Citizens check clearing at a glance
| Standard availability | Next business day (Citizens checks same night) |
|---|---|
| Mobile deposit cutoff | 10 p.m. ET |
| New accounts | Up to 5 business days (first 27 days) |
How long does Citizens hold a check?
Checks written on another bank (including federal government checks) are available the next business day if deposited with a teller any time or at a Citizens ATM by 10:00 PM ET. Checks written by a Citizens customer can be used that same night to pay checks and purchases posting to your account.
Citizens mobile check deposit: cutoff and availability
Cutoff: 10:00 PM ET on a business day. Mobile deposits can be made 24/7, but those after 10 pm ET or on weekends/holidays are processed the next business day.
Non-Citizens checks deposited by mobile before 10:00 PM ET are available the next business day, or the second business day if deposited after 10:00 PM ET. Citizens checks deposited by 10:00 PM ET can be used that night. Mobile deposit limits apply, and your dollar limit is shown when you make the deposit.
Branch and ATM deposits
Teller deposits count that business day whenever they're made; Citizens ATM deposits count up to 10:00 PM ET. Cash at a teller or Citizens ATM is available immediately for withdrawal. Citizens says longer delays may apply if you deposit at a non-Citizens ATM, where available.
Cutoff: Teller: 'any time' on a business day. Citizens ATM: 10:00 PM Eastern Time.
New accounts vs. older accounts at Citizens
Special rules apply for the first 27 days the account is open. Ordinary checks drawn on other banks are available on the fifth business day (Citizens may make the first $275 available the next business day). The first $6,725 of a day's cashier's, certified, teller's, traveler's and government checks is available the next business day, and the excess on the fifth business day.
Once an account is more than 30 days old, the standard schedule above applies unless an exception hold is placed.
Longer holds and exceptions
A case-by-case hold can delay a check to the second business day, with the first $275 possibly available the next business day. Longer holds apply if Citizens believes a check won't be paid, you deposit more than $6,725 in one day, you redeposit a returned check, you've overdrawn repeatedly in the last 6 months, or in an emergency. These funds are generally available no later than the seventh business day, with the first $275 normally available the first business day.
How to get your Citizens deposit faster
Instant Funds from Citizens may be offered for eligible mobile check deposits and makes funds available immediately for withdrawals and purchases. Its fee is not published on the pages read. Cash, wires and electronic direct deposits are available the same day.
Worth knowing: Citizens' new-account period is 27 days, not 30, and ordinary out-of-bank checks are held until the fifth business day during that time. Teller deposits have no cut-off time.
The federal rules behind Citizens's policy
Federal Regulation CC sets the outer limits for most check deposits at US banks, including Citizens: the first $275 by the next business day, most of the rest by the second business day, and longer “exception holds” only in specific cases. Banks can be faster, and some deposit types (such as mobile deposits at some banks) follow the bank's own schedule. Read our full guide: how long does a check take to clear? Depositing by phone? See how to deposit a check with your phone.
Policies change. This summary is based on Citizens's own published documents as read on October 27, 2026 (listed below). Your account agreement, the deposit screen in your app and any hold notice you receive are what count. “Not published” means we didn't find it in Citizens's public documents.
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Write your first check free →Frequently asked questions
How long does it take a check to clear at Citizens?
Checks written on another bank (including federal government checks) are available the next business day if deposited with a teller any time or at a Citizens ATM by 10:00 PM ET. Checks written by a Citizens customer can be used that same night to pay checks and purchases posting to your account.
What is the Citizens mobile deposit cutoff time?
10:00 PM ET on a business day. Mobile deposits can be made 24/7, but those after 10 pm ET or on weekends/holidays are processed the next business day.
How long does a Citizens mobile check deposit take?
Non-Citizens checks deposited by mobile before 10:00 PM ET are available the next business day, or the second business day if deposited after 10:00 PM ET. Citizens checks deposited by 10:00 PM ET can be used that night. Mobile deposit limits apply, and your dollar limit is shown when you make the deposit.
Are check holds longer for a new Citizens account?
Special rules apply for the first 27 days the account is open. Ordinary checks drawn on other banks are available on the fifth business day (Citizens may make the first $275 available the next business day). The first $6,725 of a day's cashier's, certified, teller's, traveler's and government checks is available the next business day, and the excess on the fifth business day.
Why is Citizens holding my check?
A case-by-case hold can delay a check to the second business day, with the first $275 possibly available the next business day. Longer holds apply if Citizens believes a check won't be paid, you deposit more than $6,725 in one day, you redeposit a returned check, you've overdrawn repeatedly in the last 6 months, or in an emergency. These funds are generally available no later than the seventh business day, with the first $275 normally available the first business day.
How can I get my Citizens check deposit faster?
Instant Funds from Citizens may be offered for eligible mobile check deposits and makes funds available immediately for withdrawals and purchases. Its fee is not published on the pages read. Cash, wires and electronic direct deposits are available the same day.
Related guides
- How long does a check take to clear? (federal rules)
- Compare all banks
- How to deposit a check with your phone
Sources
- Citizens Personal Deposit Account Agreement, section V. Funds Availability Disclosure · deposit agreement, read Oct 27, 2026
- Citizens Mobile Deposit Service Agreement · mobile deposit page, read Oct 27, 2026
- How to Deposit a Check With Our App (Mobile Deposit FAQs) · official FAQ, read Oct 27, 2026
- A guide to your One Deposit Checking from Citizens (Funds Availability Policy table) · funds availability policy, read Oct 27, 2026
Last updated October 27, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice.
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