To write a restrictive endorsement on a check, flip the check over, and inside the small strip marked “Endorse Here” write “For Deposit Only,” then your account number, then your signature. Those three lines tell the bank the check can only be deposited into the account you named, not cashed at a window and not signed over to someone else. It takes about ten seconds and it changes how much trouble a lost or stolen check can cause you.
The Three Lines to Write
Work from the top of the endorsement area down, one item per line:
- “For Deposit Only.” This is the phrase that makes the endorsement restrictive. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, words like “for deposit” or “for collection” signal that the check should be routed to a specific account rather than paid out as cash.1Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-206 – Restrictive Indorsement
- Your account number. Write the full number for the account where you want the funds to land. You can pull it from a recent statement or your online banking profile.
- Your signature. Sign the way your name appears on the “Pay to the Order of” line on the front.
Written out, it looks like this:
For Deposit Only
Acct #123456789
[Your Signature]
Keep the three lines compact and legible. If the name on the front is misspelled, sign twice: first the misspelled version exactly as printed, then your correct signature directly below, both above the “For Deposit Only” line.
Where on the Check It Goes
The endorsement area is a 1.5-inch strip on the back of the check, at the trailing edge (the right side when you’re looking at the front). Most checks label it “Endorse Here” and mark the boundary with a line. Everything you write has to stay inside that strip. The rest of the back is reserved for bank processing stamps, and writing outside the box can get the check returned.
Use blue or black permanent ink. Pencil and lighter inks don’t image well on the high-speed scanners banks use, and a faint or smeared endorsement is a common reason for a check to come back unpaid. Federal regulations also require that the depositary bank’s own endorsement stay legible, so your writing or stamp shouldn’t spill into its space.2eCFR. 12 CFR 229.35 – Indorsements For businesses depositing checks in volume, a rubber stamp preset with “For Deposit Only,” the business name, and the account number keeps every endorsement inside the strip and identical.
Mobile Deposits Need Different Wording
If you’re depositing through a bank app, plain “For Deposit Only” usually isn’t enough. Most banks require something like “For Mobile Deposit Only at [Bank Name].” The exact phrase varies by institution, so check your bank’s mobile deposit instructions the first time. A missing or wrong endorsement is one of the most common reasons a mobile deposit gets rejected.
The stricter wording exists to block duplicate deposits. If the endorsement names the bank and the deposit method, a second bank presented with the paper check later can see the check was already committed. Federal rules back this up by limiting a bank’s indemnity claims when it accepts an original check whose restrictive endorsement is inconsistent with how the check was deposited.3eCFR. 12 CFR Part 229 – Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks
When you photograph the check, make sure both sides are well lit and in focus. The app will typically confirm it can see the endorsement before accepting the image.
Why This Endorsement Actually Protects You
A check with only your signature on the back is called a blank endorsement, and it functions like cash. Anyone holding it can deposit or cash it, because a blank endorsement makes the check payable to whoever has possession.4Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-205 – Special Indorsement; Blank Indorsement; Anomalous Indorsement Fine at the teller window, risky anywhere else.
Adding “For Deposit Only” doesn’t physically stop someone from trying to cash the check, but it creates conversion liability for anyone who accepts it in violation of the instruction. A depositary bank that takes the check and sends the money somewhere other than your account is on the hook, and so is a person who buys or cashes it against the endorsement.1Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-206 – Restrictive Indorsement That legal exposure is what makes the words work.
Checks Made Out to More Than One Person
If the check is payable to two people joined by “and” (“John and Jane Doe”), both payees generally have to endorse it before deposit. If the names are joined by “or,” either one can endorse alone.5HelpWithMyBank.gov. Must Both My Spouse and I Endorse a Check Made Out to Both of Us? If the check reads “and/or” or leaves the connector ambiguous, call your bank before you sign. Policies vary, and a wrong guess means the check bounces back.
After a Mobile Deposit, Handle the Paper Check
At a teller or ATM, the bank keeps the physical check and you’re done. With mobile deposit, you’re still holding the original. Write “VOID” across the front as soon as the deposit is confirmed, and store the check somewhere secure for at least 30 days. Once you’ve verified the funds posted, shred it. Some banks specify a retention period in their mobile deposit agreement, so follow theirs if it’s longer. Never try to re-deposit or cash the original after a successful mobile deposit; even an honest mistake can trigger fraud flags on your account.