Are banks open on Christmas Eve 2018?

Whether you’re traveling for the holidays or doing some last minute shopping, here’s what you need to know about getting to the bank on Christmas Eve.

Getting to the bank can be a challenge during the holidays so it’s important to know whether you can get into a branch or not. As a general rule, banks are open on Christmas Eve, but usually not for a full day.

Traditionally, banks are only open for half the day on Christmas Eve, with most branches open until either noon or 1pm. Given that Christmas Eve is on a Monday this year, that means that banks were not open on Sunday so there is only one half day to get into a bank branch before banks close for Christmas.

Banks located inside grocery stores could possibly have longer hours and that will depend entirely on the location. Otherwise, your best option is to use the ATM to make deposits or to withdraw cash.

With Christmas Eve arriving after the weekend, if you’re hoping to cash a check keep in mind that the funds might not be immediately available, and you should ask your bank teller when you can expect the money to hit your account, especially if you’re about to leave town later in the day. It’s possible that your money won’t actually be available until after Christmas, which could be a problem if you need it before then.

ATM machines typically handle cash deposits immediately, while checks deposited in most accounts prior to the end of the business day will be credited on the same day, but again there is no guarantee and banks have different policies depending on the type of account you have. Also keep in mind that there can be different restrictions when making deposits into banks in other states. Even though it’s the same bank they might hold your check longer than if you deposited it at home.

Banks will return to normal business hours on December 26.