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US bank statement format guide
Most large US banks let you download recent transactions as CSV or Quicken/QuickBooks files, but only for a limited window: for example two years at Chase, 18 months at Wells Fargo checking, three years at U.S. Bank and six billing periods at American Express, according to their own help pages. Older periods exist only as PDF statements, which is when a PDF-to-Excel/CSV/QBO converter is needed.
Updated October 29, 2026
Per-bank download formats and history limits, each linked to the bank's own help page and checked October 29, 2026. Where a bank's site does not say, we write "not verified" instead of guessing.
Download formats and history by bank
| Bank | Native download formats | How far back | PDF statements online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase | CSV, QFX, QIF or QBO (desktop, via Spending Planner) | Last two years (desktop download) | Not verified on a Chase page |
| Bank of America | Not verified on a Bank of America page (see note) | Credit cards: up to 12 months of detailed transactions online | Records kept up to 7 years (older copies on request) |
| Wells Fargo | Comma-delimited (CSV) or Quicken Web Connect; Business Online also QuickBooks Web Connect | Checking/savings: up to 18 months; credit cards: 90 days or 300 transactions | Up to 7 years (deposit accounts); up to 2 years (credit cards) |
| Citi | Cards: PDF, Quicken and Microsoft Money; CitiBusiness: QBO, QFX, QIF, CSV, BAI | Cards: download statements from the past 12 months; CitiBusiness: last 180 days | Cards: up to 7 years online |
| Capital One | Not stated on the US help page we checked | Two years of past transactions on the website | Statements include seven years of history |
| U.S. Bank | CSV, QFX or QBO | Up to three years | For older activity, use statements (retention not stated) |
| PNC | QFX (Quicken) or QBO (QuickBooks) via Web Connect | Not stated | Not verified |
| Truist | Not verified on a Truist page | Small business: download or print up to 18 months of history | Not verified |
| TD Bank (US) | Direct download into Quicken and QuickBooks; file formats not verified | Not stated | Not verified |
| American Express | Quicken, QuickBooks or CSV | Recent activity and the past six billing statements | Not verified |
| Discover | Not verified on a Discover page | Not verified | Not verified |
| Chime | Monthly PDF statements; no CSV export found in Chime help | Not stated | Monthly statements in app and on chime.com |
| Ally Bank | CSV or Quicken (QFX) | Up to 18 months of account activity online | Not verified |
| SoFi | CSV (Checking and Savings) | Any range up to 2 years per export | Not verified |
Method: each cell comes from the bank's own help page linked on the bank's page, checked October 29, 2026. "Not verified" means we could not find it on an official page; it does not mean the feature is missing. Banks change these pages, so check the source before relying on a limit. Corrections are welcome.
What every US statement contains
Statement layouts differ by bank, but the minimum content is set by regulation. Checking and savings statements must show each electronic transfer's amount and date and the opening and closing balance (Regulation E, 12 CFR 1005.9(b)). Credit card statements must show the previous balance, transactions, credits, fees, interest, closing date and new balance (Regulation Z, 12 CFR 1026.7). Because both include opening and closing balances, a conversion can be checked: opening balance + credits − debits must equal the closing balance. That is the check CSVLedger runs on every file (how it works).
Common pitfalls when converting US statements
- Download windows are short. Activity downloads typically stop at 90 days to three years; older periods are only in PDF statements.
- Card signs are reversed. On a credit card, a purchase increases the balance owed. Converting a card statement with bank-account logic flips every sign (credit card converter).
- QuickBooks upload limits. QuickBooks Online accepts QBO, QFX and CSV uploads up to 350 KB and 1,000 lines per file (Intuit), so long periods need splitting.
- Multi-line descriptions and page breaks. Descriptions that wrap onto a second line or a table split across pages are the most common cause of missed or merged rows. A balance check catches them.
- Scanned statements. Paper statements that were scanned have no text layer and need OCR (status).
Convert a PDF statement
Pick the output: Excel, CSV, QBO, Xero CSV or credit card to Excel. Files are converted in your browser and not uploaded (security).
Frequently asked questions
Which US banks let you download transactions as a QBO file?
According to their own help pages (checked October 29, 2026): Chase (desktop, last two years), U.S. Bank (up to three years), PNC (Web Connect), CitiBusiness (last 180 days, not credit accounts), Wells Fargo Business Online, and American Express (QuickBooks download). For other banks we could not verify it.
Why can I only download a few months of transactions?
Banks limit the activity download window, for example 18 months at Wells Fargo for checking and 90 days or 300 transactions for its credit cards. Older periods are available as PDF statements, which you can convert to Excel, CSV or QBO.
Is it safe to convert a bank statement PDF online?
Uploading a statement sends account numbers and transactions to someone else's server. CSVLedger converts the PDF inside your browser instead, so the file is not uploaded.