How to Endorse and Deposit a Check Made Out to a Child

To deposit a check made out to a child, endorse the back of the check on the child’s behalf, then bring it to the bank with your government-issued ID and proof that you’re the child’s parent or guardian, such as a birth certificate. The exact steps vary a little depending on whether your child already has an account and how the check is written.

How to Sign the Back of the Check

Under the Uniform Commercial Code, when you sign a check on behalf of someone else, your signature counts as that person’s authorized signature so long as you have authority to act for them.¹ A parent or legal guardian has that authority for a minor.

Write the endorsement so it’s clear you’re signing for the child. Either of these formats works at most banks:

[Child’s Name] by [Your Name], Parent
[Your Name], Parent/Guardian for [Child’s Name]

If your child is old enough to write their name, some banks will let the child sign first and have you add your endorsement underneath. Your co-signature is still required to complete the deposit. Wording preferences vary from branch to branch, and improperly endorsed checks get rejected. If you’re not sure what your bank wants, call ahead.

Where You Can Deposit It

You have three practical options.

Into your child’s own account. If your child already has a bank account, whether joint with you or custodial, deposit the check straight into it. This is the cleanest route and the one banks handle most easily.

Into your own account. Not every bank will accept a check made out to your child for deposit into an account that doesn’t have the child’s name on it. Banks that do allow it typically want a birth certificate and other paperwork proving you’re the parent. Call your branch before going in.

Into a new account you open the same day. If your child doesn’t have an account yet, many banks will let you open one during the same visit and deposit the check on the spot. Teens as young as 13 can often open a checking account with a parent as joint owner. For younger children, a custodial account under state UTMA or UGMA rules is the standard option, with the child as the legal owner and you as custodian until the child reaches the transfer age set by your state.

What to Bring

Federal rules require banks to verify the identity of anyone associated with an account. Under Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act, a bank has to collect name, date of birth, address, and a taxpayer identification number before opening an account.² When the account is being opened for someone who lacks legal capacity, like a minor, the bank collects that information from the adult opening it.³

Plan on bringing:

Your government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.³
Your child’s Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
Proof of your relationship, such as the child’s birth certificate or court-ordered guardianship papers.

Even if you’re only making a deposit and not opening anything new, tellers commonly ask for the relationship documentation when the payee is a minor. Bringing it saves a second trip.

If the Check Is Written to Both You and the Child

If the check reads “Parent AND Child,” both of you generally need to endorse it before the bank will accept it. If it reads “Parent OR Child,” either of you can endorse and deposit it alone.⁴ When the payee line has both names without “and” or “or” between them, banks interpret it differently. Ask the teller how they’ll treat it before you sign anything.

Can You Use Mobile Deposit

Probably not, if the check is in your child’s name and the app is tied to an account without that name on it. Many banks specifically prohibit mobile deposit of checks made out to someone other than the account holder. If your child is on the account, the app may work fine. Otherwise, plan on going into a branch. Read your bank’s mobile deposit terms before assuming you can skip the trip.

When the Money Will Be Available

Federal law caps how long a bank can hold funds from a check deposit. At least $275 of any deposit has to be available by the next business day, no matter the check type.⁵ After that:

U.S. Treasury, state, or local government checks, cashier’s checks, and certified checks are available the next business day when deposited in person with a teller.⁶
Standard personal and business checks can be held up to two business days for local checks and up to five for nonlocal ones.⁷
Deposits made at an ATM that isn’t your bank’s can be held up to five business days regardless of check type.⁷

These are ceilings. Many banks release funds sooner. The clock starts on the banking day of the deposit, which may not match the calendar day if you deposit late in the afternoon or over a weekend.

If It’s a Social Security or SSI Check

Different rules apply when the money is a federal benefit paid to your child. The Social Security Administration requires a representative payee to manage benefits paid to a minor, and the account holding those funds has to be titled to show the child’s ownership with you listed as the financial agent, for example “[Child’s Name] by [Your Name], Representative Payee.”⁸

A joint account is not appropriate for these funds. No one other than the child can hold an ownership interest. There’s a narrow exception for parents acting as representative payees: you may run day-to-day benefit payments through a common household checking account, but each child’s savings has to sit in a separate account titled in that child’s name.⁸

1
Cornell Law School. Uniform Commercial Code 3-402 – Signature by Representative
2
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. USA PATRIOT Act
3
FFIEC BSA/AML Manual. Assessing Compliance with BSA Regulatory Requirements – Customer Identification Program
4
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Do Both My Spouse and I Have to Sign the Back of a Check Made Out to Us?
5
Federal Reserve. A Guide to Regulation CC Compliance
6
eCFR. 12 CFR 229.10 – Next-Day Availability
7
eCFR. 12 CFR 229.12 – Availability Schedule
8
Social Security Administration. A Guide for Representative Payees