Paid a Fee at a Nonbank ATM? Check Whether You Can Claim Part of the $167.5 Million Settlement
A $167.5 million Visa and Mastercard settlement could provide payments to consumers who paid unreimbursed surcharges at independent ATMs. Here’s who may qualify, how to file for free, and how to avoid ATM fees going forward.
Settlement disclosure: Beelinger is not affiliated with the court, Visa, Mastercard, the plaintiffs, Class Counsel or the Claims Administrator. Filing a claim is free. Use the court-approved settlement website to submit your information.
Legal note: The lawsuit alleges that Visa and Mastercard network rules violated antitrust laws and caused consumers to pay higher independent-ATM surcharges. Visa and Mastercard deny wrongdoing. The proposed settlement does not represent an admission of liability.
Key Takeaways
- Visa and Mastercard have agreed to create a $167.5 million settlement fund in Burke v. Visa Inc., pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
- The nationwide class generally covers eligible unreimbursed surcharges paid at independent ATMs between October 24, 2007 and August 14, 2026.
- Eligible withdrawals must have come from a deposit account using an ATM card or PIN-debit card. Credit-card cash advances and prepaid-card transactions are excluded.
- You do not need to submit receipts or bank statements with the initial claim, although the Claims Administrator can later request supporting documentation.
- The deadline to submit a valid claim is February 10, 2027.
- If you do nothing, you receive no payment and give up the right to sue Visa or Mastercard separately over the released claims.
What the $167.5 Million ATM Settlement Is About
If you have ever withdrawn cash from an independent ATM at a gas station, convenience store, hotel, bar, casino, music venue or similar location and paid a surcharge, you may want to check the recently opened settlement claims process.
Visa and Mastercard have agreed to a proposed $167.5 million antitrust settlement in Burke v. Visa Inc., Case No. 1:11-cv-01882, pending in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
The lawsuit alleges that Visa and Mastercard network operating rules prohibited independent ATM operators from charging consumers a lower surcharge when a withdrawal could be processed over a competing network that cost the ATM operator less.
The plaintiffs allege that these rules caused cardholders to pay higher ATM access fees than they otherwise would have paid.
Important legal distinction: These are allegations. Visa and Mastercard deny that they did anything wrong. The proposed settlement resolves the claims without a finding that either company violated the law.
The settlement fund will be used to cover court-approved attorneys’ fees and expenses, settlement administration, taxes, service awards and payments to eligible class members.
Eligibility Checklist: Do You Qualify?
According to the court-approved settlement administrator, you are generally part of the Nationwide Class if the following conditions apply.
- Location: The cash withdrawal occurred at an independent ATM located in the United States or one of its territories.
- Time period: The transaction occurred between October 24, 2007 and August 14, 2026.
- ATM type: The machine was an independent ATM—not an ATM owned by Visa, Mastercard, a bank or another financial institution.
- Account type: The money came from a deposit account, such as a checking or savings account.
- Card type: You used an ATM card or PIN-debit card.
- Surcharge: You were charged an ATM surcharge or access fee.
- Reimbursement: Your financial institution did not fully reimburse that surcharge.
Not included: Credit-card transactions, cash advances and prepaid-card transactions do not qualify as covered domestic cash withdrawal transactions under the settlement definition.
There are also separate statewide classes involving California, Illinois, Massachusetts and Michigan. Review the official Settlement Notice if you believe one of those classes may apply to you.
Simple test: Think about cash machines at independent businesses rather than the branded ATM sitting inside your bank or credit union. If you paid a surcharge and your bank did not reimburse all of it, the official claim site is worth checking.
How to File Your Claim for Free
Submitting a claim does not require hiring a claims company or paying anyone a percentage of your settlement payment.
Step 1
Use the official website
Go directly to NonBankATMSurchargeSettlement.com.
Step 2
Enter your information
Provide your name, address and valid contact details.
Step 3
Certify your claim
Confirm truthfully that you paid an eligible unreimbursed surcharge.
1. Go to the Court-Approved Settlement Website
Use the official portal:
NonBankATMSurchargeSettlement.com
The website states that it is maintained by the Claims Administrator under the supervision of Class Counsel.
2. Enter Your Claim Information
If you received an email notice, you can enter the Notice ID supplied to you. You can also submit a claim without having received an individual notice.
The current online claim form requests information including:
- Your name.
- Your mailing address.
- Your phone number.
- Your email address.
- Whether you were charged an unreimbursed surcharge to withdraw cash from an independent ATM during the covered period.
3. You Do Not Need Receipts With the Initial Claim
The Claims Administrator states that you do not need to provide documentation at this time.
However, the claim is submitted under penalty of perjury, and the administrator reserves the right to ask for additional information, bank statements or other documentation supporting the claim.
Do not guess or inflate your claim. Submit only information you believe is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge.
4. Settlement Payments Are Distributed Later
You do not need to choose a bank-account deposit method when initially submitting the current online claim form.
If the settlement becomes effective and you are eligible for a payment, the Claims Administrator says payment notices will be sent electronically. Claimants will then receive digital payment choices, such as PayPal or a virtual debit card, with the option to request a paper check.
Keep your contact information current. The settlement administrator specifically warns that an invalid email address or mobile number could prevent you from receiving your payment notice.
Critical Settlement Deadlines
February 10, 2027: Claim Deadline
You must submit a valid Claim Form by February 10, 2027 to be considered for a settlement payment.
| Settlement Action | Deadline | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Exclude Yourself | December 11, 2026 | Preserves your ability to pursue the released claims separately, but you give up eligibility for a settlement payment. |
| Object | December 11, 2026 | Allows you to tell the Court why you support or oppose the proposed settlement. |
| Submit a Claim | February 10, 2027 | Required if you want to receive money from the settlement. |
| Fairness Hearing | February 17, 2027 at 4:00 p.m. ET | The Court will consider whether to grant final approval to the settlement. |
If you do nothing: You will receive no settlement payment and, if the settlement becomes final, will give up the legal right to sue Visa or Mastercard separately over the released claims covered by the settlement.
How Much Could You Receive?
There is no reliable fixed-dollar payout available yet.
The settlement establishes a $167.5 million fund, but eligible claimant payments will come from what remains after court-approved attorneys’ fees, costs, settlement administration, taxes and other approved expenses are deducted.
The amount ultimately available also depends on the number of valid claims and the settlement’s court-approved distribution methodology.
Do not trust websites promising a guaranteed check amount. The final payment cannot be known until the claims process and settlement administration are substantially complete.
Payments will also not be distributed merely because you submit a claim today. The settlement must receive final approval, and payment can be delayed if appeals are filed.
Beyond the Settlement: How to Stop Paying ATM Surcharges
A settlement claim addresses eligible past fees. Your day-to-day banking setup determines whether you continue paying ATM surcharges in the future.
If an independent ATM charges $3 to $5 and you use one twice a month, the annual cost can be substantial:
$3 × 2 withdrawals × 12 months = $72 per year
$5 × 2 withdrawals × 12 months = $120 per year
Three strategies can reduce that friction:
- Use a checking or cash-management account that reimburses ATM surcharges.
- Choose an institution with a broad surcharge-free ATM network.
- Plan cash needs before entering venues or locations dominated by high-fee independent ATMs.
Accounts That Can Reduce ATM-Fee Friction
| Institution | Account | ATM Access | ATM Fee Policy | Monthly Account Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Schwab Bank | Investor Checking™ | ATM access worldwide with Schwab Bank Visa® Platinum Debit Card | Unlimited ATM fee rebates on eligible cash withdrawals worldwide | $0 |
| Fidelity | Cash Management Account | Visa®, Plus® and Star® network ATMs worldwide | All eligible ATM charges reimbursed for the Cash Management Account | $0 |
| Alliant Credit Union | High-Rate Checking | 80,000+ Alliant-preferred fee-free ATMs | Up to $20 per month in eligible ATM fee rebates | $0 when account conditions are met |
| Capital One | 360 Checking | 70,000+ fee-free Capital One, MoneyPass® and Allpoint® ATMs | No blanket reimbursement of every independent-ATM surcharge; use the fee-free network when possible | $0 |
Charles Schwab Investor Checking
Schwab Bank Investor Checking offers one of the strongest ATM-reimbursement structures. Schwab states that eligible ATM cash-withdrawal fees are reimbursed without limit worldwide when using the Schwab Bank Visa® Platinum Debit Card.
The checking account has no monthly service fee or minimum-balance requirement, although it is opened alongside a linked Schwab One® brokerage account.
Travel advantage: Schwab also states that the checking account has no foreign transaction fee. Dynamic currency conversion and certain non-ATM charges are not part of the ATM reimbursement benefit, so withdraw in local currency when possible.
Fidelity Cash Management Account
The Fidelity Cash Management Account also reimburses eligible ATM fees worldwide and has no account maintenance fee or minimum balance.
One distinction matters: the Fidelity Cash Management Account is a brokerage account designed for spending and cash management, not a bank checking account. Eligible uninvested cash can receive FDIC insurance through Fidelity’s deposit sweep program, subject to applicable program rules.
Alliant High-Rate Checking
Alliant provides access to more than 80,000 preferred fee-free ATMs and reimburses up to $20 per month of eligible ATM fees on its checking products.
For someone who occasionally needs an out-of-network ATM, $20 of monthly reimbursement can cover several typical surcharges without requiring an unlimited-rebate account.
Capital One 360 Checking
Capital One 360 Checking takes a network-based approach rather than promising unlimited reimbursement from any machine. Customers can withdraw cash at more than 70,000 fee-free Capital One, MoneyPass and Allpoint ATMs.
Capital One also allows eligible customers to add cash at participating retailers, including CVS, Walgreens, Kroger-family stores and 7-Eleven locations, using a barcode generated through the Capital One app.
ATM-network rule: A bank advertising tens of thousands of fee-free ATMs is not necessarily promising to reimburse a surcharge from any ATM you choose. Check whether the benefit is a fee-free network, a monthly reimbursement allowance or unlimited reimbursement.
Protect Your Day-to-Day Cash Flow
Settlement claims can potentially recover part of an eligible past loss, but preventing future fees matters more over the long term.
A stronger cash-flow setup starts with knowing:
- How much money needs to remain available until your next paycheck.
- Which bills will clear before that paycheck arrives.
- Where you can access cash without paying avoidable fees.
- How much emergency buffer you need to keep small surprises off credit cards.
Need money soon? Build a realistic plan.
If an unexpected expense has strained your checking account or you are rebuilding your cash buffer, Beelinger Money Coach can help you map out the next practical steps without automatically turning to high-cost loans or fee-heavy cash-advance apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Non-Bank ATM Surcharge Settlement?
It is a proposed $167.5 million settlement in Burke v. Visa Inc., an antitrust class action pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit alleges that Visa and Mastercard rules prevented independent ATM operators from charging lower surcharges for transactions routed over lower-cost competing networks. Visa and Mastercard deny wrongdoing.
Who may qualify for the ATM settlement?
Generally, consumers may qualify if they paid an unreimbursed surcharge to withdraw cash from a deposit account using an ATM or PIN-debit card at an independent ATM in the United States or its territories between October 24, 2007 and August 14, 2026. Additional state classes also exist.
Do bank-owned ATMs qualify?
No. The settlement defines an independent ATM as an ATM not owned by Visa, Mastercard, a bank or another financial institution.
Do credit-card cash advances qualify?
No. Credit-card transactions, cash advances and prepaid-card withdrawals are excluded from the settlement’s definition of eligible domestic cash withdrawals.
Do I need receipts or old bank statements to submit a claim?
No documentation is required with the current initial online claim form. However, the Claims Administrator may later request bank statements or other information supporting your claim.
When is the claim deadline?
The deadline to submit a valid Claim Form is February 10, 2027.
How much money will I receive?
The exact payment is not currently known. Eligible payments depend on the net settlement fund remaining after court-approved expenses and on the number and treatment of valid claims under the settlement’s distribution plan.
How will settlement payments be sent?
The Claims Administrator says claimants will later receive an electronic payment notice with digital payment options such as PayPal or a virtual debit card. Claimants will also have the option to request a paper check.
What happens if I do nothing?
You will not receive a settlement payment. If the settlement becomes final, you will also give up your right to bring a separate lawsuit against Visa or Mastercard over the released claims covered by the settlement.
Sources
- Official Non-Bank ATM Surcharge Settlement: Settlement Summary, Eligibility and Deadlines
- Official Non-Bank ATM Surcharge Settlement: Claim Form and Documentation Requirements
- Charles Schwab Bank: Investor Checking and Unlimited ATM Fee Rebates
- Charles Schwab Bank: Investor Checking ATM Reimbursement Terms
- Fidelity: Cash Management Account and ATM Reimbursement
- Fidelity: Debit Card and Worldwide ATM Reimbursement Terms
- Alliant Credit Union: $20 Monthly ATM Fee Rebate and ATM Network
- Capital One: 360 Checking ATM Network
- Capital One: Retail Cash Deposit Locations and Limits
- Beelinger Money Coach: Cash-Flow Planning
Settlement eligibility, filing instructions, documentation rules, deadlines and payment procedures were reviewed against the court-approved settlement website on September 25, 2026. ATM reimbursement and network information for Schwab, Fidelity, Alliant and Capital One was checked against current provider disclosures. Settlement terms, account features, ATM networks and reimbursement policies can change.
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