When you deposit a check, your bank or other financial institution may delay crediting the money to your account during what’s called the check hold period. The number of days that your bank can legally hold your funds depends on the type of check you deposit and, at some banks, on the type of deposit slip you use. Under federal law, certain deposi [..]

Check hold is the time period for which a banking institution waits before releasing funds associated with a deposited check.    

Practice used by financial institutions to make sure checks on deposit will be paid by the drawee bank. After a check "clears," the check hold can be lifted.

A check hold is when a financial institution temporarily blocks your access to all or part of the funds in a deposited check until it is paid by the institution on which it was drawn. Federal Reserve Regulation DD specifies the maximum holds financial institutions can place on deposited items. DCU