What is a night drop in banking?

A night drop (or night depository) is a secured drop box installed at a bank or credit union that allows business account holders to deposit cash, checks, and documents outside of regular branch hours — typically through a slot in the exterior wall accessible from the parking lot.

Night drops serve a critical function for commercial banking relationships. Business customers — restaurants, retailers, property managers — often accumulate cash receipts during evening hours when branches are closed. Rather than storing that cash overnight at their own facility, they can deposit it securely at the branch using a night drop. The deposit is retrieved and processed by branch staff the next business day.

Modern night drops include tamper-evident bag systems, audit trails, and in some configurations, camera monitoring for additional security. ADA compliance is an important consideration for any night drop installation — the unit must be accessible to customers with disabilities. CSG supplies, installs, and services night drops for financial institutions and can advise on ADA-compliant configurations during new branch builds or renovation projects.