Fee refund · US
How to get a U.S. Bank fee refunded
The short answer
U.S. Bank’s pricing guide lists a $36 Overdraft Paid Fee per item (up to three per day), with no fee if you end the business day overdrawn by $50.00 or less and a program, Overdraft Fee Forgiven, that waives it if you cover the overdraft by 11 p.m. ET. Bank Smartly Checking has a $12 monthly maintenance fee with several ways to waive it.
To ask for a fee back, contact U.S. Bank soon after it posts, name the fee, its date and amount, and ask for a one-time courtesy refund. U.S. Bank decides — it isn’t guaranteed.
By Meet PandyaChecked Source: U.S. Bank Consumer Pricing Information
U.S. Bank’s common fees
From U.S. Bank’s official fee schedule, in US dollars. Fees below are for U.S. Bank Smartly Checking, U.S. Bank Safe Debit Account.
| Fee | Amount | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Overdraft Paid Fee | $36.00 per item for items of $5.01 or more; no charge on items of $5.00 or less; limited to three Overdraft Paid Fees per day[1][2][5] | No fee if the Available Balance at the end of the business day is or would be overdrawn $50.00 or less. Overdraft Fee Forgiven waives the fee if your Available Balance is $0 or more at 11 p.m. ET (excluding the fee and including immediate and same-day deposits). The Safe Debit Account has no overdraft fees. |
| Monthly maintenance fee - Bank Smartly Checking | $12[1][3] | Waived for the first 2 statement periods. After that, waived with one of: combined monthly direct deposits of $1,500+; average account balance of $1,500 or greater; being an account owner on a U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card; owning an eligible small business checking account; or qualifying for the Smart Rewards Gold, Platinum or Platinum Plus tier. U.S. Bank also lists no fee for clients age 13-24 or 65 and over and for military members (self-disclosure required), among other groups. |
| Monthly maintenance fee - Safe Debit Account | $4.95[1] | U.S. Bank states this monthly maintenance fee cannot be waived. |
| Non-U.S. Bank ATM transaction fee | $3.00 for each withdrawal, balance inquiry, funds transfer or deposit at a non-U.S. Bank ATM; the ATM owner may also charge a surcharge[1] | Use a U.S. Bank ATM (no charge). If you are charged a surcharge at a MoneyPass ATM, U.S. Bank says to call 800-USBANKS (872-2657) for a refund of the surcharge fee. |
| International processing fee (debit card) | 3% of the transaction, in U.S. dollars or an international currency[1] | — |
| Overdraft Protection Transfer Fee | $12.50 when a transfer is made from an eligible linked credit account; no fee for transfers from linked deposit accounts[1] | Waived on U.S. Bank Smartly Checking accounts, and whenever the negative Available Balance in your checking account is $50.00 or less. |
U.S. Bank’s overdraft rules
- An Overdraft Paid Fee may be assessed for an item only if the Available Balance at the end of the business day is or would be overdrawn $50.01 or more and the transaction paid is $5.01 or more. If you are overdrawn $50.00 or less, the fee is not assessed.
- Overdraft Fee Forgiven: for consumer checking accounts other than Safe Debit, U.S. Bank reviews the account at 11 p.m. ET on the business day it charges an Overdraft Paid Fee. If the Available Balance (excluding the fee and including immediate and same-day deposits) is $0 or more, the fee is waived. Your deposit does not need to include the fee.
- Deposits that generally qualify for Overdraft Fee Forgiven include ACH and electronic deposits, cash deposits, wire transfers, deposits at U.S. Bank ATMs, branch check deposits and transfers from another U.S. Bank account; mobile check deposits and deposits with an extended hold generally do not.
- The Safe Debit Account has no checks and no overdraft fees; U.S. Bank says it will not charge an Overdraft Paid Fee, but you cannot use your debit card or withdraw funds until you transfer or deposit enough to bring your available balance positive.
How to ask for a courtesy refund
General tips — not bank policy. What works is being specific, honest and brief.
- Ask soon after the fee posts, and name it exactly: the fee, its date and the amount.
- Say briefly what happened — a deposit that hadn’t cleared yet, a timing mix-up, a first slip in years. Keep it honest.
- Ask for a one-time courtesy refund of that fee. If you’ve banked there a long time or rarely pay fees, it’s fair to mention it.
- Be polite and brief. If the answer is no, ask whether there’s a way to avoid the fee next time — low-balance alerts, overdraft settings, or a different account.
- Banks decide case by case. A refund once doesn’t mean you’ll get one again, and nothing guarantees one.
What U.S. Bank says: U.S. Bank’s Overdraft Fee Forgiven program waives Overdraft Paid Fees on consumer checking accounts (excluding Safe Debit) when the Available Balance is $0 or more at 11 p.m. ET, and the waiver is shown in transaction history as ‘Overdraft Paid Fee Waived - Forgiven’. Separately, its pricing guide says that if you are charged a surcharge at a MoneyPass ATM you can call 800-USBANKS (872-2657) for a refund of the surcharge fee.
How to contact U.S. Bank
As listed on U.S. Bank’s own website.
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U.S. Bank decides case by case.
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U.S. Bank fee FAQ
How much is the U.S. Bank overdraft fee?
U.S. Bank’s Consumer Pricing Information (effective August 10, 2026) lists an Overdraft Paid Fee of $36.00 per item for items of $5.01 or more, with no charge for items of $5.00 or less and a maximum of three Overdraft Paid Fees per day. It is not assessed if your Available Balance at the end of the business day is overdrawn $50.00 or less.
What is U.S. Bank Overdraft Fee Forgiven?
A program for consumer checking accounts (excluding Safe Debit accounts). If you were charged an Overdraft Paid Fee, U.S. Bank reviews your account at 11 p.m. ET that business day, and if the Available Balance, excluding the fee and including immediate and same-day deposits, is $0 or more, it waives the fee. Your deposit does not need to cover the fee itself.
How do I avoid the Bank Smartly Checking monthly maintenance fee?
The fee is $12 and is waived for the first 2 statement periods. After that it is waived with combined monthly direct deposits of $1,500+, an average account balance of $1,500 or greater, being an owner on a U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card, or an eligible small business checking account. U.S. Bank also lists no monthly maintenance fee for clients age 13-24 or 65 and over.
Does U.S. Bank charge to use another bank’s ATM?
Yes. The pricing guide lists $3.00 for each Non-U.S. Bank ATM transaction, and the ATM owner may add its own surcharge. U.S. Bank ATMs have no charge.
Sources
- 1.U.S. Bank Consumer Pricing Information (PDF) · August 10, 2026
- 2.U.S. Bank Overdraft Fee Forgiven · October 14, 2026
- 3.U.S. Bank Bank Smartly Checking · October 14, 2026
- 4.U.S. Bank customer service · October 14, 2026
- 5.U.S. Bank Safe Debit Account · October 14, 2026
Other banks
- Bank of America fee refundUSBank of America’s schedule lists a $10 Overdraft Item Fee (no more than 2 overdraft items per day), but no fee on everyday non-recurring debit card purchases or ATM transactions. Advantage Plus Banking has a $12 monthly maintenance fee with several ways to avoid it.See the fees
- Capital One fee refundUSCapital One says it has eliminated all overdraft fees for its consumer banking customers, and 360 Checking has no monthly fee and no minimum balance. The fees its 360 Checking disclosure does list are small: $10 or $20 for a cashier’s check and $30 for an outgoing domestic wire.See the fees
- Chase fee refundUSChase’s fee schedule lists a $34 overdraft fee per transaction (up to 3 per business day), but Chase Overdraft Assist means no overdraft fee if you end the business day overdrawn by $50 or less. Chase Total Checking has a $15 monthly service fee that you can avoid in several ways.See the fees
- Citi fee refundUSCiti says it does not charge Overdraft, Returned Item, or Overdraft Protection Transfer fees. The fees that matter are the Monthly Service Fee ($5 on Access Checking, $15 on Regular Checking, waived with $250+ in qualifying direct deposits), the $2.50 Non-Citi ATM fee and the 3% foreign exchange fee on debit card use abroad.See the fees
- PNC fee refundUSPNC Virtual Wallet’s Spend account charges a $36 overdraft item fee (at most 1 per day) and no returned item (NSF) fee. Low Cash Mode gives at least 24 hours of Extra Time to bring the balance to $0 before overdraft fees are charged, and overdraft fees are automatically refunded if you are overdrawn by $5.00 or less at day end.See the fees
- TD Bank fee refundUSTD Bank’s TD Complete Checking lists a $35 overdraft fee (at most 3 per business day) with no fee if you are overdrawn by $50 or less, and a Grace Period that refunds the fee if you cover the overdraft by 11 p.m. ET the next business day. Complete Checking has a $15 monthly maintenance fee with several ways to waive it.See the fees