gov/dob -
Michigan
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: www.michigan.gov/ofis -
Minnesota
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: No Limit. Fees charged at each location for check cashing services must be filed with and approved by the Commissioner of Commerce, except businesses that provide check cashing services incidental to their primary business are not required to file.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to a business that provides check cashing services incidental to is primary business if the charge for cashing a check or draft does not exceed $1 or 1%, whichever is greater.
State Banking Link: www.commerce.state.mn.us/ -
Mississippi
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 3% or $5, whichever is greater, for government checks; 10% or $5, whichever is greater, for personal checks; 5% or $5, whichever is greater, for all other checks or money orders.
Possible Exemptions: Any business principally engaged in the retail sale of goods or services that, either as an incident to or independently of a retail sale, may from time to time cash checks for a fee, not exceeding 3% of the face amount of the check or $10, whichever is greater. The fee must be conspicuously posted for public view.
State Banking Link: www.dbcf.state.ms.us/ -
Missouri
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: www.finance.mo.gov/ -
Montana
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: banking.mt.gov/ -
Nebraska
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: www.ndbf.ne.gov -
Nevada
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: No limit, but customer must receive and sign written fee notice prior to transaction.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to a business primarily engaged in the retail sale of goods or services that from time to time cashes checks for a fee or other consideration of not more than $2 and does not hold himself out as a check-cashing service.
State Banking Link: www.fid.state.nv.us/ -
New Hampshire
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: http://www.nh.gov/banking/ -
New Jersey
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 2% or 90¢, whichever is greater, for checks drawn on a depository institution or other financial entity; 1% or 90¢, whichever is greater, for public assistance checks; 1.5% or 90¢, whichever is greater, for social security checks. Other restrictions apply. Please visit the States banking website for more.
Possible Exemptions: None
State Banking Link: www.state.nj.us/dobi -
New Mexico
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: www.rld.state.nm.us/ -
New York
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 1.82% of the amount of the check, draft or money order, or $1, whichever is greater (fee is subject to annual adjustment based on increase in regional consumer price index); there is no fee limitation for the cashing of commercial checks.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply when checks, drafts or money orders are cashed without a consideration or charge; or when checks, drafts or money orders are cashed as an incident to the conduct of any other lawful business where not more than $1 is charged for cashing each check.
State Banking Link: www.banking.state.ny.us/ -
North Carolina
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 3% or $5, whichever is greater, for all government checks; 10% or $5, whichever is greater, for personal checks; 5% or $5, whichever is greater, for all other checks or money orders.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to any business primarily engaged in the genuine retail sale of goods or services, that either as an incident to or independently of a retail sale or service from time to time cashes checks, drafts, or money orders for a fee or other consideration, where not more than $2 is charged for the service.
State Banking Link: www.nccob.org -
North Dakota
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: http://www.nd.gov/dfi/ -
Ohio
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 3% of the face amount for state and federal government checks; no limit otherwise.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to a business that is primarily engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property or services at retail and does not derive more than 5% of the person's gross income from the cashing of checks.
State Banking Link: www.com.ohio.gov/fiin/ -
Oklahoma
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: www.osbd.state.ok.us/ -
Oregon
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: www.osbd.state.ok.us/ -
Oregon
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than $5 or 2%, whichever is greater, for federal/state government checks if the person has a valid government-issued identification; $5 or 2-1/2% whichever is greater, for federal/state government checks if the person is without valid government-issued identification; $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, for a government payment instrument or payroll check with valid government-issued identification; $5 or 3-1/2%, whichever is greater, if without valid government issued identification. For any other payment instrument, $5 or 10% of the face value of the payment instrument, whichever is greater. The total amount charged for cashing any check cannot be more than $100.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to a person engaged in the retail sale of goods or services and not claiming to be a check-cashing business that, from time to time cashes payment for a fee, but does not charge more than $2 or 2% of the face value of the payment instrument, whichever is greater.
State Banking Link: www.cbs.state.or.us/dfcs/ -
Pennsylvania
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 2.5% of the face amount of government assistance checks, if the payee submits valid identification; 3% for payroll checks; 10% for personal checks. A fee not to exceed $10 is permitted to cover the cost of investigating a new customer's credit.
Possible Exemptions: None
State Banking Link: www.banking.state.pa.us -
Rhode Island
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 3% the face amount of the check or $5, whichever is greater, for state public assistance or social security checks; 10% or $5, whichever is greater, for personal checks; 5% or $5, whichever is greater, on all other checks.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to persons engaged in the business of cashing checks where that business is incidental to the person's retail sale of goods or services and the person charges not more than .50¢ per check cashed.
State Banking Link: www.dbr.state.ri.us/ -
South Carolina
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 2% or $3, whichever is greater, for government or electronically printed payroll checks; 7% or $5, whichever is greater, for all other checks, including handwritten payroll checks and money orders.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to any person or entity principally engaged in the legit retail sale of goods or services, who either as an incident to or independently of a retail sale or service and not holding itself out to be a Level I or Level II check cashing service, from time to time cashes checks, drafts, or money orders without a fee or other consideration.
State Banking Link: banking.sc.gov -
South Dakota
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: http://www.state.sd.us/drr2/reg/bank/BANK-HOM.htm -
Tennessee
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 3% or $2, whichever is greater, for public assistance or social security checks; 10% or $5, whichever is greater, for personal checks; 5% or $5, whichever is greater, for all other checks. Licensees may charge a customer a one-time membership fee not to exceed $10.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to persons engaged in the cashing of payment instruments which is incidental to the retail sale of goods or services whose compensation for cashing payment instruments at each site does not exceed 5% of the gross receipts from the retail sale of goods or services by such person during its most recently completed fiscal year.
State Banking Link: www.state.tn.us/tdfi -
Texas
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: http://www.banking.state.tx.us/ -
Utah
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: No limit. A check casher is required to post a complete schedule of all fees for cashing a check in a conspicuous location at its premises that can be viewed by a person cashing a check.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to a person that cashes a check in a transaction that is incidental to the retail sale of goods or services and for consideration that does not exceed 1% of the amount of the check or $1, whichever is greater.
State Banking Link: www.dfi.utah.gov -
Vermont
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: Cannot charge more than 3% or $2, whichever is greater, for state public assistance or social security checks, if the customer cashing the payment instrument is the named payee; 10% or $5, whichever is less, for personal checks; 5% or $5, whichever is greater, for all other checks. Licensees may charge a customer a one-time membership fee not in excess of $10.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to a seller of goods or services that cashes payment instruments incidental to or independent of a sale and does not charge for cashing the payment instrument a fee in excess of $ 1 per instrument.
State Banking Link: www.bishca.state.vt.us -
Virginia
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
Permissible Fees: No limit. Registrant must file a statement of the fees charged at every location with the Commissioner. A notice stating the fees charged for cashing items must be conspicuously posted and displayed at all times.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to any person not holding himself/herself out to be a check cashing service, which is principally engaged in the bona fide retail sale of goods or services, who either as an incident to or independently of such retail sale or service, from time to time cashes items for a fee or other consideration, where not more than $2 or 2% of the amount of the item, whichever is greater, is charged for the service.
State Banking Link: www.scc.virginia.gov/bfi/index.aspx -
Washington
License, Permit, or Registration Required:Yes
Permissible Fees: No limit. A schedule of the fees and the charges for the cashing of checks, drafts, money orders, or other commercial paper serving the same purpose shall be conspicuously and continuously posted in every licensed location.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to persons not primarily engaged in the business of cashing or selling checks that are granted a total or partial exemption upon the director of Financial Institutions concluding that such an exemption would not be detrimental to the public.
State Banking Link: www.dfi.wa.gov/ -
Wisconsin
License, Permit, or Registration Required: Yes
State Banking Link: www.wdfi.org -
West Virginia
License, Permit, or Registration Required:Yes
Permissible Fees:Cannot charge more than 1% of the face value cashed or $1, whichever is greater. Merchants deriving more than 5% of gross revenues from cashing checks must obtain the proper license from state Division of Banking.
Possible Exemptions: The law does not apply to a merchant who is primarily in the business of making retail consumer sales and offers check cashing services at its stores to accommodate its customers in the course of said business, and collects a fee for the service, if the check cashing service and any fees charged are incidental to the main business of the merchant. Where a merchant derives more than 5% of his or her gross revenues from cashing checks, the check cashing services are not considered incidental to the main business of the merchant, and the merchant is required to be licensed.
State Banking Link: www.wvdob.org -
Wyoming
License, Permit, or Registration Required: No
State Banking Link: audit.state.wy.us/banking