The invention relates to an apparatus for processing bank notes, in particular a compensation unit for adapting the bank-note stock of a recycling apparatus. In recycling apparatus standing in the cash offices of retailers a lack of bank notes of small denominations occurs quickly. In order to render the filling and emptying of the bank-note stock of recycling apparatus easy and safe, and to extend the time intervals for refilling and emptying recycling apparatus and thereby operate them in an economically sensible fashion, a compensation unit is connected to the recycling apparatus, in which bank notes of certain types are stored. It is possible to both transfer bank notes from the recycling apparatus to the compensation unit and to feed bank notes from the compensation unit to the recycling apparatus.