Wire transfer fees in the US and Canada
A wire transfer fee is the bank's charge for sending money by wire. The amount is on that bank's fee list. US and Canadian pages do not print one national price.
Last checked: Oct 2026
Where it sits on the statement
The wire and the fee are often different lines. Write the date, the printed name, and the amount of the fee, and the date and amount of the transfer it belongs to. A wire is not an Interac e-Transfer, and it is not a debit card purchase.
Ask the bank which transfer the fee is for, and whether a second fee was taken by a receiving bank. Expenvo can list the fee line from the statement. It does not send wires, and it does not quote a fee the statement does not show.
United States
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency says federal law does not set a maximum a bank may charge for a wire transfer. The bank decides the fee, subject to any state law that applies. Banks have to disclose fees when the account is opened. The fee you were charged is in the account agreement and the current fee schedule, not in a national table. That page was last reviewed in April 2021. It covers national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches the OCC regulates. The OCC's customer assistance number on the page is 1-800-613-6743.
An international consumer transfer, called a remittance, has a separate disclosure rule. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says that for most of those transfers you are shown the fee before you pay. The disclosure includes fees and taxes the company collects, other fees it must list, the exchange rate, and the amount expected to be delivered. You can receive that information without going ahead. Some amounts can be estimates. A domestic wire is not the same product as that international disclosure.
Canada
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada says banks and other federally regulated financial institutions must tell you how much they will charge to send money abroad. That fee does not include charges in the country that receives the money. The amount differs by institution. Some charge a flat fee. Others change the fee with the amount. The person receiving the money may also pay a fee or a tax to collect it.
A domestic wire, when your bank offers one, is still that bank's fee. FCAC's chequing account page says the institution must give you a list of the service charges on the account. Ask for that list if the statement line does not match what you expected. If you are not satisfied, use the bank's complaint steps. Federally regulated institutions have to tell you who handles the next step outside the bank.
Questions
- Is there one wire fee for every US bank?
- No. The OCC says federal law does not set a maximum. The bank sets the fee and has to disclose it. Read the fee schedule for your account.
- Does the Canadian fee to send money abroad include the other country's charges?
- No. FCAC says the fee your institution quotes does not include charges that might apply where the money is received. The recipient may also pay to collect it.
- Is a wire the same as Interac e-Transfer?
- No. Interac e-Transfer is a Canadian bank transfer sent with an email or mobile number. A wire is a separate service, with its own fee line when the bank charges one.
- What should I have when I call?
- The date, the name printed on the fee line, and the amount, plus the transfer those belong to. Ask what the fee was for. The bank can say the fee stands.
Sources
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