How To Withdraw Money From Atm With No Money In Account

Your Guide To Daily ATM Withdrawal Limits and Debit Purchase Limits

Why They Exist
Why Banks Set Limits
Average Limits from Banks
How To Increase Your Limits
Other Ways To Get Cash

ATM cash machine vector illustration.

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Why Do ATM Withdrawal Limits Exist?

ATM limits are a reality for bank customers. And not only do ATM withdrawal limits exist but so do debit purchase limits.

A daily ATM bank withdrawal limit is the maximum amount of money you can take out from an ATM. A daily purchase limit is the maximum amount of spending allowed by your bank when you make purchases with your debit card.

Learn more about how these limits work.

What Is The ATM Withdrawal Limit?

Daily ATM cash withdrawal limits generally range from $500 to $3,000 depending on the bank and account type, while daily purchase limits can range from $400 to $25,000. Your ATM withdrawal limit will also depend on the type of accounts you have, and your banking history.

For example, Bank of America has an ATM bank withdrawal limit of $1,000 or 60 bills and a daily debit purchase limit of $10,000. Capital One has a $1,000 ATM limit on 360 Checking Card withdrawals, and you can make up to $5,000 in purchases and withdrawals per day.

Banks set a daily limit on ATM withdrawals to ensure they have enough cash on hand to serve customers. Limits also serve as a security measure. If a stolen ATM and PIN are used to access an account, there's a limit on how much can be taken out.

Average Limit of Daily ATM Transaction and Debit Purchases

Here are the bank ATM withdrawal and purchase limits for some of the biggest institutions in the U.S.:

Daily ATM Withdrawal and Debit Purchase Limits at Major Banks
Bank	ATM Withdrawal Limit	Debit Purchase Limit
Bank of America	$1,000	$10,000
BB&T	$500	$3,000
Capital One	$1,000	$5,000
Chase	Varies by account	Varies by account
Citibank	$1,000 or $2,000 depending on account	$5,000 or $10,000 depending on account
U.S. Bank	Varies by account	Varies by account
HSBC	$500 or $1,000 depending on account	$3,000 or $5,000 depending on account
Citizens	$500 or $1,000 depending on account	Varies by account
Huntington	$400	$400
Regions	$808	$5,000

Bank ATM limits vary depending on your account history, the type of transaction and the account you hold. For example, the Citibank accounts that require higher minimum balances also have higher withdrawal and purchase limits.

How To Increase ATM Withdrawal and Debit Purchase Limits

If you need a one-time waiver to make a big purchase or ongoing higher withdrawal and purchase limits, you'll need to reach out to your bank. You can do that by:

Calling your bank
Visiting your local branch
Using the bank app or online account

You may also want to see if you're eligible for an account that automatically offers higher purchase and ATM cash withdrawal limits.

Ways To Get Cash if You've Reached Your Limits

guide on what to do if you've reached your atm limits

Withdrawing thousands in cash should set most people up for the day, but if you still need extra cash, there are ways to bypass the ATM max withdrawal limit.

Cash Back

This is probably the easiest and most accessible way to get cash from your checking account if you've hit your bank ATM withdrawal limit. You can generally rely on big-name chains such as Walgreens or CVS for this option.

Kroger, for example, offers up to $300 cash back with your card purchase for a small fee. With this option, you won't need to drain your account balance, either. A purchase as small as a can of soda affords you the cash-back option.

Although cash back is a fairly common option for retailers, be sure to check whether the store of your choice offers it.

Use a Credit Card for a Cash Advance

You can secure a cash advance at a bank or by using an ATM, or you can use cash advance convenience checks. This is not a vehicle for procuring unlimited funds — many banks have limits on credit card cash advances. And most cash advances carry fees that might make the advances more expensive than they're worth.

Watch Out for High Interest

While this is a way to access cash, using your credit card to get cash is not recommended. You'll need to pay it back like any credit purchase, with the added negative of possibly having high interest tacked onto the transaction.

Savings Account Withdrawal

You can withdraw money from your savings account up to six times a month, even if the account isn't connected to your ATM card. Just fill out a withdrawal slip and bring it to the teller. You will need some form of ID to verify your account.

Cash a Check

Cashing a check is an easy way to get money from your checking account. Make the check out to "Cash," sign the back and present it to the teller. You'll have to show ID and have enough funds available to cover the check.

Withdraw Cash at a Branch

You can also withdraw additional cash by visiting your bank branch. A teller can assist you with withdrawing cash if you need more than the ATM withdrawal limit allows.

Increase Your Withdrawal Limit

Requesting that your limit be increased is another easy way to get more cash at the ATM. Some banks are willing to increase your ATM and purchase limits based on your account's standing.

This article has been updated with additional reporting since its original publication.

Information is accurate as of Oct. 22. 2020 .

Sean joined the GOBankingRates team in 2018, bringing with him several years of experience with both military and collegiate writing and editing experience. Sean's first foray into writing happened when he enlisted in the Marines, with the occupational specialty of combat correspondent. He covered military affairs both in garrison and internationally when he deployed to Afghanistan. After finishing his enlistment, he completed his BA in English at UC Berkeley, eventually moving to Southern California.