Robinhood Approval Time
Points to remember:
•
Officially, Robinhood says a brokerage account may take 5 to 7 days to be approved.
•
In practice, many Robinhood users say their accounts were approved in just a few hours.
• Filling out the online application for a Robinhood account only takes a few minutes.
Overview of Account Approval at Robinhood
Robinhood is an online-only brokerage. Most applications are approved through an automated system. If something is flagged, the application may be reviewed by a person instead.
Opening a Robinhood Account
To open an account, you must complete an application with Robinhood. This can be done on their website or mobile app. Both platforms use the same form, and it’s simple to fill out. You’ll need a Social Security Number and a U.S. residential address.
Robinhood Promotion
Up to $200 free stock + 3% IRA match + transfer fee refund at Robinhood.
Open Robinhood Account
Standard Robinhood Approval Time
Robinhood’s stated policy is that account approval may take up to one week. While waiting, you cannot place trades. However, you can set up a deposit during this period so funds are ready as soon as the account is approved.
Linking a Bank Account
To make the first deposit, a checking or savings account must be linked to the Robinhood account. This can be done easily on the website or app. Because Robinhood uses Plaid, the external bank can usually be linked right away.
Fast Robinhood Approval Time
Some users have reported much faster approval, sometimes in just a few hours. In these cases, trading can begin the same day the application is submitted. Robinhood also allows instant trading with ACH deposits up to $1,000. Gold members get higher instant limits—up to $5,000 for new accounts with no balance and up to $50,000 once the account has funds.
For example, a new customer who applies on Tuesday morning could be trading by that afternoon with $3,000 in buying power if they have a Gold account and made a $3,000 ACH deposit from a linked bank account.
Getting the Email
Once Robinhood approves an application, they send an email to the address provided. Sometimes, they may instead send a request for more information. To avoid delays, it’s important to submit any requested documents quickly. The email will include instructions for uploading documents online.
Robinhood Promotion
Up to $200 free stock + 3% IRA match + transfer fee refund at Robinhood.
Open Robinhood Account
Options Approval
Applying for options trading is a separate step. It can be requested during the original application or after the account is approved for stock trading. Options approval may take longer. If you only want to trade stocks right away, you can skip the options part at first and apply for it later.
Updated on 11/1/2025.
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