How to Close a Wells Fargo account: Tips, Options & More!

If you want to close your Wells Fargo account, in this article, we’ll show you what options are available and who to contact.

Plus, we'll also give you some tips about what to consider if you do: for example, it's important to settle your negative balance and consider the subscriptions linked to your account.

If you changed your mind, don't worry, we also got you covered, and we'll tell you what options are available if you want to re-open a Wells Fargo account.

Before closing your account

Closing a Wells Fargo account is a simple and straightforward process, but there are some things to take care of beforehand.

1. You can’t have a negative balance

Before you close your account, the balance must be positive or at zero. Wells Fargo will not allow you to close an account with a negative balance—overdrawn account.

You can close it at a positive balance, but there may be a charge for a cashier’s check based on the type of account. The best option is to transfer any remaining funds to another account and then close it.

2. There must be nothing pending on the account

Wells Fargo will not start the closing process if you have pending deposits or other outstanding items on your account like legal claims or disputes.

3. The account must be active

If your account is inactive, you’ll need to log in online or ask a banker to reactivate the account before you can close it.

4. Move auto drafts, subscriptions, and salary deposits

You don’t want unpaid bills or missed paychecks because you closed your accounts.

Be sure to thoroughly review your statement for all payments that deduct from the account—water, gas, and electric bills; car payments, etc.—and move those to another account. Don’t forget quarterly and/or annual payments!

Also remember to move one-touch payment services and subscriptions to another account. Do you use Google Pay, Apple Pay, Amazon, Netflix, HBOMax, Hulu, etc.?

And on the other side, you don’t want your employer or clients to deposit salary funds into a closed account, so notify everyone of a new location to deposit funds.

How to close your Wells Fargo account?

To close a Wells Fargo account, you can use one of the following options.

1. Call the bank’s customer service line at 1-800-869-3557 and enter your account information for verification. From there, you can speak to a banker to close the account.

2. Visit a Wells Fargo Branch and speak to a banker. If you need to find a location, visit their site and click ‘ATMs/locations’ located at the top-right section of the page.

3. If you’re outside of the U.S. you can complete an Account Closure or Partial Withdrawal Request form and mail it in. However, you will need to have the form notarized by an agency recognized by the U.S. Embassy/Consulate.

4. Login to your account online or on the mobile app and find the ‘Contact Us’ section. From there, you can send an email to request an account closure.

How much does it cost to close a Wells Fargo account?

There is no charge to close a Wells Fargo account. Again, be sure that your account is not overdrawn—zero or positive balance—and there are no pending deposits or outstanding legal claims or disputes.

How to re-open your Wells Fargo account?

While closed bank accounts cannot be re-opened, if you changed your mind, these are your options to open a new Wells Fargo account:

1. Apply through Wells Fargo Online in just a couple of minutes.

2. Call Wells Fargo's Customer Support at 1-800-869-3557.

3. Visit a local Wells Fargo branch. To find your local branch, visit Wells Fargo's website and click 'ATMs/locations' in the top right corner of the webpage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you close your bank account online?

Wells Fargo currently doesn’t mention this on their website. But you can log into your account at the Wells Fargo site or on their mobile application and complete the cancellation process.

On both platforms, go to the section titled ‘Contact Us’, and it will allow you to select an option to send an email request for closing an account. This option will take a couple of business days, but if you’ve zeroed out your account, there should be no issues.

Does closing your Wells Fargo account affect your credit score?

In short, no. Closing a bank account won’t affect your credit score, however, if your account’s balance is negative, and you didn’t recover from being overdrawn for a long time—that can get reported, affecting your credit score. For this reason, always make sure to settle your account before closing your Wells Fargo savings or checking account.