Are banks open on Thanksgiving? (2022)

If you’re looking to cash a check on Thanksgiving Day, you won’t be able to go into a branch location to do so. Banks are closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, which means you need to do some planning ahead of Black Friday.

Banks are closed on almost every major holiday including Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and they are often open on a modified schedule for Christmas Eve and Good Friday.

You can always access ATM machines, either outside a branch or perhaps inside a grocery store, but keep in mind that if you’re depositing a check it won’t process until the following business day. That means you need to deposit all checks on Wednesday before Thanksgiving to make sure your money hits your account. (I’d go inside and ask about that because some banks hold checks over certain amounts and you don’t want to wait in line at Walmart only to find that your money didn’t go through.)

In fact, with banks closed on Thanksgiving, it’s incredibly important to make sure you’re ready for big purchases on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. Know your deposit schedule and be aware of when your bills come out for online bill payments because those will still come out regardless of the holiday.

Banks will reopen during normal business hours on Friday, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to wake up at 3 am to get to the mall. You can go to an ATM in the morning, but the banks won’t be able to help you until opening hours. Be sure to check with your bank about their holiday deposit schedules to avoid any hassles and heartbreaks during the hectic holiday weekend.

A previous version of this article was run under the byline of Sarabeth Pollock.