[Expired] Wells Fargo $300 Checking Bonus [Select Areas Only; DD Required]

This deal has expired, click here for the best bank account bonuses.

Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $300
  • Availability: Enter zip code to see eligibility (Baltimore, MD; Denver, CO; Richmond-Petersburg, VA; Norfolk, VA; Portland, OR; Seattle-Tacoma, WA; Washington, DC-MD, Raleigh, NC; San Diego, CA)
  • Direct deposit required: Yes
  • Additional requirements: None
  • Hard/soft pull: Soft
  • ChexSystems: Mixed reports, likely doesn’t pull
  • Credit card funding: Can fund up to $50 online
  • Monthly fees: $10-$15, waivable
  • Early account termination fee: None
  • Household limit: None
  • Expiration date: November 22, 2017

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • Receive a sign up bonus of $300 when you open a new Everyday or Preferred checking account with Wells Fago and have $1,500 direct deposited into the account for three consecutive months within 150 days of account opening

Geographic Eligibility

Enter your zip code to check eligibility.

The following areas are eligible: Baltimore, MD; Denver, CO; Richmond-Petersburg, VA; Norfolk, VA; Portland, OR; Seattle-Tacoma, WA; Washington, DC-MD, Raleigh, NC; San Diego, CA

The Fine Print

  • Not eligible for bonus if you are: 1) a current owner on a Wells Fargo consumer checking account; 2) a Wells Fargo team member; 3) a recipient of a consumer checking bonus in the past 12 months (limit 1 bonus per customer)
  • All consumer checking accounts except Teen Checking are eligible for the $300 bonus when opened in a branch. Only certain checking accounts are available when opened online.
  • Bonus available in-branch or online
  • Initial deposit of $25 required during account opening
  • Offer cannot be  paid without providing a valid (W-9) and U.S. taxpayer ID number
  • Offer can not be combined with any other consumer deposit offer
  • Bonus will post to your new checking account within 45 days after eligibility and qualifications have been met
  • You are responsible for any federal, state, or local taxes due on your bonus and we will report as income to the tax authorities as required
  • A qualifying direct deposit: Your salary, pension, Social Security, or other regular monthly income, electronically deposited (by an employer, the government or an outside agency) to the account opened for this offer. A non-qualifying deposit: Transfers from one account to another, deposits made at a branch or ATM, and deposits from payments for the sale of goods or services.

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fee

The Everyday Checking account comes with a $10 monthly fee. Get the fee waived with one of the following:

  • 10 debit card purchases and/or payments each statement cycle from this checking account, OR
  • Direct deposits totaling $500 or more each statement cycle, OR
  • Maintain a $1,500 minimum daily balance, OR
  • Link checking account to a Wells Fargo Campus ATM or Campus Debit Card

The Preferred Checking account comes with a $15 monthly fee. Get the fee waived with one of the following:

  • $10,000 in combined deposits, OR
  • $1,000 monthly direct deposit, OR
  • A linked Wells Fargo mortgage, OR

Early Account Termination Fee

There is no early account termination fee.

Our Verdict

$300 is excellent and well-worth jumping on if you can satisfy the direct deposit requirement. Previous data points indicate that most ACH transfers count as direct deposit for Wells Fargo. Let us know if it works this time.

There are currently three Wells Fargo bonuses available:

We’ll add this to our list of Best State-Specific Bank Bonuses.

Hat tip to jenncheer on r/churning
    Chuck
  • On October 17, 2017, 17:23

View Comments (101)

  • I used ACH transfers for OCT, NOV, and DEC. reps said to wait. Now they say that those do not count. If they had mentioned it in January I could have used my employer DD. oh well...

  • Well, no bonus for me due to me opening a second account within 12 months. Here is what they said:

    To receive the $300.00 promotional credit to your primary Wells Fargo
    checking or savings account you cannot be:

    A current owner on a Wells Fargo consumer checking account.
    A Wells Fargo team member.
    A recipient of a consumer checking bonus in the past 12 months (limit
    one bonus per customer).

    Upon review of your account, an Everyday checking account was opened
    earlier this year where you received a $250.00 bonus.

    The promotional bonus will not be applied.

    • Do you think it is worth filing a CFPB Complaint? I mean you I am sure you received an email stating: "Your application has been approved, and your new account is eligible to receive a bonus offer. For more details, see the Bonus Offer Disclosure and Additional Requirements. Next Steps: "

      If they sent an email stating that, and you did the hard work to statify all the requirements based on that email, are they not obligated to grant you the bonus?

    • Thanks for the update Jeff. I appear to have also lost out on this bonus. Opened account #1 Feb 17, closed July 17. Opened account #2 10/19/17. Used legit payroll DD, no bonus as of 2/27/18. Doc did suggest 2 bonuses < 365 days was uncertain. Wells Fargo must now strictly enforce the bonus time. Time to close this account and prepare to open again noting my last bonus with them was March 17 ~11.25 months ago.

  • Sent a sm to WF yesterday asking if I had met the qualifications - last deposit on 1/3. They confirmed that I had met the qualifications and I should wait for 45 days. This is my second account in 12 months - with the recent DP's of people receiving their bonus, I am thinking that maybe they closed the loophole.

  • 11/1/17 Opened account
    11/27 $1,505 Deposit from WF Business Direct Pay
    12/26 $1,505 Deposit from WF Business Direct Pay
    1/8 $1,505 Deposit from WF Business Direct Pay
    1/31/18 $300 Bonus posted

  • Yes, Got 300 bonus.
    Opened this account on 10/19. Paypal & Disc 1500+ in Oct, only discover in Nov & Dec, Only Paypal in Jan. Got the bonus on 1/17.

  • Opened on 10/24 and transferred from discover bank which are categorized as Direct deposits and the bonus posted today and also I did not send any w9 form.

    • that's good to know about Discover Bank.. did you use the Discover Savings? I'm curious if you sent one "direct deposit" each calendar month or one direct deposit each statement cycle month? thanks

    • Also opened on 10/24 and my bonus posted today. Will transfer out funds then close the account. What's the most convenient way to close? Do I need to go in person?

    • I've had an account within the past 12 months and have not received bonus. I've read that maybe they have caught on....

  • Emailed them, they said up to 45 days from my last deposit which was 1/3. They did not confirm that I was eligible. Wait and see mode.

  • I opened my account back in Oct and did legit DD from work since Nov. I sent an SM asking if I had met the requirements and after some back and forth they came back telling they can't tell me anything about the bonus until I mailed the W-9 form. I already sent them the form first week of December...so they lost that form with my SSN in it. I am really pissed off.

      • I used the enveloped they provided. Funny enough just got another response to my secure msg confirming they did receive the W-9 back in December but no answer to my original question as to whether or not I had already met the requirements for the bonus.

        • Why did they need the W9? I'm confused.. to prove that it was really a direct deposit??? or to verify something else?

          If WF is asking us to show it's a legit direct deposit.. that may be difficult for some of us. Thanks

        • I was debating on using the address that my initial application came from, but I decided to use the dedicated Checking/Savings address. I would not worry because you used your REAL DD. I just used another bank account I had to spare which means my bonus is still TBD.

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