How Do You Cash a Western Union Money Order?

Emilian Robert Vicol/CC-BY 2.0

Western Union money orders can be exchanged for cash in person at any local stores or agencies authorized to sell the company’s products, according to Western Union. The Western Union website offers a location finder feature to help customers find agencies in their area.

Many grocery stores, banks, credits unions and other financial institutions are able to process Western Union money orders. Money orders don’t expire, but states laws may impose a grace period, resulting in a service charge deduction if an individual waits too long to cash it, according to Western Union. The grace period is typically one to three years, and any relevant policies or conditions are printed directly on the money order for reference. If the money order does not satisfy the service charge criteria, the payee may have to submit a notarized affidavit to request the unpaid balance.