- Do ATMs Close?: The Short Answer
- When Do ATMs Close?
- Do ATM’s Close at Night?
- Do Bank ATMs Close?
- Do Drive-Thru ATMs Close?
- Do ATMs Close on a Sunday or During Holidays?
- Are ATMs Safe to Use at Night and Do They Have Cameras?
- Do Wells Fargo and Bank of America ATMs Close?
- What to Do if the ATM is Closed
- Final Thoughts
We know how frustrating it can be when you need cash fast but you’re worried that your local ATM might be closed.
With that in mind, we’ve done some independent research to provide you with some information about whether ATMs close and what you can do about it if yours is but you desperately need cash.
Do ATMs Close?: The Short Answer
ATMs are designed to operate 24 hours a day completely autonomously. ATMs only effectively close if they are behind closed doors, inside a building and access to them is blocked off, or if their cash is depleted or they are malfunctioning and switched off.
When Do ATMs Close?
Whilst ATM’s are designed to run autonomously 24 hours per day, there are certain circumstances when you won’t be able to make use of them:
If the ATM is Closed Off
Not all ATMs are accessible throughout the day because many ATMs are contained within shops, banks, or shopping malls and when these buildings shut, the ATM obviously becomes inaccessible.
Many banks have ATMs constructed on the outside so you can access them 24/7 and therefore you shouldn’t have this problem with most bank ATMs.
We have also come across ATMs that are accessible inside the bank even if the main part of the bank is shut after hours.
If the ATM is Malfunctioning
Another reason why you might not be able to use an ATM is if it is malfunctioning.
This can be due to mechanical (like issues with the dispenser) as well as software faults or issues with the banking network.
In these circumstances, you’ll either find the ATM displaying an error or it completely out of commission whilst it’s being repaired.
If the ATM’s Cash has Depleted
ATMs can also be closed if they are being replenished with cash.
ATMs are usually refilled a few times a week depending on how busy the location is.
Do ATM’s Close at Night?
Whether an ATM closes at night will depend on its location. If it’s inside a bank or a shopping mall then access to the ATM will close in accordance with the opening hours of the building.
Do Bank ATMs Close?
Bank ATMs are generally open 24/7 provided they are on the exterior of the property and not located inside.
What Time Do Bank ATMs Open and Close (if they are located within the building)?
Most banks are usually open between 8:00 am and 9:00 am and close between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm meaning the ATM will open/close in accordance with these hours if it’s located within the bank.
If your ATM is located inside your bank, then you will need to use it during opening hours.
However, most banks in the US have ATMs on the exterior of the building which are accessible 24/7.
Some banks have 24/7 access to the building so you can access the ATM 24/7.
Do Drive-Thru ATMs Close?
Drive-thru ATMs are designed to be open 24/7 so generally, they do not close unless they are malfunctioning or are empty and need replenishing.
Do ATMs Close on a Sunday or During Holidays?
ATMs are generally open 24/7 including Sundays and holidays unless your ATM is located in a building that doesn’t open during holidays or on Sundays.
Banks are not open on a Sunday or during federal holidays so you won’t be able to access an ATM inside a bank on those days but, as above, most banks have ATMs on the exterior of the building which you can usually access Sundays or during holidays.
Are ATMs Safe to Use at Night and Do They Have Cameras?
Most ATMs are relatively safe to use at night but their safety will much depend on the location of the ATM.
Clearly, crime in some areas is much more prevalent than in others so it’s worth keeping this in mind if you intend on using an ATM at night.
ATMs can be hot spots for theft and robbery as the perpetrator can strike just as you’ve withdrawn your money and catch you unawares.
If you are worried about using an ATM at night then we recommend waiting until daytime or attending the ATM accompanied.
Most ATMs have CCTV located close by (and sometimes contained within the ATM housing) but this is not always a deterrent.
Do Wells Fargo and Bank of America ATMs Close?
Wells Fargo and Bank of America ATMs are designed to be open 24/7.
As above, they will only be unusable if they’re located inside the bank or another building and access is closed off or if the ATM is malfunctioning or needs refilling.
Most Wells Fargo and Bank of America Banks have ATMs located on the exterior of the building so you can access the ATM 24/7.
If you want to find your local Wells Fargo ATM then use their handy ATM locator.
Or use the Bank of America ATM locator to find theirs.
What to Do if the ATM is Closed
If your ATM is closed but you need to pay for something urgently then you have a few options:
- Request cashback from a shop like Walmart where you can use your debit or credit card to get cash back up to 3 times a day for amounts of $20 – $100 per transaction
- Pay with debit or credit card
- Pay with Android, Apple or Samsung Pay
- Use your bank’s ATM locator to find another ATM
Final Thoughts
There are currently 470,135 ATMs across America so you should have no trouble in finding one that you can use.
As above, ATMs are open 24/7 in most circumstances so you’ve got plenty of options to withdraw your money.
ATMs do sometimes break down but this is not very often.
We spoke to Matt Cunningham an ATM technician and he said:
“ATMs are fairly robust in today’s age of technology. They do break down occassionally but I would estimate this is only on a handful of occasions throughout the year.”
If you are unlucky enough to find your ATM is malfunctioning, then the easiest thing to do is to seek cash back from a store like Walmart.
