To fill out a check, write today’s date in the upper-right corner, the recipient’s full name on the “Pay to the order of” line, the dollar amount in the small box to the right, the same amount spelled out in words on the line below, an optional note on the memo line, and your signature on the line in the lower-right corner. That’s the whole job, and done carefully it takes about thirty seconds. The details below cover how to write each field so the check can’t be altered after it leaves your hands.
The Date
Write the current month, day, and year in the upper-right corner. Banks generally won’t process a personal check presented more than six months after the date written here, so an accurate date matters for both you and the person you’re paying. Writing a future date (post-dating) offers less protection than most people assume, so use the actual date unless you have a specific reason not to.
The Payee
On the line labeled “Pay to the order of,” write the full legal name of the person or business you’re paying. For a company, use its official name rather than a nickname or an abbreviation. Never leave this line blank. A check with no payee is a bearer instrument, meaning anyone holding it could cash it.
After you’ve written the name, draw a horizontal line through any empty space left on the payee line so no one can add words after it.
The Dollar Amount in Numbers
The small rectangle to the right of the payee line is where you write the amount in digits. Start writing as close to the printed dollar sign as possible, with no gap between the sign and the first digit. That tight placement prevents someone from squeezing an extra number in front of your amount. Write cents as a decimal. For a payment of one thousand two hundred fifty dollars and forty-nine cents, you’d write $1,250.49.
The Dollar Amount in Words
Below the payee line sits the written-amount line. Spell out the same figure here in words, with cents expressed as a fraction over 100. For the example above, you’d write “One thousand two hundred fifty and 49/100.” Then draw a horizontal line from the fraction all the way to the word “Dollars” printed at the end of the line. That trailing line fills the empty space so nobody can add words like “thousand” after your amount.
Before you move on, glance at the two amounts side by side. They need to match. If they don’t, the bank goes with the words. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, handwritten terms override printed terms, and words override numbers.1Legal Information Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-114 – Contradictory Terms of Instrument The reasoning is practical: it’s harder to alter a full line of written words than to change a single digit in a small box. If you spot a mismatch, void the check and write a new one rather than hoping it gets processed the way you intended.
The Memo Line
The memo line in the lower-left corner is optional. You can note an invoice number, an account number, or a short description of what the payment covers. The memo has no legal effect on the check, but it helps both you and the recipient match the payment to the right transaction later.
The Signature
Sign the check on the line in the lower-right corner. Your signature is what authorizes your bank to transfer the money. A check without a signature creates no obligation to pay, and banks will reject an unsigned check outright. Sign last, after every other field is filled, so an incomplete check isn’t sitting around with your authorization already on it.
Choose Your Pen Carefully
Check fraud remains one of the most common forms of financial crime in the United States, and the lowest-tech version is also one of the easiest. In “check washing,” a thief steals a check from a mailbox, uses chemicals to dissolve the ink, and rewrites the payee name and amount while keeping your genuine signature intact.
The single best defense is your choice of pen. Gel pens with black or blue ink soak into the paper fibers in a way that resists chemical solvents far better than standard ballpoint ink. A ballpoint pen’s oil-based ink sits closer to the surface and lifts off more easily. Keep a gel pen with your checkbook and use it every time.
A couple of other habits reinforce how you fill out the check:
- Draw lines through any blank space on the payee line, after the numerical amount, and after the written amount, so nothing can be added later.
- If you’re mailing the check, drop it at a post office counter or inside a blue USPS collection box rather than leaving it in your home mailbox with the flag up. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service treats residential mailboxes as a known target.2United States Postal Inspection Service. Mail and Package Theft
- Review your bank activity at least weekly so unauthorized checks get flagged quickly.
If You Make a Mistake
If you misspell a name, write the wrong amount, or mismatch the numbers and words, don’t try to correct the check with a cross-out. Void it. Write “VOID” in large letters across the front using permanent ink, covering as much of the check face as possible, then record the voided check number in your register so you know it was intentionally canceled rather than lost. If you’re throwing the voided check away, shred it. Cutting it with scissors is a distant second choice, and if that’s your only option, cut directly through the account number, routing number, and signature area.
Voiding is also what you do when someone (an employer setting up direct deposit, for example) asks for a blank check for account information. Write “VOID” across the front and hand it over. The pre-printed routing and account numbers at the bottom of the check are all they need.
Record the Check Before It Leaves
Before you hand over the check or drop it in the mail, write the transaction in a check register or budgeting app. Note the check number (printed in the upper-right corner), the date, the payee, and the exact amount. Your running balance stays accurate only if every check gets logged. This step is easy to skip when you’re in a hurry, and it’s also the main thing standing between you and an overdraft. Overdraft fees at banks that still charge them can run $30 to $35 per transaction, though some institutions have reduced or eliminated the charge in recent years.
When a Personal Check Won’t Be Accepted
Some transactions require guaranteed funds, meaning the recipient won’t wait several days to find out whether your check clears. Real estate closings, vehicle purchases, large security deposits, and certain legal settlements typically require a cashier’s check or certified check instead of a personal one. A cashier’s check is drawn on the bank’s own funds rather than yours, so the payment is guaranteed when the recipient takes it. Most banks charge between $3 and $15 to issue one. If someone you’re paying insists on guaranteed funds, ask your bank for a cashier’s check rather than filling out a personal check they’re not going to accept.