Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. Typically, the rules for money orders are provided when you purchase them. Let us clear up the mystery by explaining what you need to know about old or “stale” checks and what you can do if you have one. I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.
These checks are considered official checks and are typically backed by the issuing bank, theoretically remaining valid as long as the bank is in operation. If you deposit an expired check, you run the risk of encountering several potential complications. While some banks may choose to honor the check, many have the discretion to reject it. If the issuing bank refuses the expired check, it could lead to the funds being withdrawn from your account, potentially resulting in overdraft fees. Treasury checks are valid for one year, and traveler’s checks and domestic U.S.
So if you’re a drawer and the person you wrote the check to didn’t cash it yet, it’s advisable to keep that amount in your account for six months at least. There are two types of checks that you should be concerned about when validity is the question. Typically, personal checks are good for six months (or 180 days) from when they’re dated. After that, they’re considered “stale.” Legally, banks and credit unions are not obligated to accept stale checks. Under federal law, a bank is not required to make payment after that point.
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The treatment of expired checks will depend on the financial institution or issuer from which the check is drawn. Generally speaking, you have up to 180 days (approximately six months), to cash a check before it expires, according to the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). Companies, banks and government entities must turn the money for unredeemed checks over to their state’s unclaimed money department after a period determined by the state. This includes unredeemed paychecks, income tax refunds and cashier’s checks. If you have an expired check, search the MissingMoney.com database or your state’s unclaimed property department to see if you can still collect the amount owed. When a check expires, it’s no longer valid as a form of currency, making that expired check worthless.
Terms, conditions and fees for accounts, products, programs and services are subject to change. Not all accounts, products, and services as well as pricing described here are available in all jurisdictions or to all customers. Your eligibility for a particular product and service is subject to a final determination by Citibank. Personal checks typically expire after 6 months (180 days) from the date they were issued.
When Does a Background Check Expire?
If somebody fails to deposit or cash a check you wrote, they may have difficulty negotiating the check after six months. However, you still owe the money, and banks can choose to process the payment. A personal check is a paper form of payment that can be used to transfer money between two people without trading cash. When cashed at a bank or another institution, a personal check is as good as cash.
What if a Personal Check Has Already Expired?
In general, personal checks have a standard validity period of six months. This means that you typically have to cash or deposit it six months from the date the check was issued. After the expiration of this period, the bank may refuse to honor the check, and it may be considered stale or expired. It’s crucial to keep track of the issuance date and plan your transactions accordingly to avoid any inconvenience. Understanding the standard validity period allows you to effectively manage your checks and ensure you use them within the specified timeframe.
When is a check considered stale-dated?
It saves them the trouble of going to the bank – and let’s face it, they feel fancy. If you are not depositing in person, you may need to endorse the back of the check with the account number, your signature, and the words “for deposit only”. This article is part of our free series on sending money, including the ultimate guide to bank checks, which you can access here. The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
- American Express advises customers with old traveler’s checks, which do not expire, to simply use them as they would normally.
- They are under no legal obligation to cash a check older than six months.
- He spent years building credit risk and fraud models for top U.S. banks.
If a check is older than six months, a bank isn’t obligated to honor it. However, specific categories of checks, such as cashier’s checks, money orders and traveler’s checks, typically have different expiration dates or might not expire. Other types of checks, like cashier’s checks, money orders and traveler’s checks, have varying policies on when they expire. That’s because with these types of checks, the money has already been withdrawn from the accounts that issued them.
A check’s expiration date can depend on what type of check it is. Most personal checks and checks written from business accounts (such as payroll checks) expire after six months. Checks from government agencies, such as tax refunds from the Department of the Treasury, expire after one year. A personal check typically expires after 6 months (180 days) from the date it was issued. However, it’s important to note that some personal checks may have a “void after X days” notation printed on them, but most banks will still honor them for up to 180 days.
- Doing so prevents confusion at the bank and lets the check writer know that you’re ready to collect your money.
- If somebody fails to deposit or cash a check you wrote, they may have difficulty negotiating the check after six months.
- They can check the fact that you did not cash in the check, and should release you a new one.
Legally, any individual or organization issuing a check must honor that payment for at least six months. For example, certain purchases or payments—such as deposits for an apartment—may require a personal check as opposed to cash or other forms of payment. Personal and business checks typically expire after six months. A government-issued check will likely have a “Void by” date how long is a personal check good for of a year or less.
What happens if you try to cash an expired check?
When a check expires will depend on the type of check and the issuer. It’s common, though, to have at least six months to check the check. “Stale-dated” is another way of referring to a check that wasn’t cashed within the usual timeframe. For instance, if a check says “good for 180 days” on the front, then it becomes stale-dated 181 days after it’s written. You may have valid reasons for holding on to a check written to you, but it’s best to deposit or cash checks as soon as possible, as there are risks involved. Most banks also offer mobile check deposits as an alternative to depositing checks in person.
While there isn’t a fixed expiration date, using personal checks within a reasonable timeframe is generally recommended to avoid any potential issues. Personal checks typically remain valid for 6 months (180 days), while U.S. State and local government checks may vary by state but often have a 6-month to one-year validity period. Cashier’s checks may or may not have specified expiration dates, usually indicated as “void after X days.” Business checks often include a note that reads, “Void after 90 days.” This encourages the recipient to cash the check right away—even if the 90-day deadline isn’t real. Like personal checks, business checks are usually good for six months, unless the check clearly states it’s valid for up to one year.
While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. It’s always best to cash or deposit checks as soon as they are written out of courtesy to the issuer. However, if you find a check that’s beyond its “sell by” date, contact the issuing bank and your bank to find out whether or not you can still use it. That means if you find a stale check made out to you, contact your bank and the check-issuing bank and find out their policies.