Depending on the size of the check and the rules your bank has in place, you may have to wait until the check clears before you can use the funds. This is the fund’s availability policy, and every bank has a policy covering this issue. For a personal check, they may allow you to use up to $200, while for a cashier’s check or money order, they may be more lenient. You should ask bank staff for the rules they follow when cashing checks. If you have plans to pay bills or spend the money immediately after depositing a large check, you could find the money on hold and your bill payments late, which in turn causes late penalty fees.