Bank of America ATMs will not let you overdraft at the machine itself
When you insert your debit card at a Bank of America ATM and request cash, the machine checks your available balance before dispensing anything. If you ask for more money than you have, the ATM declines the transaction and returns your card. You cannot override this — the ATM straightforward will not give you the cash, and no overdraft occurs at that moment.
This is different from what happens when you swipe your debit card at a store or pay a bill online. Those transactions can overdraft your account if Bank of America has overdraft protection turned on. But ATMs are built to stop the transaction before it happens, not to let it through and charge you a fee afterward.
Key Takeaways
- Bank of America ATMs reject withdrawal requests that exceed your available balance — the machine will not dispense cash and no overdraft fee is charged.
- Overdrafts can still happen with your debit card at stores, online, or through bill pay, even if the ATM protects you.
- Bank of America's overdraft protection is on by default for some transaction types but not others, and you can turn it off in your online account or by calling customer service.
- If you need cash and your balance is low, you can transfer money from savings to checking through the ATM, online, or by phone before attempting a withdrawal.
How overdraft protection works with your debit card
Bank of America offers overdraft protection, which means the bank will cover a transaction that would otherwise fail because you do not have enough money. When this happens, you are charged an overdraft fee — currently $35 per transaction at Bank of America, though this can change. The bank covers the shortfall temporarily, and you owe them that money back.
Overdraft protection is turned on by default for certain types of transactions: debit card purchases, checks, and automatic bill payments. It is turned off by default for ATM withdrawals and transfers to other banks. This means your debit card can overdraft at a store, but your ATM cannot overdraft at the machine.
You can change these settings yourself. Log into your Bank of America online account, go to Account Settings, and look for Overdraft Protection. You can turn it on or off for each transaction type. You can also call 1-800-432-1000 to make changes by phone.
What to do if you need cash but your balance is too low
If the ATM declines your withdrawal, you have several options before you leave. The fastest is to transfer money from another account you own — if you have a Bank of America savings account, you can move money from savings to checking right at the ATM. Insert your card, select "Transfer Funds," and move what you need. This takes seconds and costs nothing.
If you do not have another account with Bank of America, you can transfer money from another bank using your phone or computer before you go to the ATM. Many banks allow transfers between institutions through their online platform. You can also ask someone to send you money through a service like Zelle, Venmo, or a wire transfer, though these may take a few hours or longer.
If none of those options work and you need cash urgently, you can ask a teller inside a Bank of America branch to withdraw money from your account. A teller can process a withdrawal even if it would overdraft, and they will inform you of the fee. This is not recommended as a regular solution, but it is an option if you are in a branch and have no other way to get cash.
Overdraft fees and how to avoid them
Each overdraft transaction costs $35 at Bank of America. If you overdraft multiple times in one day, you can be charged multiple fees — one per transaction. These fees add up quickly, especially if several small purchases go through before you realize your balance is low.
The best way to avoid overdraft fees is to turn off overdraft protection entirely. Go to your account settings and disable it for debit card purchases, checks, and bill payments. When you do this, transactions that would overdraft will straightforward be declined instead — you will not be charged a fee, and the transaction will not go through. This means you might be embarrassed at a checkout, but you will not owe the bank money.
Another approach is to set up a low balance alert. In your Bank of America online account, you can ask the bank to send you a text or email when your balance drops below a number you choose. This gives you time to transfer money or deposit a check before you accidentally overdraft.
The difference between available balance and account balance
Bank of America shows you two numbers: your account balance and your available balance. Your account balance is the total of all transactions the bank has recorded. Your available balance is what you can actually spend right now, because it accounts for transactions that have been submitted but not yet processed.
When you check your balance at an ATM, you see your available balance. This is the number the ATM uses to decide whether to give you cash. If you have $500 in your account but $300 in pending transactions, your available balance might be $200, and that is all the ATM will let you withdraw.
This matters because a transaction you made yesterday might not have cleared yet. You might think you have money to spend, but the bank has already set it aside. Checking your available balance — not just your account balance — before you go to the ATM helps you avoid the disappointment of a declined withdrawal.
Overdraft protection versus overdraft fees
These terms sound similar but mean different things. Overdraft protection is a service that lets transactions go through even when you do not have enough money — the bank covers the gap and charges you a fee. Overdraft fees are the charges you pay when overdraft protection kicks in.
You can have overdraft protection turned on and never pay a fee if you never overdraft. You can also have overdraft protection turned off and never pay a fee because transactions will straightforward be declined. The fee only appears when overdraft protection is on and you overdraft.
Some people prefer to have overdraft protection on because they do not want transactions declined in public. Others prefer it off because they would rather be declined than owe the bank money. There is no right answer — it depends on your situation and what you are comfortable with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I overdraft my Bank of America account at an ATM outside the United States?
No. ATMs worldwide use the same basic rule: they check your available balance and decline the transaction if you do not have enough. International ATMs may also charge you a foreign transaction fee on top of the withdrawal, but they will not let you overdraft.
What if I overdraft by accident through a debit card purchase and did not know overdraft protection was on?
Contact Bank of America at 1-800-432-1000 and explain what happened. The bank sometimes reverses one overdraft fee per year if you have a good account history, though this is not may provide. It is worth asking, especially if this is your first overdraft.
Does turning off overdraft protection affect my credit score?
No. Overdraft protection is an internal bank service and does not appear on your credit report. Turning it off or on has no effect on your credit. However, if you overdraft and the bank sends your account to collections, that can hurt your credit — so avoiding overdrafts is still important.
Can I set up overdraft protection just for emergencies?
Bank of America does not offer a way to turn overdraft protection on and off for specific transactions. You can turn it on or off for a category of transactions (like debit card purchases), but not for individual moments. Your best option is to keep it off and turn it on temporarily if you know you will need it for something specific.
What happens if I overdraft and do not pay it back?
Bank of America will keep charging you overdraft fees as long as your account stays negative. After a certain period — usually around 60 days — the bank may close your account and report you to ChexSystems, a banking history database. This makes it harder to open accounts at other banks. It is important to pay back overdrafts as soon as you can.