To open a PNC checking or savings account you need a U.S. government-issued photo ID, your SSN or ITIN, your date of birth and current home address, and $25 if you open PNC Simple Checking in a branch (it's $0 online).
- Photo ID: a U.S. government-issued photo ID: driver's license, non-driver state ID, military ID or passport.
- SSN or ITIN: either one works, online or in a branch.
- Proof of address: PNC asks for your "current residential address"; its product pages name no proof-of-address document.
- Opening deposit: Simple Checking and Virtual Wallet Spend: $25, or $0 opened online. Standard Savings: $0 online, $25 in a branch.
- Age: typically 18; ages 14 to 17 with an adult co-applicant; under 14 by branch appointment with an adult.
- Online or branch: either; plan on a branch if you're under 16 or have no SSN.
- Non-citizens and non-residents: with no SSN or ITIN, branch only, with a passport, a second ID and Form W-8BEN.
As read on PNC's own pages on October 29, 2026; the bank can change these, so its linked pages are the final word.
What to bring to PNC
| What to bring | What PNC says | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Photo ID | "A U.S. government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, a non-driving state identification card, a military ID, or a passport" | "Additional forms of ID may be accepted when applying in-branch." |
| Second ID | Not stated for U.S. applicants | Non-U.S. persons without an SSN or ITIN bring "a second form of ID, which can be your U.S. student visa or your U.S. student photo ID" |
| SSN or ITIN | "Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)" | The student page says "U.S. issued" |
| Address | "current residential address" | Listed as information, not a document |
| Opening deposit | Simple Checking: "Minimum Deposit to Open .......... $25.00" and "$0 if the account is opened online" | Same for Virtual Wallet Spend; Reserve and Growth: $0 |
| For teens | "Ages 14-17 ... an adult co-applicant is required" | Under 14: branch appointment "with an adult over 18" |
| For non-citizens | No SSN or ITIN: "you must visit a PNC branch to apply in person" | Passport plus a photocopy, second ID, Form W-8BEN |
The $25 that becomes $0 online
PNC's fee schedules are the clearest source on money. The Simple Checking schedule (effective February 22, 2026) lists "Minimum Deposit to Open .......... $25.00," then says "The minimum deposit to open is $0 if the account is opened online." The Virtual Wallet schedule (effective October 25, 2026) says the same for Spend, with $0 for Reserve and Growth. Standard Savings is $0 online and $25 in a branch. Walking into a branch? Bring $25.
Teens, and the under-16 catch
PNC's pages disagree on teens. The student banking page says ages 14 to 17 can "Apply online or schedule an appointment in a branch" with an adult co-applicant. The checking FAQ says "We do require customers under the age of 16 to visit a branch with a parent or legal guardian." The safe reading: if the teen is 14 or 15, book a branch visit and bring the parent or guardian; at 16 or 17, online with an adult co-applicant should work.
Opening at PNC without an SSN or ITIN
Per PNC's international student page, with an SSN or ITIN you can apply for Simple Checking online or in a branch. Without either, you go to a branch in person and bring "A valid passport with a photograph," plus a photocopy of it, and a second ID such as your U.S. student visa or U.S. student photo ID. You can fill in Form W-8BEN before the appointment or at the branch. PNC says it is "unable to accept online applications from non-U.S. persons who do not have a U.S. SSN or ITIN at this time." ITIN vs SSN explains the two numbers.
The federal minimum behind every bank's list
Federal rules for banks (31 CFR 1020.220) require a bank to collect your name, date of birth, address and an identification number before opening an account: a taxpayer ID for U.S. persons, and for non-U.S. persons something like a passport number and the country that issued it. The bank then has to verify who you are. Banks add their own rules on top; for the general picture, see what every US bank asks for.
How PNC compares
Same date, each bank's own pages; the other nine have their own checklists.
| Bank | Checking: minimum to open | SSN or ITIN | Where you can open | Without SSN or green card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase | Total Checking: not stated; Secure Banking: no minimum | Not stated as a Chase rule | Online or branch (teens: branch) | Matrícula consular, passport or work permit as primary ID; one ID must show a U.S. address |
| Bank of America | SafeBalance $25; Advantage Plus $100 | Online asks for an SSN; visa holders open in person | Online or financial center | Visa holders: in person, two IDs incl. foreign passport or consular ID |
| Wells Fargo | $25 | SSN or ITIN | Online at 18+; branch under 18 | Branch appointment; foreign government ID showing nationality or residence |
| Citi | No minimum | SSN or ITIN | Online (savings also branch or phone); new customers may be asked to visit a branch | Online only for U.S. citizens and resident aliens; foreign individuals give a W-8BEN |
| U.S. Bank | Smartly Checking $25 | SSN or ITIN (online: SSN) | Online or branch | Branch: passport plus I-20 or I-94; Matrícula Consular Mexicana as primary ID |
| PNC | $25, or $0 online | SSN or ITIN | Online or branch | Branch only: passport, a second ID and Form W-8BEN |
| Truist | Truist One Checking $50 | SSN or taxpayer ID number | Online, branch or phone | Nonresident aliens: passport number, issuing country and foreign address |
| Capital One | 360 Checking: no minimum | SSN or ITIN | Online, branch or Café | 360 accounts: U.S. citizens and permanent residents only |
| TD Bank | $0 (fund within 45 days) | SSN; ITIN for TD Essential Banking | Online, store or phone | Not stated |
| Ally | $0 | SSN or taxpayer ID number | Online or phone only, no branches | U.S. residents with a U.S. street address only |
Have it ready before you apply
Online, keep your ID in reach, check it hasn't expired, and know your SSN or ITIN without digging for the card. PNC doesn't list a proof of address document, but if your ID shows an old address, a recent utility bill or lease with your current one is cheap insurance at a branch. Non-U.S. applicants: bring the passport and a photocopy.
If those papers live in a drawer, Paperlock can hold them on your iPhone. It reads each document you save, keeps it behind Face ID, and shows ID thumbnails blurred until you confirm it's you. It's on the App Store.