Yes, money orders do have dates on them. Every money order issued in the United States carries a purchase date printed on the face of the instrument at the moment you buy it, and a matching date appears on the detachable customer receipt you take with you. That printed date is more than a formality: it starts the clock for service charges some issuers deduct from uncashed money orders and it determines when a state may claim the funds as abandoned property.
Where the Date Appears
On a United States Postal Service money order, the purchase date is printed on the left side of the document by the issuing machine, alongside the post office’s identification number and the face value. Western Union and MoneyGram money orders also display a machine-printed date on the face of the document, but the exact position varies with the printer setup at the retail location where you buy it.
A second copy of the date appears on the detachable customer receipt, sometimes called a stub. That receipt is your primary proof of purchase and is required if you ever need to track, replace, or request a refund for the money order. Before you leave the counter, check that the date on the stub matches the date printed on the main instrument.1USPS. PS Form 6401 – Money Order Inquiry
How the Date Gets on the Money Order
The date is not handwritten. A thermal or inkjet printer built into the issuer’s point-of-sale terminal applies it the instant your transaction is finalized. That creates a permanent digital record linking the document to a specific transaction in the issuer’s database, including the retail location where the money order was purchased.
The electronic timestamp works as a safeguard for both sides. If a dispute arises, or if the money order is lost, the issuer can cross-reference the printed date and serial number against internal records to verify the transaction and trace its status.
Does the Date Mean a Money Order Expires?
Having a date on it is not the same as having an expiration date. Whether a money order actually expires depends on who issued it.
USPS domestic money orders never expire and do not accrue interest, so the full face value remains available to the payee indefinitely.2USPS. Money Orders Western Union and MoneyGram money orders also technically do not expire, but both issuers begin deducting service charges from uncashed instruments after a dormancy period, which can eventually reduce the value to zero.3Western Union. Money Orders: Purchase and Cash at a Western Union Near You
You may have heard that financial instruments become “stale” after six months under the Uniform Commercial Code. UCC ยง 4-404 does relieve a bank of the obligation to honor an instrument presented more than six months after its date, but that provision applies specifically to checks drawn on checking accounts, not to money orders.4Legal Information Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 4-404 Money orders are prepaid instruments, and their validity is governed by the issuer’s own policies and by state unclaimed-property law rather than by the UCC stale-check rule.
Service Charges That Start From the Printed Date
If you hold a non-USPS money order for too long without cashing it, the issuer may start chipping away at its value through monthly service charges. These fees are deducted directly from the face value, and they are non-refundable.
- MoneyGram begins deducting a monthly service charge after the money order has been uncashed for one year. The exact fee amount is printed in the “service charge” section on the back of the instrument.5MoneyGram. Help for MoneyGram Money Orders
- Western Union may deduct a non-refundable service charge if the money order remains uncashed for one to three years after the purchase date, depending on the state where you bought it.3Western Union. Money Orders: Purchase and Cash at a Western Union Near You
- USPS deducts no service charges, no matter how long the money order goes uncashed.2USPS. Money Orders
The purchase date printed on the money order is what starts the dormancy clock. That is the practical reason to verify the printed date at the counter for any instrument you might not cash right away.
When Uncashed Funds Go to the State
If a money order goes uncashed long enough, the funds may be turned over to a state government through a process called escheatment. Under federal law, the state where the money order was purchased has the first right to claim those abandoned funds.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 12 USC Chapter 26 – Disposition of Abandoned Money Orders and Travelers Checks
The number of years that must pass before a money order is considered abandoned varies by state. Some states set the dormancy period at three years; others allow seven or more. Once the issuer transfers the funds to the state, the original money order can no longer be cashed through normal channels. Instead, you would need to file a claim with the state’s unclaimed-property division, which typically involves providing your original receipt, identification, and proof that you are the rightful owner or payee.
Why the Printed Date Is Hard to Alter
Because the date and the dollar amount are printed rather than handwritten, altering either field is difficult without leaving visible evidence. USPS money orders include several built-in security features designed to reveal tampering.
The legacy green USPS money order carries a repeating Benjamin Franklin watermark visible only when held to light, along with a multicolored security thread woven into the paper bearing the letters “USPS.” The newer red-and-blue USPS money order uses a Pony Express rider watermark plus a second watermark reading “United States Postal Service,” both visible only under a light source. A security thread with alternating “USPS” lettering runs top to bottom on the newer instruments as well.7USPS. Verifying U.S. Postal Service Money Orders
When you examine a money order you have received, a few warning signs suggest fraud or alteration:
- Faded ink or color bleeding near the printed dollar value can indicate that the amount was chemically washed and rewritten.
- Rough or scraped areas around the dollar field point to physical erasure.
- The numeric dollar amount and the written-out dollar amount should always match.
- Legitimate watermarks are faint and only visible against a light source. If they are pronounced and easy to see at a glance, the document may be counterfeit.8Postal Inspection Service. How to Spot a Fake (Postal Money Order)
The same principle applies to the date field: any smudging, scraping, or color mismatch around the printed date is a reason to question the document before accepting it.