Free Checking Accounts — National / Regional

Unfortunately, many large banks that previously offered free checking stopped doing so. This list collects the larger national or regional banks that still do. I also have a separate list of local banks and credit unions with fee-free accounts.

The information in the table below was last verified in January 2012.

Bank	Account-opening bonus?	ATM rebates?	Notes
Ameris Bank	—	—	Branches in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
First Bancorp	—	—	Branches in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Fulton Bank and affiliates	—	—	Network of banks run as effectively one bank (customers can use any branch, and all banks have identical products): FNB Bank, Fulton Bank, Lafayette Ambassador Bank, Skylands Community Bank, Swineford National Bank, The Bank, and The Columbia Bank. Branches in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Hudson City	—	—	Branches in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. (Scroll down to "Free Personal Checking".)
Huntington Bank	—	—	Branches in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
M&T Bank	—	—	Branches in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.
PNC Bank	—	unlimited if $2000 balance	Branches in Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Have ATMs in most other major U.S. cities.
RBC Bank	—	—	Branches in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
United Central Bank	—	—	Branches in California, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Virginia.
Washington Trust	—	—	Branches in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.