FAQs
If you try to cash an expired or stale check, there's a possibility that both your bank and the bank that issued the check may still honor it. However, it's also possible that your bank might reject the check, and you'll have to ask for a replacement.
Can I cash a check after 2 years? ›
Can I cash a two-year-old check? In most cases, you can't cash a two-year-old check. Personal and business checks typically expire after six months. A government-issued check will likely have a “Void by” date of a year or less.
How long do you have to cash a check before it's no longer good? ›
Personal, business, and payroll checks are good for 6 months (180 days). Some businesses have “void after 90 days” pre-printed on their checks. Most banks will honor those checks for up to 180 days and the pre-printed language is meant to encourage people to deposit or cash a check sooner than later.
What to do if a paycheck expires? ›
It's always best to contact the issuer before trying to cash a stale or outstanding check. Such a call may be awkward, but it's better than imposing an overdraft fee on the person or business that wrote it. Ask for a new check if the old one is past six months old.
Can I cash a check dated for tomorrow? ›
Yes. Banks are permitted to pay checks even though payment occurs prior to the date of the check. A check is payable upon demand unless you submit a formal post-dating notice with your bank, possibly for a fee. Contact your bank about how to provide such notice.
Can I change the date on a check? ›
It's not illegal to write a postdated check to someone, whether it's to repay personal debt or pay a bill. Simply changing the date on the check does not change its status as a form of legal tender.
What happens if a check is never cashed? ›
The United States Department of Treasury automatically voids all uncashed checks after one year from the date of issue and returns the funds to the issuing agency. Stale-dated and uncashed checks can only be re-issued within 6 years from the original date of issue, per the Barring Act 31 U.S.C.
What happens if you forgot to cash a check? ›
If you don't cash the check before the expiration date, it may be voided and you won't be able to cash it at all. This is especially true for personal checks, which often have a shorter expiration date than checks issued by banks or other financial institutions. 2.
What makes a check invalid? ›
Some reasons why a bank won't cash a check include not having a proper ID, not having an account with that bank, the check is filled out incorrectly, or the check being too old. Ensure you comply with all the required criteria before attempting to deposit a check.
Does a company have to reissue an expired check? ›
The employer must verify that the check was never cashed, but once that is done, the employer must reissue a check.
Caution with high-value personal checks
While you can deposit checks over $10,000 at any bank or ATM, cashing this requires the bank to report it to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a rule for all cash transactions over $10,000.
Can someone else cash my check for me? ›
Follow these steps on the process. One of your options is to sign the check over to someone else. Because the check is currently payable to you, you'll need to ensure that the third party and their bank can accept a signed-over check, also known as a “third-party check,” and endorse the check by signing the back of it.
Can the bank tell you who cashed your check? ›
yes. They can tell you the date, time, place and who cashed it for you if the transaction happened in a bank. If you cashed it at a local grocery store or other retail establishment, they can only tell where you cashed it and the date. They have no idea whether you received cash or merchandise.
How to check if a check is valid? ›
To verify a check, you need to contact the bank that the money is coming from.
- Find the bank name on the front of the check.
- Search for the bank online and visit the bank's official site to get a phone number for customer service. ...
- Tell the customer service representative that you'd like to verify a check you received.
How to verify if a check has been cashed? ›
How to verify if a check has been cashed? There are a number of ways to see if a check has been cashed. You can call the issuing bank or credit union, but they may not want to share this information with you anonymously over the phone. You can call into a bank branch in person.
Can a voided check be reissued? ›
You can also reissue checks after they're void.
Can you cash a check with void written on it? ›
A voided check with the word “VOID” written across it cannot be filled in or cashed. The check can also be considered voided and unable to be cashed if it's missing critical information. However, checks with “void after 90 days” written on them can often still be cashed if they're within 180 days of issuance.