How do I Deposit a Check Online?

The process of depositing a check online may be different for each bank, so it is not possible to give specific instructions that will apply in every situation. Your bank may have different rules to deposit a check online, such as limits on the amount of the check that can be deposited, or the amount of time you have to mail in the check after it is entered into the system. In general, to deposit a check online, you will need to log into your bank's website, fill in a form listing details of the check, or electronically submit an image of the check, and then mail the check within at least two days in order for it to be successfully credited to your account.

In most cases, however, banks will offer you the opportunity to deposit a check online if you have been a good banking customer who has not written bad checks or overdrawn on the account. This will allow you to receive a check, go online and "deposit" the funds in your account, and have immediate access to them rather than mailing in a check and waiting for it to clear. This is a process that is most common with larger banks that may operate out of a central location that is nowhere near where you live. Some local banks may not offer the ability to deposit a check online since most customers can simply come into the bank to deposit a check.

When you deposit a check online, as mentioned above, you will have to provide all of the details on the check. This typically includes the issuing party, the name exactly as the check is made out, the amount, the date, and the check number. You will then endorse the check and place it in an envelope; sometimes the bank will provide specific envelopes for this purpose, and may give you a code to write on the outside of the envelope to indicate that it is a check to be deposited. The check must generally go into the mail within 48 hours; if the bank does not receive the check in that time, they will typically withdraw the funds from your account and may prevent you from making online deposits in the future.

Some banks have embraced newer technology that allows you to take a photo of your check with a cell phone, then send it to the bank via text message. Typically it is only the larger banks that now use this technology. In addition, you will typically still need to mail in the check within a certain period of time to have it successfully credited to your account.