KMart has a long history as a big box department store chain. It typically conjures up images of back-to-school shopping and Black Friday madness. In spite of its identity as a retail store, though, KMart has also made an effort to answer one important question: does KMart cash checks?
In response, they’ve set up KMart check cashing services to help their customers on the financial front as well. Currently, you can pay bills, send Western Union money orders, and cash checks at most KMarts.
Before you hop in the car and head to your local branch to cash a check, though, make sure that you meet all of the requirements to do so beforehand, such as being a Shop Your Way member and bringing the right forms of identification.
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What Types of Checks Does KMart Cash?
Of course, just because KMart cashes checks doesn’t mean they’ll cash every check. If you’re wondering whether KMart will cash personal checks, that’s a legitimate concern, as some check-cashing services don’t. Fortunately, the answer, in this case, is yes — sort of. In fact, KMart claims to cash three different kinds of checks:
- Payroll checks.
- Government checks.
- Two-party personal checks.
However, before you waltz in with a $10,000 check from work, you’re going to want to consider the limitations.
You can cash both payroll and government checks totaling up to $2,000. Two-party personal checks are even more limited; they can only be worth up to $500. Just plain personal checks don’t appear to be accepted at all.
As a final note regarding types of checks, each KMart can have slightly varying rules, and it would be wise to call ahead of time to make sure that you’re aware of the limitations at your particular location.
Check Cashing Fees
Along with the limitations on the quantity of the check itself, you’re going to want to keep in mind that each check has a fee, even if it’s a small one. While some sources claim the fee is just $1, the KMart site states that the fee is never more than $5.
On top of that, the fee is just $.50 in the states of Illinois and Rhode Island, while it’s waived completely in the following states:
- Connecticut.
- Delaware.
- Georgia.
- New Jersey.
- Nevada.
- Pennsylvania.
- Puerto Rico.
- South Carolina.
The Big Caveat
The one big caveat to cashing a check at KMart is the fact that you need to be a Shop Your Way member. This is an in-store club that you can sign up for at no charge. It’s a requirement in order to cash checks.
How to Cash a Check at KMart
If you’re wondering how to cash a check at KMart, you’re going to need a couple of things.
First, make sure you have the check that you want to cash. You’ll need to endorse it, as well.
Second, make sure you have one of the following identification options:
- U.S. Driver’s License.
- U.S. Military ID.
- U.S. Passport.
- State-Issued ID.
- Tribal ID.
- Green Card — such as an Alien Registration Receipt or Permanent Resident Card.
- Mexican Matricula Consular ID.
Third, have your Social Security Number on hand (you may need to enter it when you cash the check) and be prepared to pay the small fee.
And that’s it! Short and simple, cashing a check at KMart is about as straightforward as it gets.
Location and Hours
Finally, if you’re wondering where you can cash a check using the KMart cash checking service, all you need to do is find a store local to you and make sure that it is still open. Most locations remain open for at least ten to twelve hours per day.
KMart stores can be found all over the U.S., but you’re going to want to check physical locations before you go, as the company’s consistent underperformance has led to many stores shutting down recently. If it is a location that is closing soon, it may not be doing check cashing.
Confirm that the store still exists, make sure it’s open, gather your check and other identification, and you should be good to go.
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