The fastest way to close your account
Call Bank of America at 1-800-432-1000 and tell them you want to close your checking account. They will ask you to confirm your account number, verify your identity, and confirm that you have no outstanding checks or automatic payments still pending. The account closes immediately, though it may take a few business days for the closure to show in your online banking.
You can also close the account in person at any Bank of America branch. Bring your ID and your debit card. The teller will process the closure on the spot and give you a receipt. If you have a balance remaining, they will issue you a check or transfer the funds to another account you specify.
Online closure through the Bank of America app or website is not available. You must call or visit a branch.
Key Takeaways
- Call 1-800-432-1000 or visit a branch in person to close your account; online closure is not an option.
- Before you close, make sure no automatic payments or recurring charges are still linked to the account.
- Any remaining balance will be sent to you by check or transferred to another account you provide.
- The account closes immediately by phone or in branch, though it may take several business days to disappear from your online view.
- If you have a negative balance or outstanding fees, Bank of America may hold the account open until those are resolved.
What to check before you call or visit
Review your account for any automatic payments, recurring subscriptions, or standing transfers that are still active. Common ones include insurance premiums, utility bills, gym memberships, streaming services, and loan or credit card payments. If you close the account while these are still linked, the payments will fail and you may face late fees or service interruptions.
Log into your Bank of America account online or through the app and look at your recent transactions. If you see regular charges from the same merchant, that is likely an automatic payment. You can cancel these through Bank of America's bill pay system before you close, or contact the merchant directly to update their payment method.
Also check whether you have any outstanding checks you have written that have not yet cleared. If you close the account and a check arrives after closure, it will bounce. Ask yourself whether you have written any checks in the past two weeks that the recipient has not yet deposited.
What happens to your remaining balance
If you have money left in the account when you close it, Bank of America will not keep it. You must tell them where to send it. When you call to close, they will ask whether you want the balance mailed to you as a check or transferred to another bank account. If you transfer to another account, provide the routing number and account number of the receiving bank.
The check will be mailed to the address on file for your account. It typically arrives within five to seven business days. If you do not receive it within two weeks, call Bank of America again and ask them to issue a replacement or confirm the mailing address.
If your account has a negative balance — meaning you owe Bank of America money — they will not close the account until the balance is paid. You can pay it over the phone when you call to close, or pay it online before you call.
Closing a joint account
If the checking account is held jointly with another person, both account holders must agree to close it. Bank of America will not close a joint account on the request of one person alone. If you and the other owner disagree, you will need to contact Bank of America together or have the other owner call separately to authorize the closure.
If you want to remove yourself from a joint account without closing it entirely, that is also possible. Call Bank of America and ask to be removed as an authorized user. The other account holder can keep the account open and continue using it.
What to do with your debit card
Your Bank of America debit card will stop working as soon as the account closes. You do not need to do anything special with it — it will simply decline at any merchant or ATM. If you want to destroy it for security reasons, you can cut it up or shred it. Bank of America does not require you to return it.
If you have set up the card for contactless payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), those will also stop working once the account closes. Remove the card from those apps before you close the account if you want to avoid confusion later.
Closing a savings account at the same time
If you have both a checking and savings account with Bank of America and want to close both, you can do it in one call or one branch visit. Tell the representative you want to close both accounts. They will process them together and handle the balances from each account according to your instructions.
If you only want to close the checking account and keep the savings account open, make that clear. Bank of America will close only the checking account and leave the savings account active.
After the account is closed
Once the account is closed, you will no longer be able to access it through online banking or the mobile app. Your transaction history will remain available for a limited time if you need to reference it, but you should download or print any statements you want to keep before you close.
If you receive a check or bill payment that is still being processed after the account closes, it will bounce. Make sure anyone who regularly sends you payments knows your new account information before you close. This includes employers, government agencies, insurance companies, and anyone else who deposits money into your account.
Bank of America will send you a confirmation letter in the mail within one to two weeks confirming that the account has been closed. Keep this for your records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reopen a Bank of America checking account after I close it?
Yes. You can open a new checking account with Bank of America at any time after closure. It will be treated as a new account with a new account number. You will need to bring ID and make an initial deposit, just as you would for any new account.
What if I close my account and then a check I wrote bounces?
The check will be returned to the person who tried to deposit it, and they will likely be charged a fee by their bank. You may also face a returned check fee from Bank of America if the check was written before closure. Contact the person who received the check and offer to pay them by another method.
Do I have to pay any fees to close my account?
Bank of America does not charge a fee to close a checking account. However, if your account has a negative balance or outstanding fees, you must pay those before or at the time of closure.
How long does it take for the account to fully close?
The account closes immediately when you call or visit a branch, but it may take three to five business days to disappear completely from your online banking and for all pending transactions to clear. Any remaining balance will be processed within that timeframe.
Can I close my account if I have pending direct deposits or transfers?
You can close the account, but any direct deposits or transfers scheduled to arrive after closure will fail. Contact your employer or the organization sending the deposit and provide them with your new account information before you close.