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For most people in the United States, the standard way to get a debit card is to open a checking account at a bank or credit union. You provide identity information, make any required opening deposit, wait for the institution to issue the card, then activate it and set a PIN. If you do not want a bank account, a reloadable prepaid card is a separate option that you fund before spending.
Get a debit card through a checking account
When you open a checking account at a bank or credit union, you usually receive a debit card, according to Consumer.gov. The card draws from money in that account when you make purchases or withdraw cash.
1. Compare checking accounts
Review the account’s current disclosures before applying. Compare:
- Monthly maintenance fees and ways to waive them
- Minimum opening deposit and minimum-balance rules
- In-network and out-of-network ATM access and fees
- Overdraft settings and fees
- Online and mobile-banking features, including alerts and card controls
- Branch availability and customer support
A bank or credit union may offer several checking products, so confirm that the account includes a debit card and ask when the card will be issued.
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2. Gather identification and personal information
Institutions commonly request your legal name, date of birth, physical address, Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), and a government-issued photo ID. Acceptance rules differ by institution and account type; ask what documents are accepted before you start an application.
3. Submit the application
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) says you may apply in person, online, or through a mobile app. The institution may verify your identity and review its account-opening requirements before approving the account.
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4. Make the opening deposit and sign disclosures
Deposit requirements vary. A 2017 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) newcomer guide says an initial deposit is usually between $25 and $100 for a savings or checking account. Current FDIC GetBanked guidance notes that some accounts may open with as little as $25. These figures are examples, not a universal price; check the account’s current terms and payment methods.
Complete required agreements and disclosures, including documents describing fees, overdraft services, electronic transfers and privacy practices.
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5. Receive, activate and secure the card
After the account is opened and the card arrives, follow the issuer’s activation instructions, which may use its app, website, phone system or an ATM. Set a PIN, enroll in online or mobile banking, and turn on transaction and card-use alerts. Review the first transactions promptly and report anything you do not recognize through the institution’s stated process.
Can you get a debit card without a bank account?
Yes, but the product is generally a reloadable prepaid card rather than a checking-account debit card. The CFPB explains that a prepaid card is not linked to a bank or credit-union account. You load money onto it before spending, and a reloadable card lets you add funds again later.
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Prepaid cards can help you limit spending to the amount loaded, but they are not automatically free or equivalent to a checking account. Read the cardholder agreement and fee disclosure before registering or loading money.
Checking-account debit card versus reloadable prepaid card
| Question | Checking-account debit card | Reloadable prepaid card |
|---|---|---|
| Linked to an account? | Yes, normally to a checking account at a bank or credit union. | No; the CFPB describes it as not linked to a bank or credit-union account. |
| How spending is funded | Uses the available balance in the checking account. | You load money before spending and may reload it later. |
| Potential fees | Account, ATM, overdraft or other fees depend on the institution. | May include monthly, transaction, ATM, cash-reload, customer-service, inactivity, paper-statement, decline, bill-payment, replacement, additional-card, foreign-transaction and cancellation fees. |
| Overdraft | A bank’s overdraft program may approve a purchase or ATM withdrawal above the available balance and charge a fee. | Generally limited to the amount available on the card, but review the specific agreement for any permitted negative balance or related fee. |
| Deposits and reloads | Money can be deposited into the checking account through the institution’s supported methods. | Reload options, locations and fees depend on the issuer and program. |
| Registration and protection | Account protections and error procedures depend on the bank or credit union and applicable law. | Registration may provide additional protections and is needed for FDIC or National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) insurance when the program offers it. |
How much does a debit card cost?
There is no reliable national average for debit-card fees, approval time or delivery time. The cost depends on the bank, credit union or prepaid-card program. A checking account may have a monthly fee, ATM charges, replacement-card charges or overdraft fees. A prepaid program may charge several types of usage, reload, service and replacement fees.
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Ask for the complete fee schedule and identify charges that apply to your expected use: routine purchases, cash withdrawals, cash deposits or reloads, foreign transactions, replacement cards and customer-service calls. A card with no purchase fee can still be expensive if you frequently use out-of-network ATMs or reload cash.
How to reduce overdraft risk on a checking-account card
A checking-account debit card normally spends money already in the account. If you opt into or otherwise use a bank’s overdraft service, the bank may approve a transaction or ATM withdrawal above the available balance and then charge an overdraft fee. Ask the bank:
- Whether debit-card and ATM overdraft transactions are covered
- How to decline or opt out of the service
- Whether linked savings or other transfers can cover shortfalls
- When balances and pending transactions update
- What alerts can warn you before the balance is low
Use low-balance alerts and check pending transactions, since the displayed available balance may change as transactions post.
What to check before choosing a prepaid card
- Read the fee disclosure. Add monthly, transaction, ATM, reload, replacement and other applicable charges for your actual usage pattern.
- Confirm reload methods. Check whether you can add money by direct deposit, bank transfer, cash reload or another method, and whether each method has a fee or delay.
- Check registration rules. Find out what information is required, what protections depend on registration and whether the program states that funds are eligible for FDIC or NCUA insurance.
- Review error, loss and theft procedures. Learn how to report unauthorized activity, replace a card and dispute an error.
- Evaluate controls and access. Confirm the app’s alerts and lock features, ATM availability and any limits on purchases, withdrawals or reloads.
Questions to ask the institution
- What is the minimum opening deposit, and are there ongoing balance requirements?
- What monthly, ATM, replacement and foreign-transaction fees apply?
- How can I turn overdraft coverage off or limit it?
- Which identification documents and tax numbers do you accept?
- How do I activate the card and change the PIN?
- What should I do if the card is lost, stolen or used without authorization?
- For a prepaid program, when do insurance and other protections apply, and what registration is required?
Important limits on general advice
This guidance is U.S.-oriented. Eligibility, minimum deposits, fees, insurance, approval decisions and card-delivery times vary by provider and can change. No institution can be assumed to approve an application or provide a particular delivery date without checking its current terms.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
