Chase checking accounts charge a monthly fee unless you meet one requirement
Chase's most common checking accounts—the Chase Total Checking and Chase Sapphire Checking—charge $12 a month unless you avoid the fee by meeting a single condition. For Total Checking, deposit at least $500 in the same month the fee would post. For Sapphire Checking, maintain a $500 minimum balance at all times. If you do neither, the $12 posts to your account automatically.
The fee waiver is not automatic. You have to hit the threshold before the fee date arrives. If you miss it one month, you can still prevent it the next month by meeting the requirement again. Chase does not waive fees retroactively, so if the $12 posts and you deposit $500 the next day, you will not get the money back without calling and asking.
Chase also offers checking accounts with no monthly fee at all—the Chase Secure Checking account and the Chase Student Checking account. Both have different rules and different features, so the right account depends on what you actually use.
Key Takeaways
- Chase Total Checking waives its $12 monthly fee if you deposit at least $500 in the same calendar month the fee would post.
- Chase Sapphire Checking waives its $12 monthly fee if you keep a $500 minimum balance in the account at all times.
- Chase Secure Checking and Chase Student Checking have no monthly fee, but come with restrictions on how many transactions you can make per month.
- If the $12 fee posts to your account, you can call Chase and ask them to remove it once, but they will not do this repeatedly.
- The fee posts on the same day each month, so you can time a deposit to arrive before that date if you use Total Checking.
How the $500 deposit requirement works for Total Checking
Chase Total Checking's fee waiver is based on a deposit, not a balance. You need at least $500 to arrive in the account during the same calendar month the fee would post. This means a paycheck, a transfer from another bank, a check deposit, or any other money coming in counts. The $500 does not have to stay in the account—you can spend it the next day and still have avoided the fee.
The deposit must land before the fee posts. Chase posts the monthly fee on the same day each month (usually the day your account opened, or close to it). If your fee date is the 15th and you deposit $500 on the 14th, you are safe. If you deposit on the 16th, you have missed that month and the fee will post. You can prevent it the following month by depositing $500 again before the next fee date.
If you receive a regular paycheck, direct deposit counts and is the easiest way to hit the threshold. If you do not have direct deposit, you can transfer money from another bank account, deposit a check at an ATM or branch, or move money from a savings account you hold elsewhere. Chase does not care where the $500 comes from, only that it arrives in the same month.
How the $500 minimum balance requirement works for Sapphire Checking
Chase Sapphire Checking waives its $12 fee if you maintain a $500 minimum balance. This is different from Total Checking: the money has to stay in the account, not just pass through it. If your balance drops below $500 on any day of the month, you do not meet the requirement and the fee will post.
The balance is checked daily. If you have $500 on the 1st, spend $100 on the 5th, and then deposit $100 on the 10th, you fell below $500 on the 5th and the fee applies. You cannot make up for it later in the month. The only way to avoid the fee is to keep $500 or more in the account every single day.
Sapphire Checking is better for people who keep money sitting in checking anyway. If you live paycheck to paycheck and your balance regularly dips below $500, Total Checking's deposit requirement is easier to meet. If you have savings or a steady balance, Sapphire Checking's minimum balance is simpler—you do not have to think about timing a deposit.
Fee-free checking accounts at Chase
Chase Secure Checking has no monthly fee and no minimum balance requirement. The catch is that it limits you to six transactions per month (withdrawals, transfers, or payments). After six, each additional transaction costs $1. This account is designed for people who rarely use checking—mostly for deposits and occasional withdrawals—and want to avoid fees entirely.
Chase Student Checking also has no monthly fee and no minimum balance. It is open to students under 24 and converts to Chase Total Checking when you turn 24. While you are a student, you get unlimited transactions and no monthly fee. Once you age out, you will need to meet Total Checking's $500 deposit requirement or pay the $12 fee.
If you want no fee and unlimited transactions, neither of these accounts works. You will need to use Total Checking or Sapphire Checking and meet one of their requirements. If you rarely use checking and do not mind the six-transaction limit, Secure Checking is genuinely free.
What happens if the $12 fee posts to your account
If you miss the deposit or balance requirement and the $12 posts, you can call Chase and ask them to remove it. Chase will usually waive the fee once if you ask politely and have not asked them to waive it repeatedly. They will not remove it automatically, and they will not refund it if you do not call.
If you call and ask, be ready to explain why you missed the requirement. If you say "I forgot" or "I did not know," they are more likely to help. If you have asked them to waive the fee multiple times in the past year, they may refuse. There is no rule that says they have to waive it, so do not count on this as a strategy.
The best approach is to set a phone reminder for a few days before your fee date. If you use Total Checking, make sure a deposit of $500 or more lands before that date. If you use Sapphire Checking, check your balance a day or two before the fee posts to make sure you are still above $500. Five minutes of planning beats a phone call to customer service.
Switching between Chase checking accounts
You can open a second Chase checking account or close one and open another without penalty. If Total Checking is not working for you because you cannot hit the $500 deposit threshold, you can switch to Sapphire Checking if you can keep $500 in the account. If neither works, you can switch to Secure Checking and accept the six-transaction limit.
Switching does not hurt your credit or your relationship with Chase. You can do it online or at a branch. The only thing to watch is that if you close an account, any pending transactions or automatic payments tied to that account number will fail. Before you close, make sure no bills are set to draft from that account.
If you are switching because you want to avoid fees, do the math first. Secure Checking is free but limits you to six transactions. If you make more than six transactions a month, you will pay $1 per extra transaction, which could add up to more than $12. For most people, hitting the $500 deposit or balance requirement is easier than tracking transaction counts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a transfer from another Chase account to meet the $500 deposit requirement?
No. Chase counts only deposits from outside sources—paychecks, transfers from other banks, check deposits, and cash. Moving money from your Chase savings account to your Chase checking account does not count as a deposit and will not waive the fee.
What if my paycheck is less than $500 but I get paid twice a month?
Both paychecks count as separate deposits. If you get paid $300 on the 1st and $300 on the 15th, that is $600 total and you meet the requirement. The deposits just have to land in the same calendar month.
Does the $500 minimum balance for Sapphire Checking include money in a linked savings account?
No. The $500 has to be in the Sapphire Checking account itself. Money in a linked savings account, money market account, or any other account does not count toward the minimum balance.
If I have direct deposit set up, do I still need to worry about the fee?
Only if your direct deposit is less than $500 per month or if it does not land every month. If you get paid $600 twice a month, you will always hit the $500 threshold and never pay the fee. If you get paid $400 or if you have irregular income, you might miss some months.
Can I downgrade from Sapphire Checking to Total Checking to avoid the minimum balance?
Yes. You can switch accounts online or at a branch. Just make sure you do not have automatic payments or bills set to draft from the Sapphire account before you close it, or those payments will fail.