What is the monthly fee for a BMO chequing account?

BMO chequing monthly fees range from $4.00 (Performance Plan, 12 transactions) to $30.95 (Premium Plan, unlimited transactions plus extras). The Plus Plan at $15.95 is the most widely used — unlimited transactions waived at a $3,000 minimum daily balance. The $3,000 waiver threshold for unlimited chequing is the lowest among the Big Five banks, making the Plus Plan fee-waiver the most accessible in the category.

What is the BMO NSF fee?

BMO charges a $45 NSF (non-sufficient funds) fee each time a payment is returned due to insufficient funds. The federal government capped NSF fees at $48 for federally regulated banks in 2024. TD is lower at $35; RBC and Scotiabank also charge $45. BMO overdraft protection ($5/month) covers shortfalls to your approved overdraft limit and prevents NSF fees from being charged.

Does BMO charge for e-Transfers?

Interac e-Transfers are free with the BMO Plus Plan, Premium Plan, and Student Account. Performance Plan clients pay $1.25 per e-Transfer after the 12-transaction monthly allowance. Receiving an e-Transfer is always free regardless of account type.

What does the BMO Premium Plan include?

The BMO Premium Plan costs $30.95/month (waived with $6,000 minimum daily balance) and includes unlimited transactions, unlimited e-Transfers, a US dollar account, free bank drafts, free certified cheques, free money orders, overdraft protection, and a discount on BMO Mastercard annual fees. For clients who regularly pay for these services individually, the Premium Plan provides meaningful net savings — particularly for clients who transact frequently in USD or process certified cheques for real estate.

What are BMO InvestorLine trading fees?

BMO InvestorLine charges $9.95 per equity or ETF trade for standard accounts, dropping to $7.95 for active traders (150+ trades per quarter). Options cost $9.95 plus $1.25 per contract. The RRSP/TFSA administration fee is $100/year and is waived when the account balance exceeds $15,000. There is no commission to purchase BMO ETFs through InvestorLine for clients enrolled in automatic investment plans.

How do I avoid BMO monthly account fees?

Maintain the minimum daily balance for your account plan: $1,500 for Performance, $3,000 for Plus, $6,000 for Premium. The waiver is automatic when the threshold is maintained for the full calendar month. Students qualify for the free Student Account. Newcomers receive fee-waived banking for the first year through the New to Canada Package. The Plus Plan's $3,000 waiver is the most accessible Big Five threshold for unlimited chequing.

BMO Fees 2026 | Monthly, NSF, Wire Transfer & Service Fees

BMO’s fee structure follows the Big Five pattern — tiered monthly account fees with balance-based waivers, NSF fees, and charges for out-of-network transactions and international services. The standout value in the lineup is the Plus Plan’s $3,000 balance waiver for unlimited chequing — the lowest such threshold among the Big Five — and the BMO CashBack Mastercard, which costs nothing and earns 3% on groceries.

Monthly Account Fees

Account	Monthly Fee	Fee Waiver Balance	Transactions Included
Performance Plan	$4.00	$1,500 min. daily balance	12/month then $1.25 each
Plus Plan	$15.95	$3,000 min. daily balance	Unlimited
Premium Plan	$30.95	$6,000 min. daily balance	Unlimited + extras
Student Account	$0	No requirement	Unlimited
New to Canada Package	$0 (first year)	No requirement	Unlimited

The Plus Plan’s $3,000 waiver is the most accessible unlimited chequing fee waiver in the Big Five. RBC, TD, and Scotiabank all require $4,000 to waive their equivalent unlimited plans. BMO’s $1,000 advantage means clients with slightly lower account balances can still qualify for fee-free banking.

Service and Transaction Fees

Everyday Banking Fees

Fee Type	Amount
Interac e-Transfer (Performance Plan over-limit)	$1.25 each
Non-BMO ATM withdrawal (Canada) — BMO fee	$2.00
Non-BMO ATM withdrawal — operator surcharge	$2.00–$3.00
BMO Harris ATM (US) — BMO fee	$0 (currency conversion applies)
Non-BMO ATM withdrawal (international, non-Harris)	$2.00 + 2.5% FX
Paper statement	$2.25/month (waived with eStatements)
Cheque image retrieval	$5.00 per image
Stop payment order	$12.50
Certified cheque	$10.00 (free with Premium Plan)
Bank draft	$7.50 (free with Premium Plan)
Money order	$7.50 (free with Premium Plan)

Overdraft and NSF Fees

Fee Type	Amount
NSF (returned payment)	$45.00
Overdraft protection monthly fee	$5.00/month
Overdraft interest rate	~21% per annum on overdrawn balance

Wire Transfer Fees

Transfer Type	Fee
Domestic wire (outgoing)	~$25.00
International wire (outgoing)	~$40–$65
International wire (incoming)	~$15.00

See the full BMO wire transfer guide for limits and processing times.

Foreign Currency Fees

Fee Type	Amount
Foreign currency purchase (Visa/Mastercard debit)	2.5% of transaction
Foreign ATM withdrawal (non-BMO Harris)	2.5% of withdrawal
USD account transactions	No FX fee for USD purchases (US dollar account required)

Credit Card Annual Fees

Card	Annual Fee
BMO CashBack Mastercard	$0
BMO Rewards Mastercard	$0
BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard	$120
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite	$120
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard	$150

The BMO CashBack Mastercard — no annual fee, 3% on groceries — is one of the most valuable no-fee cards in Canada. Holding a BMO account qualifies you automatically.

BMO InvestorLine Fees

Fee Type	Amount
Standard equity/ETF trade	$9.95
Active trader (150+ trades/quarter)	$7.95
Options (base + per contract)	$9.95 + $1.25/contract
RRSP/TFSA administration	$100/year (waived at $15,000+)
BMO ETF purchase (auto-invest plan)	$0

BMO InvestorLine is the natural brokerage for investors in BMO ETFs (ZSP, ZAG, ZEB, and 100+ others). At $9.95/trade, InvestorLine is competitive within the Big Five but higher than Questrade ($4.95–$9.95 with ETFs free to buy) and significantly higher than Wealthsimple Trade ($0 for Canadian equities).

How to Avoid BMO Fees

Fee	How to Avoid
Monthly account fee	Maintain minimum daily balance for your plan
e-Transfer fee (Performance over-limit)	Upgrade to Plus Plan
Paper statement fee	Switch to eStatements in BMO Online Banking
Non-BMO ATM fee (Canada)	Use BMO ATMs (3,300+)
Non-BMO ATM fee (US)	Use BMO Harris ATMs (Midwest US)
Foreign transaction fee	Use BMO’s US dollar account for USD purchases
NSF fee	Enable overdraft protection ($5/month)
Bank draft / certified cheque fee	Premium Plan includes these free
InvestorLine administration fee	Maintain $15,000+ balance in InvestorLine

Fee Schedule Changes

BMO updates its fee schedule periodically. Figures on this page were accurate as of May 2026. For the most current rates, refer to the BMO Personal Banking Fee Schedule at bmo.com or request a copy at any BMO branch. Under FCAC regulations, BMO must provide 30 days’ notice before fee increases.