Bank

BMO Checking Bonus — Up to $400

Bonus Tiers

Deposit	Bonus
$4,000 in qualifying direct deposits	$400

Qualifying Period

Within 90 days of account opening

Payout

Approximately 100 days after account opening

Requirements

✓Open a new BMO Smart Money Checking, BMO Smart Advantage Checking, or BMO Relationship Checking account
✓Minimum opening deposit of $25
✓Cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening
✓Account must be open and in good standing with balance greater than zero when bonus is paid
✓Have a cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening
✓Minimum $25 opening deposit
✓$4,000 in cumulative qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening
✓Cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days
✓Have cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits post to account within 90 days of account opening
✓Qualifying direct deposits are regular income from employer or similar third party (salary, paycheck, pension, Social Security, government benefits)
✓Account must be in good standing with balance greater than zero when bonus is paid
✓Have a cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits post to account within 90 days of account opening
✓Open a new eligible BMO checking account (Smart Money Checking, Smart Advantage Checking, or Relationship Checking)
✓Have cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening
✓Use promo code (automatically applied for online applications)
✓Account must be open, in good standing, and have a balance greater than zero when bonus is paid
✓Use the promo code when opening account

Restrictions

⚠New customers only
⚠One per customer/account
⚠Not available to existing BMO personal checking customers or those who closed a BMO checking account within the past 12 months
⚠Must reside in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or Wisconsin at time of application
⚠New customers only — not available to existing BMO personal checking clients or those who closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months
⚠Limited to one per client and account
⚠Account must be open and in good standing with balance greater than zero at time of payout
⚠Offer applies only to new BMO Smart Money Checking, BMO Smart Advantage Checking, or BMO Relationship Checking accounts
⚠One per client and account
⚠Not available to existing BMO personal checking clients or those who have closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months
⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking customers or those who closed a checking account within 12 months
⚠Not available to existing BMO personal checking customers
⚠Not available to those who closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months
⚠One per client and account (including trustees and signers on joint accounts)
⚠Promo code must be used
⚠One bonus per person
⚠Account must be in good standing when bonus is paid
⚠New customers only — not available for existing BMO personal checking clients
⚠Not available for those who closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months
⚠One bonus per customer (cannot open multiple checking accounts to receive multiple bonuses)
⚠Account must be open, in good standing, with balance greater than zero when bonus is paid
⚠One per customer
⚠Cannot have held a BMO personal checking account in the past 12 months
⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking clients or those who have closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months
⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking clients or those who closed an account within the past 12 months
⚠Account must be open in good standing when bonus is paid
⚠New personal checking customers only
⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking clients
⚠One bonus per client and account (including trustees and signers on joint accounts)
⚠Must use promo code
⚠Not available to existing BMO personal checking customers or those who closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months
⚠One bonus per customer and account
⚠Limited to Smart Money Checking, Smart Advantage Checking, or Relationship Checking accounts
⚠One per customer and account (including trustees and signers on joint accounts)
⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking customers (including trustees and signers on joint accounts)
⚠Promo code required

Fees

$0 monthly maintenance fee for BMO Smart Advantage Checking
$5 monthly maintenance fee for BMO Smart Money Checking (waived if under 25)
$25 monthly maintenance fee for BMO Relationship Checking
BMO Smart Money Checking: $5 monthly maintenance fee (waived if under 25)
BMO Smart Advantage Checking: $0 monthly maintenance fee
BMO Relationship Checking: $25 monthly maintenance fee (waivable with $10,000 minimum daily balance or $25,000 combined balance)
$0 monthly maintenance fee (Smart Advantage and Smart Money accounts)
$0 monthly maintenance fee (Smart Advantage & Smart Money)
$0 monthly fee for Smart Advantage Checking
No monthly maintenance fee for BMO Smart Advantage Checking
$0 monthly maintenance fee (Smart Advantage Checking)
$0 monthly maintenance fee (BMO Smart Money and Smart Advantage Checking)
$5 monthly maintenance fee for BMO Smart Money Checking (waived for customers under 25)
$0 monthly maintenance fee for Smart Advantage and Smart Money (Smart Money has $5 fee waived for under age 25)
$25 monthly fee for Relationship Checking (may be waived with minimum balance requirements)
$0 account fee for Smart Advantage Checking
$5 monthly maintenance fee for Smart Money Checking (waived for those under 25)
Tiered fees for Relationship Checking
$0 monthly maintenance fee for Smart Advantage Checking
BMO Smart Money Checking: $5 monthly (waived for those under 25)
BMO Relationship Checking: $25 monthly (waivable with minimum balance)

Cash bonus reported to IRS for tax purposes; customer responsible for taxes
Offer can be changed or canceled without notice and cannot be combined with other offers
Account must remain open and in good standing until bonus is paid
Qualifying direct deposits are deposits of regular income from an employer or similar third party (salary, paycheck, pension, Social Security, government benefits) electronically deposited using your account number and BMO's routing number
Cash bonus may be reported to the IRS for tax purposes; applicant is responsible for applicable taxes
Offer can be changed or canceled without notice at any time and cannot be combined with any other offer
Account must be opened between May 5, 2026 and September 8, 2026
Account must be open, in good standing, and have a balance greater than zero when bonus is paid
Bonus will be reported to the IRS for tax purposes; customer is responsible for applicable taxes
Offer cannot be combined with any other offer
If account is closed within 90 days, early account termination fee of $50 applies
Qualifying direct deposits are regular income from employer or third party such as salary, paycheck, pension, Social Security, or government benefits deposited using account number and BMO routing number
Must open account between May 5, 2026 and September 8, 2026
Promo code required when opening account
Day 1 is the day you open your account (or next Business Day if opened on non-Business Day)
If 90th calendar day falls on Saturday, Sunday or Bank holiday, qualifying deposits must post by the last Business Day preceding the 90th calendar day
Bonus not considered part of opening deposit and reported to IRS for tax purposes
Account must be open, in good standing, with balance greater than zero at payout
Qualifying deposits must be from employer or third-party source (not transfers, P2P, teller deposits)
Account must remain open and in the correct checking account type when bonus is paid
Qualifying direct deposits include paycheck, pension payment, Social Security payment, or government benefits payment electronically deposited from employer or outside agency
Early account termination within 90 days may result in $50 fee
Bonus amount reported to IRS for tax purposes
Account must remain open and in good standing at time of bonus payment
Promo code must be used at account opening (automatically applied online or sent via email for branch/phone opening)
Cash bonus is reported to IRS for tax purposes; customer is responsible for applicable taxes
Offer can be changed or canceled without notice
Cannot be combined with any other offer
Account must be open between May 5, 2026 and September 8, 2026
Non-qualifying deposits include: teller deposits, wire transfers, ATM transfers, mobile app transfers, P2P transfers (Zelle, Venmo), merchant payment platforms (Square)
Minimum opening deposit of $25 required
Cash bonus may be reported to the IRS for tax purposes
Offer can be changed or canceled without notice at any time
Qualifying direct deposits are deposits of regular income from an employer or similar third party such as salary, paycheck, pension payment, Social Security payment, or other government benefits payment
Qualifying direct deposits include paycheck, pension payment, Social Security payment, or other government benefits payment electronically deposited from employer or outside agency
Promo code must be used when opening account
Early account termination fee of $50 if account is closed within 90 days
Qualifying direct deposits include paycheck, pension payment, Social Security payment, or other government benefits payment electronically deposited from an employer or outside agency
If the 90th calendar day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Bank holiday, deposits must be received by the last Business Day preceding the 90th calendar day
Bonus is reported to the IRS for tax purposes; customer is responsible for any applicable taxes
Early account termination fee of $50 if closed within 90 days
Qualifying direct deposits include paycheck, pension payment, Social Security payment, or other government benefits electronically deposited from employer or outside agency
If the 90th calendar day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or bank holiday, deposits must be received by the last business day preceding the 90th calendar day
Account must remain as the specified checking type when bonus is paid
Early account closure within 90 days may incur fees
Qualifying direct deposits are regular income deposits from employer or similar third party (salary, paycheck, pension payment, Social Security payment, or other government benefits)
Non-qualifying deposits include teller deposits, wire transfers, ATM transfers, BMO Digital Banking transfers, P2P transfers, and transfers from other banks
Account must maintain the specified account type through bonus payout
Accounts with zero balance may be closed
Day 1 is the day you open your account and begins the tracking period. If you open on a non-Business Day, Day 1 is the next Business Day
Applications submitted online on May 4, 2026 must be approved prior to 9:00 p.m. CT

Sign-Up Bonus

$400

View Promo Terms →

Offer expires September 7, 2026

Last updated July 6, 2026

Discussion

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How to evaluate BMO Checking Bonus

Before opening this account, compare the bonus against direct deposit rules, monthly fees, minimum balance requirements, and any clawback period after payout.

More bank bonuses →Maximize bank bonuses →Direct deposit bonus guide →

Qualification checklist

Timing

Qualifying period: Within 90 days of account opening
Payout timeline: Approximately 100 days after account opening

How to qualify

Open a new BMO Smart Money Checking, BMO Smart Advantage Checking, or BMO Relationship Checking account
Minimum opening deposit of $25
Cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening
Account must be open and in good standing with balance greater than zero when bonus is paid

Common pitfalls

New customers only
One per customer/account
Not available to existing BMO personal checking customers or those who closed a BMO checking account within the past 12 months
Must reside in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or Wisconsin at time of application

What makes this offer different

What makes this bank offer different

This is a bank-bonus fit for users who can satisfy a deposit rule quickly; the key comparison point is whether the required deposit type matches your normal cash flow.

Bonus value versus similar offers

The sign-up bonus is below the current nearby $2,000 median, so the requirements and any referral or portal stack matter more.

Requirement clarity

Credolix has extracted 4 requirements for this offer, so compare the bonus against the actual steps rather than the headline payout alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does BMO Checking Bonus expire?

BMO Checking Bonus expires on September 7, 2026.

How long do I have to qualify for BMO Checking Bonus?

The qualifying period listed for BMO Checking Bonus is Within 90 days of account opening.

When does BMO Checking Bonus pay out?

The payout timeline listed for BMO Checking Bonus is Approximately 100 days after account opening.

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Deposit

Bonus

$4,000 in qualifying direct deposits

$400

Requirements

✓Open a new BMO Smart Money Checking, BMO Smart Advantage Checking, or BMO Relationship Checking account

✓Minimum opening deposit of $25

✓Cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening

✓Account must be open and in good standing with balance greater than zero when bonus is paid

✓Have a cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening

✓Minimum $25 opening deposit

✓$4,000 in cumulative qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening

✓Cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days

✓Have cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits post to account within 90 days of account opening

✓Qualifying direct deposits are regular income from employer or similar third party (salary, paycheck, pension, Social Security, government benefits)

✓Account must be in good standing with balance greater than zero when bonus is paid

✓Have a cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits post to account within 90 days of account opening

✓Open a new eligible BMO checking account (Smart Money Checking, Smart Advantage Checking, or Relationship Checking)

✓Have cumulative total of $4,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening

✓Use promo code (automatically applied for online applications)

✓Account must be open, in good standing, and have a balance greater than zero when bonus is paid

✓Use the promo code when opening account

Restrictions

⚠New customers only

⚠One per customer/account

⚠Not available to existing BMO personal checking customers or those who closed a BMO checking account within the past 12 months

⚠Must reside in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or Wisconsin at time of application

⚠New customers only — not available to existing BMO personal checking clients or those who closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months

⚠Limited to one per client and account

⚠Account must be open and in good standing with balance greater than zero at time of payout

⚠Offer applies only to new BMO Smart Money Checking, BMO Smart Advantage Checking, or BMO Relationship Checking accounts

⚠One per client and account

⚠Not available to existing BMO personal checking clients or those who have closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months

⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking customers or those who closed a checking account within 12 months

⚠Not available to existing BMO personal checking customers

⚠Not available to those who closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months

⚠One per client and account (including trustees and signers on joint accounts)

⚠Promo code must be used

⚠One bonus per person

⚠Account must be in good standing when bonus is paid

⚠New customers only — not available for existing BMO personal checking clients

⚠Not available for those who closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months

⚠One bonus per customer (cannot open multiple checking accounts to receive multiple bonuses)

⚠Account must be open, in good standing, with balance greater than zero when bonus is paid

⚠One per customer

⚠Cannot have held a BMO personal checking account in the past 12 months

⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking clients or those who have closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months

⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking clients or those who closed an account within the past 12 months

⚠Account must be open in good standing when bonus is paid

⚠New personal checking customers only

⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking clients

⚠One bonus per client and account (including trustees and signers on joint accounts)

⚠Must use promo code

⚠Not available to existing BMO personal checking customers or those who closed a BMO personal checking account within the past 12 months

⚠One bonus per customer and account

⚠Limited to Smart Money Checking, Smart Advantage Checking, or Relationship Checking accounts

⚠One per customer and account (including trustees and signers on joint accounts)

⚠Not available for existing BMO personal checking customers (including trustees and signers on joint accounts)

⚠Promo code required

Fees

$0 monthly maintenance fee for BMO Smart Advantage Checking

$5 monthly maintenance fee for BMO Smart Money Checking (waived if under 25)

$25 monthly maintenance fee for BMO Relationship Checking

BMO Smart Money Checking: $5 monthly maintenance fee (waived if under 25)

BMO Smart Advantage Checking: $0 monthly maintenance fee

BMO Relationship Checking: $25 monthly maintenance fee (waivable with $10,000 minimum daily balance or $25,000 combined balance)

$0 monthly maintenance fee (Smart Advantage and Smart Money accounts)

$0 monthly maintenance fee (Smart Advantage & Smart Money)

$0 monthly fee for Smart Advantage Checking

No monthly maintenance fee for BMO Smart Advantage Checking

$0 monthly maintenance fee (Smart Advantage Checking)

$0 monthly maintenance fee (BMO Smart Money and Smart Advantage Checking)

$5 monthly maintenance fee for BMO Smart Money Checking (waived for customers under 25)

$0 monthly maintenance fee for Smart Advantage and Smart Money (Smart Money has $5 fee waived for under age 25)

$25 monthly fee for Relationship Checking (may be waived with minimum balance requirements)

$0 account fee for Smart Advantage Checking

$5 monthly maintenance fee for Smart Money Checking (waived for those under 25)

Tiered fees for Relationship Checking

$0 monthly maintenance fee for Smart Advantage Checking

BMO Smart Money Checking: $5 monthly (waived for those under 25)

BMO Relationship Checking: $25 monthly (waivable with minimum balance)