How to Cash a Cashiers Check or a Money Order
- 1). Check your bank account balance and visit your bank. Most banks require that if you are to cash a cashier's check or money order that the balance in your account be greater than the amount of the check. Also, many banks require that your account has been open at least six months before allowing checks to be cashed. Visit a teller at your bank, rather than going through the drive-up window, as the process takes a few minutes.
- 2). Sign the back of the check above the endorsement line, hand the endorsed check along with your state-issued photo ID to the teller and tell him you want to cash it. He will look up your account information to determine whether you've had the account long enough and have a high enough balance, then verify that the check or money order is legitimate. The teller may call the bank that issued the cashier's check or the issuer of the money order. Once the teller confirms that the check is legitimate, he will hand you your cash.
- 3). Cash a U.S. Postal Service money order at your local post office. Look for the U.S. Postal Service red-and-blue emblem on your money order. If it has such an emblem, you may take it to your local post office, sign the back of it, present your state-issued photo ID and receive your cash. If the money order is for a large amount, you may wish to wait until later in the day to cash your money order, as many post offices won't have enough cash in their drawers to cover it until then.
- 4). Enter a check-cashing business to cash a check or money order. If you do not have a bank account with enough funds to cover the cashier's check and if the payment was not issued through the U.S. Postal Service, this may be your best bet to receive your cash immediately. Sign the back of the money order or cashier's check and present your photo ID to the clerk. You'll have to wait a few minutes while the clerk calls to verify that the check or money order is legitimate and that the funds are available. The check-cashing store will charge you a fee--usually a percentage of the total amount--and possibly a new client few of $3 or so. Once she verifies the check, she'll hand you your cash, minus the fees.