Yes, most credit cards can be used at an ATM to withdraw cash. The process is called a cash advance, and it is significantly more expensive than using a debit card. You will pay a cash advance fee of 3% to 5% of the amount you withdraw, a cash advance APR that is typically 25% to 30%, and that interest starts the moment you take the cash out, with no grace period. You will also pay whatever ATM surcharge the machine operator charges on top of all that.
You need cash right now. Your debit card is not an option, but your credit card is in your wallet. The ATM is right there. So the question becomes: yes you can use a credit card at an ATM, but should you?
The short answer is that it works, it is legal, and most credit cards support it. The longer answer is that cash advances are one of the most expensive ways to borrow money available to ordinary consumers, and most people who use them do not realize the full cost until the statement arrives. This guide explains exactly what happens when you use a credit card at an ATM, what it costs, and what your alternatives are if you need cash but want to avoid those costs.
3% to 5%
Typical cash advance fee charged instantly on the amount you withdraw
25% to 30%
Typical cash advance APR, higher than the purchase rate on the same card
Day one
Interest starts accruing immediately. No grace period on cash advances.
20% to 30%
Typical cash advance limit as a share of your total credit limit
Does an ATM Accept Credit Cards?
Yes. Most ATMs accept credit cards alongside debit cards. The physical process looks identical: you insert or tap the card, the machine reads your account information, you enter your PIN, and you select how much cash you want. The difference is entirely what happens behind the scenes.
When you use a debit card, the ATM pulls from your checking account. Your own money moves. When you use a credit card, the ATM initiates a cash advance, which is a short-term loan against your credit line. You are borrowing money from your credit card issuer, and you will pay to do so.
There is one requirement that trips people up: most ATMs require a PIN to process a credit card transaction. If you have never set up a PIN for your credit card, you need to contact your card issuer to get one before you can use it at an ATM. Some issuers allow online PIN setup, while others mail a PIN to your registered address, which can take several business days. If you do not have a PIN, you cannot use an ATM for a credit card cash advance, though you can still get one at a bank branch with your card and a government-issued ID.
What Is a Cash Advance?
A cash advance is a transaction where your credit card is used to borrow physical cash rather than make a purchase. Credit card issuers treat cash advances as a separate category from purchases, with different fees, a different interest rate, and different rules about when interest begins.
There are four ways to get a credit card cash advance:
Insert your credit card and enter your PIN. Select “credit” if the machine asks you to choose between account types. The cash comes out like a debit withdrawal, but it is charged to your credit line as an advance.
Visit any bank that is part of your card’s network (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) and ask a teller for a cash advance. You will need your card and a photo ID. No PIN is required for in-branch advances at most institutions.
Some card issuers allow you to transfer a cash advance directly to a linked bank account through their website or mobile app. This is treated as a cash advance with the same fees and immediate interest accrual.
Some issuers mail convenience checks linked to your credit account. You write the check to yourself and deposit it, or pay a third party directly. Same fees and APR apply as a standard cash advance.
The ATM method is the most immediate and the most common for emergency cash needs. It is also where the fee stacking happens most visibly: your card’s cash advance fee, the card’s higher APR, and the ATM operator’s surcharge all apply to a single transaction.
The Full Cost of Using a Credit Card at an ATM
This is where most people get surprised. A credit card cash advance at an ATM is not one fee. It is three separate costs that stack on top of each other, and one of them compounds daily until you pay the balance off.
Cost 1: The Cash Advance Fee
The moment you complete the transaction, your credit card issuer charges a cash advance fee. This is charged instantly and appears on your statement regardless of how quickly you repay. There is no way to avoid it once you take the advance.
The standard structure is either a percentage of the amount withdrawn or a flat minimum, whichever is greater:
| Card Issuer | Cash Advance Fee | Cash Advance APR |
|---|---|---|
| Chase (most cards) | $10 or 5%, whichever is greater | 29.99% |
| Bank of America | $10 or 3% to 5%, whichever is greater | Typically 29.99% |
| American Express | $10 or 5%, whichever is greater | 28.74% (varies by card) |
| Citi (most cards) | $10 or 5%, whichever is greater | 29.99% |
| Discover | $10 or 5%, whichever is greater | 29.99% (varies) |
| Most credit cards (general) | 3% to 5% or $10 minimum | 20% to 30% |
Cost 2: The Cash Advance APR (With No Grace Period)
When you make a regular purchase with your credit card, you typically have a grace period of 21 to 25 days to pay the balance before interest starts accumulating. Cash advances have no grace period. Interest begins accruing from the date of the transaction, not from the end of your billing cycle.
The cash advance APR is also consistently higher than the purchase APR on the same card. If your card charges 22% on purchases, it may charge 28% to 30% on cash advances. That gap exists because issuers view cash advances as higher risk than purchases, and because there is no grace period buffer that purchase transactions provide.
Cost 3: The ATM Operator Surcharge
On top of your card’s fees, the ATM itself charges a surcharge. This is the fee displayed on screen before you confirm the transaction. The national average ATM surcharge was $4.86 in 2025. If you use an out-of-network ATM, your own bank may add an additional $1.50 to $3.00 on top of that.
When you use a credit card, not a debit card, the bank’s out-of-network fee may not apply in the same way, but the ATM operator’s surcharge definitely does. You are paying three layers on a single cash advance transaction.
What a $500 Credit Card ATM Withdrawal Actually Costs
| Cost Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash advance fee (5% of $500) | $25.00 | Charged instantly. Cannot be avoided once the transaction is complete. |
| ATM operator surcharge | $3.50 | Varies by machine. National average was $4.86 in 2025. This example uses $3.50. |
| Interest at 29.99% APR for 30 days | $12.48 | Calculated on $525 (advance + cash advance fee) over one month. Starts from day one. |
| Total cost of a $500 withdrawal | $40.98 | That is 8.2% of the amount withdrawn, paid within one month to get out clean. |
| Total cost if you only pay the minimum for 6 months | $75 to $100+ | Interest compounds daily. The longer the balance stays, the more you pay. |
The comparison to a debit card withdrawal makes the cost obvious: the same $500 from your own bank’s ATM costs $0.00 if you are in-network. The credit card version costs roughly $41 if you pay it off within a month. That difference is the price of borrowing versus spending your own money.
When you make a payment above the minimum balance on your credit card, your issuer must apply the excess to the highest-interest balance first. Since cash advances almost always carry a higher APR than purchases, any extra payment you make will go toward your cash advance balance before it touches any purchase balance. This is actually in your favor: it means paying more than the minimum aggressively reduces the expensive cash advance balance first. But it also means minimum payments can let cash advance interest compound indefinitely while purchase interest sits at the lower rate.
Cash Advance Limits: How Much Can You Withdraw?
Using a credit card at an ATM is not the same as accessing your full credit limit. Credit card issuers set a separate, lower limit specifically for cash advances, and this cap is usually a percentage of your overall credit line.
| Credit Limit | Typical Cash Advance Limit (20%) | Typical Cash Advance Limit (30%) |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $200 | $300 |
| $3,000 | $600 | $900 |
| $5,000 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| $10,000 | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| $15,000 | $3,000 | $4,500 |
Your specific cash advance limit is listed on your credit card statement or in your online account. You can also call the number on the back of your card to find out the exact figure. The ATM may also have its own per-transaction dispensing limit that is lower than your cash advance limit, so you may need multiple transactions to access the full amount your card allows.
Does Using a Credit Card at an ATM Affect Your Credit Score?
A cash advance itself does not appear as a separate negative item on your credit report. However, it affects your credit score indirectly through credit utilization.
Credit utilization is the ratio of your current credit card balance to your total credit limit. It accounts for roughly 30% of your FICO score, making it one of the most important factors in your credit profile. A cash advance immediately increases your balance, which raises your utilization ratio. If your utilization rises above 30%, your score will typically drop.
Example: You have a $5,000 credit limit and currently carry a $500 balance. Your utilization is 10%. You take a $1,000 cash advance. Your balance is now $1,525 (the $1,000 advance plus the 5% cash advance fee). Your utilization is now 30.5%, and you will likely see a score drop when your issuer reports the new balance to the credit bureaus.
Paying off the cash advance balance quickly is the best way to protect your credit score. The sooner your balance drops, the sooner your utilization falls back down and your score recovers.
What Transactions Trigger a Cash Advance Fee (Even Without an ATM)
Many people do not realize they have taken a cash advance until they see their statement. The following transactions are treated as cash advances by most credit card issuers, not as purchases:
- Buying money orders with a credit card at a post office, Walmart, or any retailer
- Purchasing casino chips or loading a gambling account
- Buying gift cards at some retailers (varies by merchant category code)
- Sending money through Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App using a credit card rather than a bank account
- Wire transfer services like Western Union or MoneyGram charged to a credit card
- Lottery tickets in some states where they are classified as cash-like transactions
- Bail bond payments charged to a credit card
All of these trigger the same fee structure as an ATM cash advance. If you use a credit card for any of these transactions without knowing, you will owe the cash advance fee and begin accruing the higher cash advance APR from that day forward.
Alternatives to Using a Credit Card at an ATM
If you need cash but want to avoid cash advance fees and interest, there are several better options to consider first, roughly ranked from lowest cost to highest:
| Alternative | Cost | Best For | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debit card at an in-network ATM | $0 | Anyone with a checking account balance | Requires funds in your account |
| Cash back at checkout (debit) | $0 | Small amounts of cash, $100 or less | Requires a purchase at a participating retailer |
| Personal loan | 7% to 13% APR typical | Larger amounts, planned expenses | Takes a few business days; requires credit approval |
| Employer paycheck advance | Usually $0 | Short-term gaps before payday | Requires employer participation |
| Earned wage access apps (DailyPay, Earnin) | $0 to $4 per transfer | Small pre-payday cash needs | Limited to wages you have already earned |
| Credit card balance transfer to bank | 3% to 5% fee (same as cash advance) | Moving funds to your bank account | Still treated as a cash advance by most issuers |
| Credit card cash advance (ATM) | 3% to 5% fee + 25% to 30% APR | True emergency with no other option | Expensive. Interest starts immediately. |
If you have any balance in savings, any debit card with funds, or any possibility of getting a small personal loan within a day or two, those options are almost always cheaper than a credit card ATM withdrawal. The credit card ATM option is best reserved for genuine emergencies where no other path is available and the amount is small enough to pay back quickly.
How to Use a Credit Card at an ATM (If You Decide To)
If you have considered the costs and still need to proceed, here is the process:
You need a PIN to use your credit card at an ATM. Check your card’s packaging, your issuer’s app, or call the number on the back of your card. If you do not have one, request it now and wait for it to arrive before you need it. Do not wait until you are already at the ATM.
Look at your card’s statement or log into your issuer’s app to find your available cash advance amount. Your credit limit and your cash advance limit are different figures. Trying to withdraw more than the cash advance limit will result in a declined transaction.
Some ATMs ask you to specify account type. Select “credit.” Enter your PIN when the machine asks for it.
Most ATMs display the operator surcharge before processing the transaction. You must confirm you accept the fee. This is the ATM surcharge, not your card’s cash advance fee, which is charged separately by the issuer.
There is no grace period on cash advances. Every day the balance remains, more interest accrues at the higher APR. Paying the balance in full within a few days eliminates most of the interest cost and minimizes the damage to your credit utilization ratio.
A Note for ATM Operators
If you own or operate an ATM, credit card cash advances are relevant to your business in a specific way. When a customer uses a credit card at your machine, you earn the same surcharge fee you would from a debit card transaction. The surcharge goes to you regardless of whether the customer is spending their own money or borrowing against a credit line.
What changes is the authorization pathway. Credit card cash advances are processed differently from debit card PIN transactions on the backend, and the cardholder’s credit card issuer absorbs any fraud liability rather than the cardholder’s bank. From your perspective as the machine owner, the revenue is the same. The difference shows up on the customer’s statement, not yours.
Independent ATMs, the kind placed in bars, convenience stores, and retail locations by independent operators, are typically debit-card-focused by design. Most do not specifically market credit card cash advance capability, but most also do not block it. If a customer’s credit card issuer has enabled ATM cash advances and the customer has a PIN, the transaction will typically go through at your machine just as any other withdrawal would.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use a credit card at an ATM?
Yes. Most credit cards can be used at ATMs to get cash, as long as you have a PIN set up for the card. The transaction is processed as a cash advance, not a regular purchase, which means it comes with a cash advance fee of 3% to 5%, a higher APR that starts immediately, and the ATM operator’s surcharge on top. It is significantly more expensive than using a debit card.
Does an ATM take credit cards?
Most ATMs accept both debit and credit cards. The machine processes whichever type you insert. If you insert a credit card and select “credit” as the account type, the transaction goes through as a cash advance. Some older or smaller ATMs only process debit transactions, but this is increasingly rare at machines in the United States.
How much does a credit card cash advance at an ATM cost?
At minimum, you will pay the ATM operator’s surcharge (averaging $4.86 in 2025) plus your card’s cash advance fee (typically $10 or 5% of the amount, whichever is greater). Then interest at your card’s cash advance APR, typically 25% to 30%, begins accruing immediately with no grace period. On a $500 withdrawal paid back within 30 days, the total cost is roughly $40 to $50 depending on your specific card terms and the ATM’s surcharge.
Do you earn rewards on credit card ATM withdrawals?
No. Cash advances are not purchases and do not earn points, miles, or cash back regardless of what rewards your card normally offers. The cash advance fee itself also does not earn rewards. You lose the rewards potential and pay more in fees at the same time.
How do I get a PIN for my credit card to use at an ATM?
Contact your card issuer through the app, online, or by calling the number on the back of your card. Some issuers allow instant PIN setup through the app; others mail a PIN to your registered address, which can take three to seven business days. If you anticipate needing emergency cash access through your credit card, set up your PIN before you need it rather than scrambling at the ATM.
Can I withdraw money from a credit card at an ATM without a PIN?
Not at an ATM. A PIN is required for all credit card ATM transactions. However, you can get a cash advance without a PIN by visiting a bank branch in person with your credit card and a photo ID. The bank teller can process the advance manually. Most banks that carry the same network as your card (Visa, Mastercard) will process this even if it is not your own bank.
Does a credit card cash advance hurt your credit score?
The cash advance itself does not appear as a negative mark on your credit report. However, it increases your credit card balance, which raises your credit utilization ratio. High utilization is one of the biggest factors in your credit score calculation. If a $1,000 advance pushes your utilization above 30%, you will likely see a score drop when the balance is reported to the credit bureaus at the end of your billing cycle. Paying the balance quickly is the most effective way to limit the damage.
The Bottom Line
Using a credit card at an ATM works. Machines accept it, your card supports it, and the cash comes out the same way it would from a debit card. The issue is cost, not capability.
A cash advance stacks three separate charges: your issuer’s upfront cash advance fee, a higher APR with no grace period starting the same day, and the ATM operator’s surcharge. On a modest $500 withdrawal paid back within a month, you could easily spend $40 to $50 for the privilege of borrowing your own credit. Let the balance sit for three or six months and that number climbs significantly.
If you have any alternative available, including a debit card with funds, cash back at a grocery store checkout, or a personal loan you can get within a day or two, use it. If a cash advance is truly the only option available, take the smallest amount you actually need, pay it off within days rather than weeks, and set up your credit card PIN now so you are not caught unprepared next time.
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