How Long Is a Check Good For Before It Becomes Stale-Dated?

Checks are a common payment method, but their validity is not indefinite. Understanding how long a check remains valid is important for both the recipient and the issuer. This knowledge helps manage financial expectations and avoid complications.

Understanding Check Validity Periods

Most personal and business checks maintain validity for six months, or 180 days, from the date they are written. This timeframe is a common banking practice, largely guided by the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which states that banks are not obligated to honor a check presented more than six months after its date. This is a bank’s right to refuse payment, not a strict legal expiration, meaning a bank can still pay an older check at its discretion. The date written on the check is the starting point for determining its age.

Other types of checks can have different validity periods. Certified checks, where funds are guaranteed by the bank, do not have a strict expiration date, though they can become subject to state unclaimed property laws over extended periods. Similarly, cashier’s checks, which are drawn on the bank’s own funds, can become stale-dated after 90 days to a year, requiring additional bank verification. Money orders do not expire, but issuers may begin to apply service fees after a certain period, such as one to three years, which can reduce the money order’s value. Government checks, such as those from the U.S. Treasury, have a specific expiration date of one year from their issue date.

Addressing Stale-Dated Checks

A check becomes “stale-dated” when it is presented for payment after its recommended validity period. While banks are not required to honor these checks, they retain the discretion to do so if sufficient funds are available in the issuer’s account and no stop payment order has been placed. This means a bank might still process an old check, potentially leading to an unexpected debit from the issuer’s account.

Stale-dated checks carry inherent risks for both parties. For the payee, the bank may return the check unpaid, sometimes incurring a fee for the returned item. For the issuer, if the bank decides to pay a stale-dated check, it could unexpectedly deplete account funds or even lead to an overdraft. Banks refuse stale-dated checks to protect the account holder from unauthorized payments, to ensure the issuer’s intent to pay is still current, or due to state escheatment laws which require very old, unclaimed funds to be turned over to the state.

Handling Checks Past Their Validity

When a check approaches or passes its typical validity period, the recipient should contact the check’s issuer to request a new check. This is the most straightforward way to resolve the situation, as the issuer can then ensure the funds are available for a replacement. If attempting to deposit an old check, the payee should be aware that their bank might reject it, or the issuing bank might refuse payment, potentially resulting in a returned check fee. Never alter the check, such as by changing the date, as this can lead to legal issues.

For the issuer of a check that has not been cashed, maintaining accurate records of all issued checks is important for financial management. Even if a check is stale-dated, a bank may still pay it if presented, unless a stop payment order has been placed. To prevent an old check from being honored, an issuer can place a stop payment order with their bank. This involves a fee, often ranging from $20 to $35, and the order is effective for six months, though it can often be renewed. Regularly reconciling bank statements helps identify if an old check has been unexpectedly paid.