Gold storage options in the US

US buyers have more vault choices than almost anyone: dealer-run depositories, a state-run vault in Texas and specialist IRA depositories. The catch is that each has its own fee formula, so the cheapest option on $10,000 is not the cheapest on $250,000. This guide sets out the options and the real dollar cost, using fee schedules we read on each provider's site on October 12, 2026.

What are the main ways to store gold in the US?

Is it safe to keep gold at home?

Home storage costs nothing each month and keeps the gold in your hands. Plenty of buyers with a few coins choose it. The risks are burglary, fire and simply forgetting where things are, so the setup matters:

• Bolt the safe down. A safe that can be carried out of the house protects very little. Fire-rated models also guard against heat damage to papers and packaging.
• Keep it quiet. Do not post about purchases online. Dealers ship in plain boxes, but a pile of insured parcels on the porch still gets noticed.
• Keep records elsewhere. Receipts, photos and bar serial numbers belong in a separate place, such as a digital vault or a lawyer's file, so a claim or an estate is easy to handle.

Does homeowners insurance cover gold?

Usually only a token amount. The New York State Department of Financial Services lists a typical special limit of $200 for "money, bank notes, bullion, gold & silver" on a standard homeowners policy. Jewelry theft has a separate, higher cap ($1,500 in the same example), but bullion coins and bars are not jewelry. To insure more, you can add an endorsement with a higher limit or buy a separate "personal articles floater" (a policy that lists specific valuables). Limits vary by insurer and state, so ask for the answer in writing before you rely on it.

Are bank safe deposit boxes a good place for gold?

A bank box keeps gold out of the house, which removes the burglary worry. But two points surprise many people. First, the FDIC states that safe deposit boxes and their contents are not covered by deposit insurance, which only applies to deposits. If the box is robbed, flooded or emptied in error, you need your own insurance. Second, you can only reach the box during branch hours, and many large banks have been cutting back on boxes, as our global gold storage guide notes. If you sell often, the trips to the bank add friction.

Before you rent, ask the bank whether it limits what can be stored, what happens if the branch closes, and whether your insurer covers items in a bank box (some policies treat this differently from items at home).

How much do US gold depositories charge?

Most of the big online dealers run or partner with a depository. You buy online, the metal goes straight into the vault, and you can sell back with a click. Here is what each publishes:

• SD Depository (SD Bullion): 0.29% a year for gold, minimum $9.99 a month, first three months free for new non-IRA customers. Storage is segregated and on SD Bullion's own premises on the Ohio and Michigan border. SD Bullion says Michigan law means no sales tax on bullion stored there. See our SD Bullion review.
• Citadel (APMEX): 0.55% a year, minimum $15 a month. Citadel Global Depository Services is a wholly owned APMEX subsidiary that holds metal allocated and segregated in Brink's facilities. Shipping out costs a $50 handling fee for US delivery plus shipping. See our APMEX review.
• TDS Vaults (JM Bullion): 0.50% a year for bullion in Dallas, Las Vegas, Singapore and Toronto (0.80% in Zurich), with a $50 handling fee for each check-in or checkout ($100 in Zurich). JM Bullion describes it as fully allocated and says storage in Nevada or Texas is subject to those states' sales tax rules. No minimum is listed. See our JM Bullion review.
• Money Metals Depository: a flat $96 a year up to $15,999, then 0.59% from $16,000, 0.49% from $100,000 and 0.39% from $1 million, billed quarterly in advance. Storage is segregated in its own building in Eagle, Idaho. See our Money Metals Exchange review.

What is the Texas Bullion Depository?

The Texas Bullion Depository is an agency of the State of Texas, based on a campus in Leander, just north of Austin. Its FAQ says US citizens and residents, including businesses, can open accounts, so you do not have to live in Texas. It offers only segregated storage, meaning you get back the exact items you deposited, and assets are insured through the Lloyd's of London market.

Its fee schedule changed on April 1, 2026. There is now no account setup fee and no withdrawal fee. Storage is 0.49% a year on an average daily value under $500,000, falling to 0.44%, 0.39% and 0.34% in higher bands, with a $25 minimum per quarter. Domestic shipping out costs $17.95 plus 0.18% of the metal's value, and pick-up in person costs $35 by appointment. It does not sell metal, so you buy from a dealer and have it shipped in.

What does storage cost on $10,000, $50,000 and $250,000?

Minimum charges change the picture a lot for smaller holdings. The table works out a year of fees at each provider's published rates.

Assumes the gold's value stays flat for the year. Promotions (SD's three free months, JM Bullion's free-storage offer) are ignored. TDS handling fees apply each time metal goes in or out. Shipping out costs extra at every provider. Fees change; confirm on each provider's site.

The pattern is clear. On small holdings, flat minimums dominate: SD's 0.29% becomes 1.2% of $10,000. On larger holdings, the percentage rate matters most, and SD Depository was the lowest published rate we found at both $50,000 and $250,000. Exit costs (handling and shipping) can matter as much as the yearly fee if you expect to take delivery. Our storage cost calculator lets you run your own numbers over several years.

If you want vault storage and buying in one account, SD Bullion's depository published the lowest percentage rate in our check, while Money Metals has a simple flat fee for holdings under $16,000.

How does gold storage work for a gold IRA?

Gold in an IRA cannot go in your safe. Section 408(m) of the Internal Revenue Code treats coins and metals as "collectibles" that an IRA generally cannot hold, with an exception for certain gold, silver and platinum coins and bullion. That exception only applies when the metal is "in the physical possession of a trustee". In McNulty (2021) the US Tax Court ruled that American Eagle coins an IRA owner kept at home were taxable distributions, and upheld penalties, even though she never used them.

In practice your IRA custodian (the firm that administers the account) arranges storage at an approved depository. Several of the vaults above take IRA metal; the Texas Bullion Depository, for example, says it holds IRA assets. You pay the depository's fee plus the custodian's own charges, and IRA storage terms often differ from regular accounts (SD's free months exclude IRA accounts). Our gold IRA guide covers the rules, and gold IRA fees breaks down what custodians charge. Be wary of anyone promoting "home storage IRAs"; see our guide to gold scams.

Pros and cons of each option

How do you choose and set up gold storage?

1. Decide how often you will touch the gold. If you want coins in hand, home or a bank box makes sense. If you mainly want to hold and sell, a depository is simpler.
2. Price your holding size. Use the table above: minimums decide the winner under about $40,000.
3. Ask "allocated or segregated?" Make sure specific metal is held in your name, not a pooled claim. Our allocated vs unallocated guide explains why this matters.
4. Check exit costs. Look up handling, shipping and any sales tax rules for the vault's state before you deposit.
5. Sort out insurance. For home storage, add an endorsement or floater; for a bank box, confirm your policy covers it.
6. Leave a record. Note where the gold is, account logins for any vault, and serial numbers, so your family can find it.

For where to buy before you store, see our guide to buying gold in the US, and for tax when you sell, our US gold tax guide. This page is general information, not financial or tax advice.

Not financial advice. GoldVetted provides general information to help you compare options. It is not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Gold prices go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you pay. Check tax rules with the official source or a qualified adviser before you act.