Stop payment refers to the canceling of a check by instructing the bank to withhold payment. It would work only on a personal check — they are not applicable to cashier’s checks and certified checks.
There are many ways to request a stop payment, and the fee is different for each method. The fee varies depending on the bank and credit union and the mode of requesting a stop payment.
How to request for stop payment to cancel a check
Most banks have the option to request a stop payment on the online banking website, computerized telephone banking, or customer service. While most financial institutions charge the same fee irrespective of the mode of request, some banks charge a fee for personalized assistance.
Below are the fees charged by some popular banks. This information is based on deposit agreements and disclosures published online.
How much does it cost to cancel a check? – Stop Payment Fees for Major US Banks (2023)
| Bank’s Stop Payment Fee | Checking Account Stop Payment Fee | Savings Account Stop Payment Fee | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan Chase Stop Payment Fee | $35 | $35 | May charge additional fees for urgent requests |
| Bank of America Stop Payment Fee | $30 | $30 | Fee may vary by state |
| Citigroup Stop Payment Fee | $35 | $35 | Fee may vary by account type |
| Wells Fargo Stop Payment Fee | $30 | $30 | Fee may be waived for online or mobile stop payment orders |
| U.S. Bancorp Stop Payment Fee | $30 | $30 | Fee may be waived for online or mobile stop payment orders within 24 hours |
| PNC Financial Services Group Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Truist Financial Stop Payment Fee | $30 | $30 | May charge additional fees for urgent requests |
| Goldman Sachs Stop Payment Fee | $35 | $35 | May charge additional fees for urgent requests |
| Capital One Financial Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| TD Group Holdings Stop Payment Fee | $30 | $30 | Fee may be waived for online or mobile stop payment orders within 24 hours |
| Fifth Third Bancorp Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Regions Financial Corporation Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| First Horizon National Corporation Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| SunTrust Banks, Inc. Stop Payment Fee | $30 | $30 | |
| BB&T Corporation Stop Payment Fee | $30 | $30 | |
| Comerica Incorporated Stop Payment Fee | $30 | $30 | |
| Zions Bancorporation Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| M&T Bank Corporation Stop Payment Fee | $30 | $30 | |
| KeyCorp Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Huntington Bancshares Incorporated Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Navy Federal Credit Union Stop Payment Fee | Varies | Varies | Fee depends on account type and service channel |
| PenFed Credit Union Stop Payment Fee | $15 | $15 | |
| State Employees’ Credit Union Stop Payment Fee | $20 | $20 | May be reduced or waived for online or mobile orders |
| Schools First Federal Credit Union Stop Payment Fee | $20 | $20 | |
| USAA Federal Savings Bank Stop Payment Fee | $15 | $15 | May be waived for online or mobile orders |
| Alliant Credit Union Stop Payment Fee | Varies | Varies | Fee depends on account type and service channel |
| Consumers Credit Union Stop Payment Fee | $10 | $10 | |
| Patelco Credit Union Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| First Tech Federal Credit Union Stop Payment Fee | $20 | $20 | May be waived for online or mobile orders |
| Golden 1 Credit Union Stop Payment Fee | $20 | $20 | May be waived for online or mobile orders |
| Ally Bank Stop Payment Fee | $15 | $15 | |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | May be waived for online or mobile orders within 24 hours |
| SoFi Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Betterment Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Discover Bank Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Capital One 360 Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Charles Schwab Bank Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| HSBC Direct Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Synchrony Bank Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 | |
| Varo Bank Stop Payment Fee | $25 | $25 |
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Stop payment of multiple checks cost less at some credit unions
Navy Federal Credit Union and Pentagon Federal Credit Union reduces the fee if you are requesting a stop payment for a consecutive series.
This can be a helpful option for people making regular payments as you can cancel all the checks at once, at a lower cost, if you have made mistakes on numerous checks recently instead of paying an individual fee for each check.
Renewing a stop payment
A stop payment on a check is valid for six months. If you feel that a check might be cashed after the six-month period, you should pay a fee to renew the stop payment.
Stop payment requests are effective only for a specific time period because there is much operational work to process a stop payment. When your request to stop payment is approved on a check, the check would be blocked.
If — in some rare cases — the check is cleared by the bank, even after the request, the bank is liable for that payment.
