Have you wondered, “how long is a check good for?”
Maybe you found some old checks and want to cash them, or you realized a check you wrote a while back hadn’t been cashed yet.
We have compiled a complete guide on how long you have to cash different types of checks, how to cash them, and what to do if you’ve written an uncashed check.
Here is everything you need to know about old checks.
Do Checks Expire?
According to UCC codes, a bank is not obligated to cash a check over 6 months old. Different types of checks will come with different guidelines.
Personal, Business, & Payroll Checks
You should aim to cash or deposit personal and small business checks as soon as possible. Payroll checks often have a message that suggests voiding after 60, 90, or 120 days. Legally, you do have 6 months to cash all of these.
Personal checks could bounce if the account holder doesn’t have enough money to cover the check. If you have an old personal check that you are going to cash, it would be a good idea to call the person who wrote the check and explain the situation before attempting to cash it.
U.S. Treasury Checks
Checks issued by the U.S. Treasury can be cashed one year from their date. After that date, you are still owed that money by the government. Contact the department that issued the check to get a new one sent to you.
Money Order
Technically money orders do not expire. If you take too long to cash them, you might be subject to a fee or considered “abandoned property.”
Cashier’s Check
The issuing bank will determine the expiration date of a cashier’s check. It could be 90 days or up to a year. If the check expires, call the issuing bank and see the next steps.
How to Cash Old Checks
When cashing a check, you can go to your local bank. You can cash your paycheck at Walmart if you do not have a bank account.
You can also check with the issuing bank, and sometimes, the issuing bank will be able to cash the check for you.
A lot of check cashing places won’t cash personal checks. One place you can cash a personal check is Publix.
Uncashed Check From Your Account?
If you know that you have written a check, but the check hasn’t been cashed in a reasonable amount of time, you can call your bank and request a stop payment on that check.
Another option would be to contact the person to who you wrote the check and ask them if they need you to write another check. Perhaps they lost the first one.
If you don’t request a stop payment and you don’t have the funds to cover the check that you wrote, you may be subject to fees.
What to Do if Your Old Checks Rejected
If you have some old checks that were rejected because of the date, contact the person, business, or entity that issued the check to see if they can write you a new check.
Check Cashing 247 has all the resources you need for cashing your checks. Visit our website for more information!
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