Can you cash a check with a bank levy?
Matthew Harrington
Updated on January 26, 2026
Bank Account Levy When a creditor levies your bank account, that entitles it to take money that is already in your bank account. This means that the creditor cannot put any restrictions on your ability to cash checks.
Can I use my bank account after a levy?
Once the creditor receives the go-ahead for a bank account levy, it must provide the judgment to your bank. The bank will freeze your account and send the appropriate funds to the creditor. You won’t be able to access the money in your account until the creditor gets the money it’s due.
How much can a bank levy take?
State and federal law limit the amount a creditor can take from your paycheck. In most cases, it’s 25% of wages after taxes. However, it can be more if the garnishment is for a domestic support obligation, taxes, or a student loan.
Can YOU Cash a check with a levy on it?
Your bank may not be willing to cash your check if you have an account with a levy placed on it. Whether a check can be cashed is entirely up to the rules of your bank. To find out, you can contact your bank and ask about cashing the check. When you have a levy placed on your bank account, you could potentially open an account with another bank.
What does a bank levy do to your bank account?
A bank levy is a legal action that allows creditors to take funds from your bank account. Your bank freezes funds in your account, and the bank is required to send that money to creditors satisfy your debt.
When does a bank levy freeze your account?
A bank account levy, also called an attachment, can result from an outstanding judgement from a creditor, government, or most often the IRS. All or at least part of the money in a bank account is frozen in an attachment like this. Typically, people find out about it when they cannot access the funds,…
Is there a waiting period for a bank levy?
Information About Bank Levies. When the levy is on a bank account, the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) provides a 21-day waiting period for complying with the levy. The waiting period is intended to allow you time to contact the IRS and arrange to pay the tax or notify the IRS of errors in the levy. Generally, IRS levies are delivered via the mail.