To endorse a check, flip it over and sign your name inside the short box on the back-left end marked “Endorse Here.” That signature alone is enough to deposit or cash it, but adding a few words above your name controls what the check can be used for: “For Deposit Only” locks it to your account, and “Pay to the order of [name]” transfers it to someone else. Keep every mark inside the endorsement strip; the rest of the back belongs to the banks.
Where to Sign
The endorsement area sits on the left end of the back of the check when the front is facing up. Most checks print a few horizontal lines there, sometimes inside a box labeled “Endorse Here.” Everything you write needs to stay inside roughly the first inch and a half from the left edge. That boundary comes from the ANSI X9.100-111 standard, which Regulation CC incorporates by reference as the national rule for endorsement placement.1eCFR. 12 CFR 229.35 – Indorsements
The space beyond that strip is reserved for the banks that process the check. If your signature or a stamp bleeds into the processing area, the check may get pulled from automated sorting and sent to manual review, which can add days to clearing. Write small, stay inside the lines, and leave the rest of the back blank.
Signing Your Name and Nothing Else
Signing the back with nothing else is called a blank endorsement. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, that turns the check into bearer paper: anyone holding it can negotiate it.2Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-205 – Special Indorsement; Blank Indorsement; Anomalous Indorsement If you drop a blank-endorsed check on the sidewalk, whoever picks it up can technically cash it.
Because of that, don’t sign the back until you’re standing at the teller window, at the ATM, or about to take the mobile deposit photo. There’s no advantage to endorsing early. If you’ve already signed and want to protect the check, you can convert the blank endorsement into a special one by writing “Pay to the order of [your bank’s name]” above your signature.2Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-205 – Special Indorsement; Blank Indorsement; Anomalous Indorsement
“For Deposit Only”
The safest way to endorse is to write “For Deposit Only” above your signature, followed by your account number. This is a restrictive endorsement, and it locks the check to that single account. A depositary bank that accepts a check endorsed this way must apply the funds consistent with your instructions or face liability for conversion under the UCC.3Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-206 – Restrictive Indorsement
Nobody can walk into another bank and cash a check you’ve stamped “For Deposit Only” into your account. If you regularly receive checks for a business or side income, an endorsement stamp with your name, account number, and that phrase saves time and removes the risk of a handwriting misread.
Signing a Check Over to Someone Else
To transfer a check to another person, write “Pay to the order of [their full name]” and sign beneath it. The check then becomes payable only to the person you named, and they’ll need to endorse it too before depositing.2Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-205 – Special Indorsement; Blank Indorsement; Anomalous Indorsement
The practical catch: many banks refuse double-endorsed third-party checks, and they’re within their rights. A bank sets its own policy on whether to accept them and is not legally required to take them.4HelpWithMyBank.gov. Can the Bank Refuse to Cash an Endorsed Check? Banks that do accept them often require the original payee to be present to verify their signature. Call the receiving bank before both parties sign; a rejected deposit after two endorsements is hard to unwind.
Endorsing for Mobile Deposit
Mobile deposits use the same endorsement rules as in-person deposits, with one addition. A 2018 change to Regulation CC calls for a restrictive endorsement identifying the check as a mobile deposit. Most banks now ask you to write “For Mobile Deposit Only” (or “For Mobile Deposit at [Bank Name] Only”) beneath your signature.5eCFR. 12 CFR Part 229 – Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks (Regulation CC) This prevents the same check from being deposited a second time at a different institution. Skip that language and many banking apps will reject the image.
After the deposit clears, you still hold the paper check, which creates a double-deposit risk. Most banks recommend keeping the physical check in a secure place for at least 30 days after funds post, then shredding it. Writing “VOID” or “DEPOSITED” across the front right after scanning adds a layer of protection during that retention window.
Checks Made Out to More Than One Person
When a check lists two names joined by “and,” both payees need to endorse it before the bank will accept it. When the names are joined by “or,” either payee can endorse and deposit alone.6Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Do Both My Spouse and I Have to Sign the Back of a Check Made Out to Us?
Checks where the names are separated by a slash, a comma, or just a line break with no conjunction are handled inconsistently from bank to bank. Some read the ambiguous separator as “and,” some as “or.” The safest move is to get both signatures. It costs you nothing, and it heads off a rejected deposit.
When Your Name Is Misspelled
The UCC covers this. If a check is payable to you under a name that isn’t quite right, you can endorse using the misspelled name, your correct name, or both. But the bank paying or accepting the check can require you to sign both versions.7Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-204 – Indorsement So the practical answer is always to do both: sign the misspelled version first, then sign your correct legal name directly below. Most tellers won’t blink as long as both signatures are present and the ID you show matches the corrected version.
Business and Estate Checks
Business Checks
When a check is made out to a business, someone authorized to act on the company’s behalf endorses it. The signer should include the business name, their own name, and their title. A typical endorsement puts the company name on the first line and the signer’s name and title (such as “Jane Smith, Treasurer”) on the next. Many businesses use a rubber stamp for the company name and account number, then have the authorized person sign below. Your bank may require documentation like a corporate resolution or operating agreement on file before it will accept business check deposits.
Estate Checks
Checks payable to a deceased person or their estate follow a specific format under federal regulations. The executor or administrator writes the deceased person’s name, then their own name and their capacity. Federal rules give this example: “John Jones by Mary Jones, executor of the estate of John Jones.”8eCFR. 31 CFR 240.15 – Checks Issued to Deceased Payees The endorsement has to indicate the signer’s capacity as executor or administrator. You’ll also need your letters testamentary or letters of administration from the probate court when you deposit.
After You Endorse
You can deposit an endorsed check with a teller, at an ATM, or through your bank’s mobile app. At the teller window, bring valid government-issued photo ID; the teller will compare the endorsement to your identification before processing.
Endorsing the check doesn’t mean instant access to the money. Under Regulation CC, banks must make the first $275 of a check deposit available by the next business day, with the remainder generally available within two business days. Certain check types deposited in person get full next-day availability, including U.S. Treasury checks, cashier’s checks, certified checks, and state or local government checks.9Federal Reserve. A Guide to Regulation CC Compliance Longer holds apply to large deposits, new accounts, and accounts with repeated overdrafts, and when a hold is placed, the bank has to give you written notice of when the funds will be available.5eCFR. 12 CFR Part 229 – Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks (Regulation CC)