What Is a Chase Monthly Service Fee?

A monthly service fee is a common charge from financial institutions to cover account maintenance and banking services. These fees help banks manage operational expenses and encourage customers to maintain specific balance levels. Understanding these charges and the conditions under which they apply is important for effective financial management. This article explores the specifics of Chase’s monthly service fees and strategies for managing them.

Understanding Chase Monthly Service Fees

Chase applies monthly service fees to many checking and savings accounts, with amounts varying by type. For a Chase Total Checking account, the standard monthly service fee is $12, increasing to $15 effective August 24, 2025. The Chase Premier Plus Checking and Chase Sapphire Banking accounts both have a $25 monthly service fee.

A Chase Private Client Checking account has a $35 monthly service fee. For those seeking a more basic option, the Chase Secure Banking account has a monthly fee of $4.95. Student accounts like Chase College Checking typically have a fee waiver during enrollment, but after this period, a $12 monthly fee applies, increasing to $15 effective August 24, 2025. The Chase High School Checking account has no monthly service fee.

For savings accounts, the standard Chase Savings account has a $5 monthly service fee. The Chase Premier Savings account has a $25 monthly fee. These fees encourage account holders to meet specific balance or activity thresholds, offsetting operational costs.

Meeting Requirements to Waive Monthly Service Fees

Fortunately, Chase offers several avenues to waive these monthly service fees, usually requiring only one condition to be met per statement period. For a Chase Total Checking account, the $12 ($15 effective August 24, 2025) fee can be avoided by having electronic deposits totaling $500 or more, maintaining a daily balance of at least $1,500, or holding an average beginning day balance of $5,000 or more across qualifying linked Chase accounts.

The $25 monthly fee for Chase Premier Plus Checking can be waived by maintaining an average beginning day balance of $15,000 or more across qualifying linked accounts. Alternatively, having a linked qualifying Chase first mortgage with automatic payments or being a current or veteran U.S. Armed Forces service member with a qualifying military ID also satisfies this requirement. For Chase Sapphire Banking, the $25 fee is waived when an average beginning day balance of $75,000 or more is maintained across linked Chase accounts.

Customers with a Chase Private Client Checking account can avoid the $35 monthly fee by maintaining an average beginning day balance of $150,000 or more across their linked Chase accounts and investments. Linking a Chase Platinum Business Checking account can also waive this fee. For the Chase Secure Banking account, the $4.95 monthly fee is waived with electronic deposits totaling $250 or more each statement period.

For students with a Chase College Checking account, the $12 ($15 effective August 24, 2025) monthly fee, which applies after the initial waiver period, can be avoided by electronic deposits totaling $500 or more, or by maintaining an average ending daily balance of $1,500 or more. The $5 monthly fee for a Chase Savings account is waived by:
Maintaining a daily balance of $300 or more.
Having $25 or more in total automatic transfers from a personal Chase checking account.
Linking a Chase College Checking account for overdraft protection.
If the account owner is under 18.
If the account is linked to a Chase Premier Plus Checking, Chase Sapphire Banking, or Chase Private Client Checking account.

For the Chase Premier Savings account, the $25 fee is waived by maintaining a daily balance of $15,000 or more, or by linking it to a Chase Premier Plus Checking or Chase Sapphire Checking account. Meeting these specific conditions helps customers avoid the monthly charge and manage their finances effectively.

Monitoring Your Account and Fee Statements

Monitoring your bank account is important to ensure that monthly service fees are not unexpectedly applied. Regularly reviewing your bank statements, whether online or mailed, allows you to identify any charges and verify that waiver criteria have been met. Monthly service fees typically appear clearly labeled as “MONTHLY SERVICE FEE” in your transaction history.

If a monthly service fee is charged and you believe you met the necessary waiver conditions, contact Chase customer service promptly. Having documentation ready, such as records of direct deposits or average daily balances, can facilitate the resolution process. New accounts are often granted a grace period, typically two statement periods, during which fees are not charged, providing time to establish waiver eligibility. After this initial period, fees will apply unless the waiver criteria are consistently met within each statement cycle.