Prime Checking

An interest-bearing checking account with more benefits

Open with $25

How to avoid the $25 monthly service fee

Open now


How to open or upgrade an account

Benefits to save where it matters most

No fees for many banking services

Including incoming wire transfers, cashier’s checks, and money orders

Rate discounts on select new personal loans

Prime Checking customers save with a relationship discount

Better rates on savings and CDs

Get a Relationship Interest Rate on eligible linked CDs and savings accounts,

ATM fee waivers

We waive our fees and reimburse some or all fees charged by non-Wells Fargo ATMs,

Investment benefits from Wells Fargo Advisors

Intuitive Investor®
Get a low cost, automated investing portfolio with a discount of 0.05% off the 0.35% advisory fee.,,

Intuitive Investor®

WellsTrade®
Your do-it-yourself investment account balances can contribute to your Prime Checking statement-ending qualifying balances.

WellsTrade®

Investment and Insurance Products are:

  • Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency
  • Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate
  • Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (WFCS) and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Members SIPC, separate registered broker-dealers and non-bank affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company.

Wells Fargo Prime Checking interest rates

Balance
Standard Interest Rate
-
-
-

Prime Checking fees and details

Monthly service fee
$25

each fee period

Avoid the monthly service fee with $20,000 or more in statement-ending qualifying balances in your linked accounts.

For balances above $250,000, consider a Wells Fargo Premier Checking account.

Minimum balance
No minimum daily balance required
Minimum to open
$25 minimum opening deposit
Overdraft services
Convenient ways to help you avoid overdrafts, including Extra Day Grace Period
Age requirements to open

Must be 18 or older (19 in AL)

See what you'll need

How to switch a current Wells Fargo checking account
No need to change your account number.
Switch through Wells Fargo Online® or contact your personal banker to get started:
1-800-869-3557

Bank with confidence

Prime Checking FAQs

You can open a Prime Checking account online or in person at a Wells Fargo branch.

No matter how you apply, you’ll need:

  • Your Social Security number
  • Valid ID (driver's license, state ID, Consular ID)
  • Current residential address
  • $25 opening deposit

IDs required to open (plus co-applicant’s information if applicable)

Yes, you can open Prime Checking as a joint account. However, joint checking accounts must be opened at a branch. Make an appointment.

You need the same information that is required to open an individual checking account, but you’ll need it for both applicants. IDs required to open

Yes, you can upgrade your Wells Fargo checking account to a Prime Checking account. There's no need to change your account number. You can upgrade your account through Wells Fargo Online®, by visiting a branch, or by calling 1-800-869-3557.

Linking your eligible Wells Fargo consumer deposit accounts and investment accounts helps to allow you to avoid the $25 monthly service fee with $20,000 or more in statement-ending qualifying balances. The following are eligible accounts:

  • Checking
  • Savings
  • Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
  • FDIC-insured IRAs
  • Brokerage available through our brokerage affiliate Wells Fargo Advisors
  • Applicable bank fiduciary and custody accounts

If your statement-ending qualifying balances drop below $20,000, you'll be charged a $25 monthly service fee while still having access to all of the personal benefits of your Wells Fargo Prime Checking account.

An interest-bearing checking or savings account pays you interest on the money you deposit. The amount of interest you may earn is based on that account's interest rate and balances. Withdrawals and fees may reduce earnings.

Yes, all Wells Fargo checking account funds are FDIC-insured up to the maximum applicable limit.

Visit our FDIC Insurance page to learn more.

How can we help?

(A) If your Prime Checking or Premier Checking account is converted to another checking product or closed by us or you, all linked accounts are delinked from the Prime Checking or Premier Checking account and effective immediately, benefits no longer apply, including benefits to your now delinked accounts. You'll no longer receive discounts, options to avoid fees on other products or services, or the Relationship Interest Rate; for time accounts (CDs), this change will occur at renewal. Your delinked accounts will revert to the Bank's current applicable interest rate or fee at that time. (B) If you or we delink an account from your Prime Checking or Premier Checking account but other accounts remain linked, the loss of all benefits and the other consequences described above in (A) will immediately apply to the delinked account. Benefits available to your Prime Checking or Premier Checking account and any remaining linked accounts will continue.

Unless otherwise noted, stated benefits apply only to the Prime Checking account and not other linked accounts.

Whether or not the wire transfer fee is waived, Wells Fargo makes money when we convert one currency to another currency for you. The exchange rate used when Wells Fargo converts one currency to another is set at our sole discretion, and it includes a markup. The markup is designed to compensate us for several considerations including, without limitation, costs incurred, market risks, and our desired return. The applicable exchange rate does not include, and is separate from, any applicable fees. The exchange rate Wells Fargo provides to you may be different from exchange rates you see elsewhere. Different customers may receive different rates for transactions that are the same or similar. The applicable exchange rate may vary based on such factors including, but not limited to, currency pair, transaction size, payment channel and product type, such as foreign currency cash, checks, remittances, and wire transfers. Foreign exchange markets are dynamic and rates fluctuate over time based on market conditions, liquidity, and risks. Wells Fargo is your arms-length counterparty on foreign exchange transactions. We may refuse to process any request for a foreign exchange transaction.

Incoming wire transfers received in a foreign currency for payment into your account will be converted into U.S. dollars using the applicable exchange rate without prior notice to you. For more information, see the “Applicable Exchange Rate” and “Incoming international wire transfer” sections of the Deposit Account Agreement.

Fees may be charged by third parties or other banks, in addition to those described above.

Outstanding Cashier's checks are subject to state or territorial unclaimed property laws.

If the cashier's check is lost, stolen, or destroyed, you may request a stop payment and reissuance. A stop payment and reissuance can only be completed within a branch location. As a condition of stop payment and reissuance, Wells Fargo Bank will require an indemnity agreement. In addition, for cashier's checks over $1,000.00, the waiting period before the stop payment and reissuance of an outstanding cashier's check may be processed is 90 days (30 days in the state of Wisconsin and 91 days in the state of New York). The waiting period can be avoided with the purchase of an acceptable surety bond. This can be purchased through Wells Fargo's approved insurance carrier or through an insurance carrier of the customer's choice. The cost of a surety bond varies depending on the amount of the bond and the insurer used. Surety bonds are subject to the insurance carrier's underwriting requirements before issuance. If the surety bond is not provided, the waiting period applies.

All loans are subject to application, credit qualification, income verification and, if applicable, collateral evaluation. Programs, rates, terms, and conditions are subject to change without notice. The interest rate discount requires a qualifying Wells Fargo consumer checking or savings account and automatic payments set up from qualifying Wells Fargo checking or savings account. If automatic payments are canceled, for any reason at any time, after account opening, the interest rate and the corresponding monthly payment may increase. Only one interest rate discount may be applied per application. Talk with your banker, or refer to product information online at wellsfargo.com/relationshipdiscount, to learn what requirements apply to your specific loan.

Relationship Interest Rate is variable and subject to change at any time without notice, including setting the interest rate equal to the Standard Interest Rate or to zero (0.00%), which could change the Relationship Annual Percentage Yield (APY). For CDs, the change will occur upon renewal. To receive a Relationship Interest Rate/Relationship APY, the eligible savings account or CD must remain linked to a Prime Checking, Premier Checking or Private Bank Interest Checking account. Upon linking, it may take up to two business days for the Relationship Interest Rate to be applied to your eligible savings account. CDs must be linked at account open and/or at every renewal.

Fees charged by non-Wells Fargo ATM operators or networks may apply. For Prime Checking and Premier Checking accounts, Wells Fargo will waive its non-Wells Fargo ATM cash withdrawal transaction fee (U.S. and international) when you withdraw cash from a non-Wells Fargo ATM. In addition, for Prime Checking Wells Fargo will reimburse one fee charged by a non-Wells Fargo ATM operator located in the U.S. and one fee charged by a non-Wells Fargo ATM operator located outside the U.S. per fee period. For Premier Checking, Wells Fargo will reimburse all fees charged by non-Wells Fargo ATM operators. When the amount of the fee charged by the non-Wells Fargo operator or network is not provided to Wells Fargo, Prime Checking and Premier Checking customers will receive a $4.00 reimbursement per cash withdrawal.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is a banking affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors. Wells Fargo Advisors is the trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (WFCS) and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Members SIPC, separate registered broker-dealers and non-bank affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company. 

Wells Fargo Advisors Intuitive Investor investment accounts are offered through WFCS.

For complete information regarding fees, refer to the Intuitive Investor Account Fee Schedule.

For complete information on WellsTrade fees and commissions, refer to the WellsTrade Account Commissions and Fees Schedule. Schedule subject to change at any time.

With Zero Liability protection, you will be reimbursed for promptly reported unauthorized card transactions, subject to certain conditions. Please see the applicable Wells Fargo account agreement or debit and ATM card terms and conditions for information on liability for unauthorized transactions.

With Early Pay Day, the Bank may make incoming electronic direct deposits made through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) available for use up to two days before the scheduled payment date. Not all direct deposits are eligible for Early Pay Day. Early availability of direct deposits is not guaranteed and may vary from deposit to deposit. Whether we make funds available early depends on when we receive the payor’s payment instructions, any limitations we set on the amount of early availability, and standard fraud prevention screening. Available for personal accounts only. See our Deposit Account Agreement for more details.

Current Deposit Rates for -

A copy of the then-current rate sheet will be provided to you before you open your account or is available at any time upon request from a banker.

See the Consumer Account Fee and Information Schedule and Deposit Account Agreement for additional consumer account information.

Deposit products offered by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

RSNIP-01222026-6818257.1.1

LRC-0724