How to Fill Out a Check the Right Way

By Kenneth Bailey On May 20, 2022

While checks were quite common in the olden days, they are rare in this digital age. However, they still exist, and when you’re out of cash and owe someone money who doesn’t accept digital payments, checks always come in handy.

If you aren’t aware of how to write a check, we have got you, and if you do, chances are you probably don’t write a check every day. Hence, it’s always good to brush up on your check writing skills.

Buy Cheques From a Reputable Supplier

When you order cheques, make sure that the supplier is reputable. You should also be aware of the following:

Be careful about ordering from unknown companies. If you don’t know who your supplier is, do some research on them first before giving them your credit card information or other personal details.
Read reviews from previous customers before purchasing from any company that offers cheques for sale over the Internet. This will help to ensure that they are reliable and trustworthy in terms of customer service and quality control during the production of their products (i.e., checks).

Check printing companies can be abundant, but there are only a chosen few that provide end-to-end quality services.

Write the Amount in Numerals

The most important thing to remember when filling out a check is to write the amount in numerals. Write the number as close to the right-hand corner of the check as possible, and use numerals rather than words.

If you’re using a pen, choose one that’s blue or black, not red, green, or purple! These are not recommended because they can fade over time (especially if your bank keeps these checks on file). Use something thick like an 18-point font instead of one with thin lines. And don’t forget to fill all the boxes. Don’t leave any blank space around them.

Write the Amount in Words

Write the amount in words. The numbers are for your convenience, but you need to write out the words and make sure they match.

Write the date of your check. This is usually at the top of the check, but it may also be on one of its sides. If you have any questions about where this information goes, ask a friend or family member for help (even if that person isn’t an expert).

Fill out your recipient’s name next to ‘For.’ You can also fill out their address here if they need one. Just make sure it looks right.

Sign your name after ‘Payee’ or ‘Payer,’ depending on which term makes sense in context with what you’re writing down here (and make sure not to forget). Then add a dotted line under all these things so they’ll fit properly before signing each line underneath them, too, just as we did earlier when signing our names above ‘Payee’ or ‘Payer’ depending on how long our last name was.

Sign Your Name

When filling out a check, you’ll need to fill in the date line, which is at the top of the check. It should always be written in pen and be legible. The date line consists of two parts: day and month, both written numerically. For example, if your birthday falls on September 3rd, then 9/3 would be a valid entry for this space.

Next, you’ll need to sign your name on the signature line at the bottom right corner of the check’s face. Signing checks is much like writing your name. Make sure it’s legible. Try not to write too close together or too far apart, just like we did with our last batch of letters during handwriting practice.

Fill Out the Address Lines

Fill out the address lines.
Put your address in the top left corner, then put the recipient’s address in the top right corner (this is standard, don’t get confused by it).
In case you didn’t have a street address listed on your check, write ‘No Street Address’ or ‘PO Box’ instead of a street name and number. It should look something like this:
_[Your Name]_ _[No Street Address]_ OR _[Po Box 12345-1234 Town, State Zip Code]_

Fill Out the Memo Line

The memo line is optional, but it can help keep records. For example, if you’re paying off your brother’s restaurant bill and you want to remember that he owes you $300 next time, write ‘bill’ in the memo line of his check so that when you need him to pay up again, there will be no confusion.

Fill Out the Date Line

The date line is your first stop on the right-hand side of a check. It has two parts:

The month is written as MM/DD. For example, if you’re writing your check today, write ‘09/01’. If you want to write your check in advance and have it cashed on September 1st (when school starts), then write ‘09/1’.
The day of the month is written as one or two digits, depending on whether it’s before or after September 30th. For example, if today is August 31st (and it isn’t a leap year), then you would use 8/31 instead of 9/1 because eight doesn’t go into 9 when divided by 30.

In Summary

Write the date
The name of the payee
The amount in numbers (not words)
The amount in words, but write it below your number and put a slash between them. For example, if you wrote $10,000 above, you should write ‘ten thousand’ under it with a slash between them.

Now that you know how to fill a check, move ahead with confidence but also help others if they don’t know how to go about it.