How Long Does a Balance Transfer Take?

If you’re trying to pay off a large debt as quickly as you can and avoid high interest rates, a credit card balance transfer could offer you some relief. But you might be anxious to know how long it will take to clear.

A balance transfer usually takes five to seven days. However, it could take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the credit card issuer. There could be several reasons why your balance transfer may take a bit longer. Some issuers may take longer to process your balance transfer. Problems could also arise that could delay your transfer.

How long does it take for a balance transfer to go through?

Balance transfer times vary by credit card issuer. Some issuers may complete your balance transfer in as short as a few days, while others may take up to 14 days or longer.

Balance transfer processing times for major issuers

• American Express: 5 to 7 days (but could be up to 6 weeks)
• Bank of America: From 2 to 14 days
• Barclays: Up to 4 weeks
• Capital One: 3 to 15 days
• Chase: 7 to 21 days
• Citi: 2 to 21 days
• Discover: No more than 4 days, typically (just know that your balance transfer won’t begin processing until the account has been open for at least 14 days)
• U.S. Bank: Usually within 14 days
• Wells Fargo: Up to 14 days

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How to check your balance transfer status

1. Check your accounts. Once you’ve initiated your balance transfer, you should keep an eye on your accounts to make sure the transfer goes through. You’ll need to log in to both accounts to verify that your balance has increased in your new account and decreased in your old account by the transferred amount. For example, if you’re transferring $500, you should check for this amount in the list of recent transactions for both cards. Depending on the credit card, there may also be balance transfer fees to factor in as well.
2. Follow up with your issuer. If your balance transfer seems to be delayed, you can call your credit card issuer at the number on the back of your card or one listed on their website. Be sure to continue to make payments on the credit card that you’re transferring the balance from in the meantime. Your credit card may show the balance transfer as “pending.” This means that the process is still ongoing and needs to be completed.

Phone numbers by major issuer

• American Express: 800-528-4800
• Bank of America: 800-432-1000
• Barclays: 877-523-0478
• Capital One: 800-655-2265
• Chase: 800-432-3117
• Citi: 800-950-5114
• Discover: 800-347-2683
• U.S. Bank: 800-872-2657
• Wells Fargo: 800-642-4720

→ See the best balance transfer credit cards

Tip

It’s important to stay current on your credit card payments with the bank you’re transferring the balance from until your transfer is complete. This will help prevent late fees on your credit card, as well as a negative impact to your credit score.

Why a balance transfer might delay

While balance transfers are often completed quickly, a variety of factors — on the issuer’s side or yours — could cause your transfer to take longer:

• The age of the card you’re transferring a balance to. Some issuers, like Discover, require you to wait a couple weeks before transferring a balance to a newly opened card.
• The amount you’re transferring. A larger balance transfer may take longer to approve and process.
• The issuer’s typical wait times for balance transfers. Timelines vary by credit card issuer, and some issuers may take longer than others to process a balance transfer.
• The completeness and accuracy of information provided. You should be careful to provide complete and accurate information when applying for a transfer. An omission or error on your application could delay the process.
• Backlogs for card issuers. If your issuer is processing a large number of requests, it could take longer to process your transfer.
• Transferring a balance from multiple cards. Transferring multiple balances can be more complicated and could extend the time it takes to complete your transfer.
• Problems communicating between card issuers. Your new card issuer may have trouble contacting your old issuer. If this is the case, try reaching out to your new card issuer directly to expedite the process.

What to do if your balance transfer is delayed

Your balance transfer may take a couple weeks to go through. But if it’s taking longer than expected, you can call your new issuer’s customer service line to figure out the cause of the delay. You should take the following steps:

1. Talk to your issuer. Ask your issuer for an update and if there’s anything that can be done on your end to move the process along.
2. Set an event reminder or recurring “events” on your calendar to check back with your credit card issuer regularly on the status of your transfer.
3. Keep making payments on your old card and keep an eye on your account to see if the balance has been deducted. Interest may have accumulated from the time you requested the balance transfer until it went through, so be sure to monitor both credit cards closely and pay on time to avoid any late fees.

Learn more about balance transfers

As you can tell, the process looks a little different with every credit card issuer. The following guides show you step-by-step how to transfer a balance with the major issuers.

• Doing a balance transfer with American Express
• Doing a balance transfer with Capital One
• Doing a balance transfer with Chase
• Doing a balance transfer with Citi
• Doing a balance transfer with Discover
• Doing a balance transfer with Wells Fargo