The length of time your money is held depends largely on bank policy. Some banks will hold funds for as little as one business day, while others will hold funds for longer. How long a hold is in effect also depends on the source of the check. An out-of-state personal check might be held for three or four days, while a check issued by the U.S. Treasury might have no hold at all. In some cases, depending on how large the check is, and who issued it, the hold can be as long as five to 10 business days. For banks, the hold is a way of limiting risk. The bank is paying money to you, and acting in good faith on the assumption that there is money in the account the check is drawn on. Your bank has to request that the other bank transfer the funds, based on the information in the check. If there isn’t money in the other account, your bank loses out if it pays you and you ...