How to Write Canadian Dollars Correctly

Accurately writing Canadian dollar amounts is important for financial clarity and avoiding misunderstandings across various transactions. Precision in currency notation maintains professional standards in business, legal, and personal contexts. Whether dealing with invoices, contracts, or general financial reporting, correct representation ensures that financial obligations and values are clearly communicated.

Numerical Representation

When expressing Canadian dollar amounts numerically, several conventions ensure clarity. The dollar sign ($) is typically placed before the value, such as $100.00. To distinguish it from other currencies, the ISO 4217 code “CAD” is frequently used, especially in financial contexts or when multiple currencies are involved. The CAD code can precede the amount (e.g., CAD 125.00) or follow it (e.g., 125.00 CAD). In general English texts, “Can$” or “CAN$” can also specify Canadian dollars, appearing before the figure (e.g., Can$ 25.99).

For amounts including cents, a decimal point separates dollars from cents, like $50.75. If an amount is a whole dollar, it is common practice to include “.00” for consistency in financial documents, such as $200.00. For larger figures, a comma is typically used as a thousands separator in English-speaking Canada (e.g., $1,000,000.00). In contrast, French-speaking Canada may use a comma for the decimal and a space for thousands.

Writing Amounts in Words

Transcribing numerical Canadian dollar amounts into words requires specific rules. For whole dollar amounts, spell out the number followed by “dollars,” such as “five hundred dollars.” When cents are included, the common practice is to state the dollar amount in words, followed by “and” and then the cents expressed as a fraction of a hundred or as “cents.” For example, $75.50 would be written as “seventy-five dollars and fifty cents” or “seventy-five and 50/100 dollars.”

Compound numbers, those between twenty-one and ninety-nine, should be hyphenated when written out (e.g., “forty-five”). If the amount is less than one dollar, it can be written as “sixty-five cents” or “zero dollars and sixty-five cents.” Consistency in phrasing is important, especially when multiple amounts are presented in a text. While “two million dollars” or “$2 million” are acceptable, avoiding abbreviations like “B” for billion or “M” for million in formal writing is advised.

Formal Document Guidelines

In formal and legal documents, such as cheques or contracts, writing Canadian dollar amounts requires both numerical and written representations. This dual notation helps prevent fraud and misinterpretation by making discrepancies between figures and words easily identifiable. A common format states the written amount followed by the numerical amount in parentheses (e.g., “One Hundred Twenty-Five Dollars and 50/100 ($125.50)”).

When preparing such documents, legibility is important to avoid errors. Ensuring that the numerical and written amounts match precisely is a requirement to prevent discrepancies. Financial institutions and legal frameworks mandate this dual representation for significant transactions.