Chase charges monthly fees on most checking accounts, but the amount and whether you pay it depends on which account you have and how you use it

Chase offers several checking accounts, and most of them carry a monthly maintenance fee. The most common account, Chase Total Checking, costs $12 per month. However, you can waive this fee by meeting one of several conditions: keeping a minimum daily balance of $500, setting up direct deposit, maintaining a linked savings account with $500, or making 10 or more debit card transactions per month. Other Chase checking products have different fee structures and different ways to avoid paying.

The fee you pay—or don't pay—depends entirely on which account you choose and whether you meet the bank's waiver requirements. This matters because the difference between a $12 monthly fee and no fee is $144 per year, which adds up quickly if you're not watching for it.

Key Takeaways

  • Chase Total Checking charges $12 per month, but you can waive the fee by direct deposit, maintaining a $500 balance, linking a savings account, or making 10 debit card transactions monthly.
  • Chase Premier Plus Checking costs $25 per month and is designed for customers who want higher account limits and priority service.
  • Chase Student Checking has no monthly maintenance fee and is open to customers under 24 years old.
  • Overdraft fees at Chase are $35 per transaction, and the bank allows multiple overdrafts per day, so a single day of overspending can result in hundreds in fees.
  • Fees beyond the monthly maintenance charge include wire transfer fees, stop payment requests, and ATM fees outside the Chase network.

The two main Chase checking accounts and their monthly costs

Chase Total Checking is the standard account for most customers. It carries a $12 monthly maintenance fee, but Chase waives it if you meet any one of these conditions: direct deposit of any amount, a minimum daily balance of $500, a linked Chase savings account with a $500 balance, or 10 or more debit card transactions in a calendar month. Most people find the direct deposit or debit card transaction route easiest to hit.

Chase Premier Plus Checking is a premium account that costs $25 per month. The fee waiver requires either a minimum daily balance of $25,000 or direct deposit. This account includes higher daily ATM withdrawal limits ($1,000 instead of $500) and priority customer service. It's aimed at customers who maintain larger balances or want additional perks.

Chase also offers Chase Student Checking, which has no monthly maintenance fee at all. You must be under 24 years old to open one, and the account converts to Chase Total Checking once you turn 24, at which point the $12 monthly fee applies unless you meet a waiver condition.

Overdraft and insufficient funds fees

If your account balance goes negative, Chase charges $35 per transaction that overdrafts your account. This is separate from the monthly maintenance fee. The bank allows multiple overdraft fees per day, meaning if you make five purchases when you have insufficient funds, you could face $175 in overdraft fees in a single day.

Chase does offer overdraft protection, which links your checking account to a savings account or credit card. If a transaction would overdraft your checking account, the bank pulls money from the linked account instead. This avoids the overdraft fee, but you may pay interest on the borrowed amount if it's a credit card transfer.

You can also opt out of overdraft coverage entirely, which means transactions will straightforward be declined if you don't have sufficient funds. This prevents overdraft fees but may cause problems if you're expecting a payment to go through.

Other fees beyond the monthly charge

Chase charges $15 for outgoing domestic wire transfers and $20 for outgoing international wire transfers. Incoming wires are free. A stop payment request—asking the bank to prevent a check from clearing—costs $30 per request.

If you use an ATM outside the Chase network, you'll pay a $3 fee from Chase, plus whatever fee the other bank charges. Chase has a large ATM network, so this is avoidable if you plan ahead, but it's worth knowing if you travel or live far from a Chase branch.

Cashier's checks cost $10 each. Money orders are free. If you request a paper statement by mail instead of viewing it online, Chase charges $2 per statement, though this fee is waived if you maintain a Premier Plus account.

How to avoid paying the monthly maintenance fee

The easiest path for most people is direct deposit. If your employer or a government agency deposits money into your Chase account, the monthly fee disappears. You don't need a large deposit—even $1 counts. If you don't have direct deposit, the 10 debit card transactions per month is usually the next simplest option. This includes any purchase you make with your debit card, online or in person.

If you prefer not to use your debit card frequently, keeping a $500 minimum daily balance works, but this ties up money that could earn interest elsewhere. Linking a savings account with $500 is similar—it requires maintaining that balance in a separate account.

For Premier Plus, direct deposit is the most practical waiver. The $25,000 minimum balance requirement is out of reach for most people and isn't worth maintaining just to avoid a $25 monthly fee.

Comparing Chase checking to other banks

Many online banks and credit unions offer checking accounts with no monthly maintenance fees and no minimum balance requirements. Ally Bank, Charles Schwab, and Discover Bank all offer no-fee checking. However, these banks typically have fewer physical branches and ATMs, which matters if you deposit cash frequently or prefer in-person banking.

Credit unions often have lower fees overall and may offer better rates on savings accounts. If you're a member of a credit union, comparing their checking account terms to Chase's can save you money. Some credit unions participate in shared branching networks, which gives you access to other credit union branches even if your own credit union is small.

Chase's advantage is its branch and ATM network—over 4,700 branches and 16,000 ATMs in the United States. If you value convenience and don't mind paying for it, or if you can easily meet a fee waiver condition, Chase checking may still make sense for you.

What happens if you don't meet a fee waiver condition

If you have Chase Total Checking and don't meet any of the waiver conditions, $12 is deducted from your account on the same day each month. This happens automatically; Chase doesn't ask permission or send a warning. The fee posts regardless of your account balance, so it's possible to overdraft because of the fee itself, which would then trigger a $35 overdraft fee on top of the $12 monthly charge.

If you realize you're paying the fee and don't want to, you can change your behavior to meet a waiver condition going forward. The fee won't be refunded for past months, but it will stop once you hit the requirement. You can also close the account and open a different one, though this affects your banking history and may impact your ability to open accounts at other banks in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I waive the Chase checking fee with a credit card?

No. Chase requires direct deposit, a minimum balance, a linked savings account, or debit card transactions. Having a Chase credit card does not waive the checking account fee. However, some Chase credit cards offer other benefits like travel insurance or cash back that may offset other costs.

Does Chase charge a fee to close a checking account?

No. Chase does not charge a fee to close a checking account. However, if you close the account within 90 days of opening it, Chase may report it to ChexSystems, a banking history database that other banks check when you explore for new accounts. This can make it harder to open accounts elsewhere.

What if I'm already paying the fee but want to stop?

Set up direct deposit, make 10 debit card transactions this month, or maintain a $500 balance. The fee will stop explore going forward. Past fees are not refunded. If you've been paying for months without realizing it, contact Chase to ask about a one-time courtesy reversal, though they are not required to grant it.

Are there any Chase checking accounts with no fees at all?

Chase Student Checking has no monthly maintenance fee, but only if you're under 24 years old. For adults, all standard Chase checking accounts charge a monthly fee unless you meet a waiver condition. Some online banks offer truly free checking with no conditions, but they don't have Chase's branch network.

Do I pay overdraft fees even if I have overdraft protection?

No. If overdraft protection is active and the bank successfully transfers money from your linked account, you avoid the $35 overdraft fee. You may pay interest if the transfer is from a credit card, but not the overdraft fee itself. If the linked account has insufficient funds and the transfer fails, the overdraft fee applies.