Blank Check Expiration Date: What Period Do Blank Checks Take to Expire?

Last updated on September 21st, 2024 at 10:28 am

Maybe it’s been a while and up to now still concerned about the blank check expiration date, right? Yes, it’s quite challenging though some trusted sources are clear about what period blank checks take to expire for convenience purposes.

This is not just about a check being blank other different things need to be addressed. Think about the staleness of a check, canceling a payment order, making a check void, and others that matter.

Leave alone technological advancements in online payments but checks are still playing a big role worldwide. Take some time going through the paragraphs since it doesn’t cost you anything than doing things wrongly.

And of course, if you want to get clear about a blank check, we got you covered right here in a few lines for convenience.

Can A Blank Check Expire?

In case you’re not certain about what happens if you deposit a blank check, the truth of the matter about the blank check expiration date is that blank checks don’t expire and can’t be cashed.

Provided you don’t write anything on the check it can last for some good years and you don’t need to worry about what period blank checks take to expire. There’re several types of checks that we’re going to look at here to understand their financial staleness.

Checkbooks can work for some good years so long as nothing is written on the check. But where some fields on the check in a checkbook are written in, it then expires.

Asking which fields specifically? They include the signature, date, payee, and amount. Checks are given 6 months by banks before they are declared expired or dishonored.

when you’re to bank a check ensure that it’s done within time to avoid issues of expiration. Though depending on the type of check, there are some with an expiration date of fewer than 3 months for example business checks.

Also, take note of any writings on the checks since some indicate periods when checks should be canceled. Therefore, a blank check can work when used despite being old and it can be accepted by the bank.

What About the Financial Staleness of a Check According to Type?

A stale check is one where within 6 months of writing a check it’s not yet deposited or cashed. When a check is written it should be deposited to be cashed but sometimes nothing is done within a defined time frame.

It’s very important to deposit a check on time rather than delaying it since it’s not among best the practices. Yes, it’s better to work things out on time to avoid interfering with the writer’s budget having written the check earlier on for convenience.

It’s somehow tricky doing things right all the time in case you have a busy schedule and that’s why it’s better at times to delegate. Let’s now look at the different types of checks and their financial staleness.

• Personal Checks

Do personal checks expire? Like some other types of checks, personal checks last for 180 days which is 6 months. But there’s also another case where some businesses have their checks lasting for a period of fewer than 180 days and that is 90 days.

And to encourage people to deposit or cash their checks on time the duration is preprinted on the checks. Depositing or cashing a check on time is the only way you can avoid late charges and other penalties that may be involved if any.

Yes, it’s best practice to deposit or cash a check on time, or else the writer could use the money for something else, and also routing number or account number may change. Heard about returned check fees? If not, then you’re most likely to incur such costs.

• Business Checks

These are also another type of checks where the period for which they are to get invalid is written on the checks. Business entities have checks written on their behalf and the period for which they are invalid is printed beside the signature line.

It may also take about 6 months or less for a business check to expire hence the necessary should be done on time. And since business entities mostly work with large check amounts usually expiration is 180 days.

Payroll contributions and other large checks require sufficient time to process to go through successfully.

• US Treasury Checks

Despite some other types of checks, U.S Treasury checks last for one year from the date they a written. The US Treasury issues federal tax refund checks which are meant to last for one year according to the law.

Though checks have an expiration date you can still claim the money that the government owes you. And here the check issuer will have to write you a new check to process the money.

• Payroll Checks

Payroll checks also last for 6 months with effect from the date printed on them like most other checks available for use. Most financial institutions have the same terms of service when it comes to using checks.

• Money Orders

Despite where you might incur a fee on an old money order by some issuers, money orders don’t expire. When a money order exceeds a year, you incur a fee at MoneyGram and western union.

Sure, and it’s not standard since it differs across states upon delivering the service.

• Certified Checks

This other type of check lasts for a period of 2 to 3 months depending on the issuing financial institution that is the bank. And certified checks are not under Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Act where personal checks or business checks should be honored within 180 days.

The validity period of a certified check depends on the issuing bank. However, a certified check shouldn’t be held for long without being cashed such that it’s not subject to unclaimed property laws.

• Traveler’s Checks

With traveler’s checks, you don’t have to worry about the expiration period since they don’t have an expiration date. You just have to ensure that the bank or financial institution is still in place to offer service.

A Traveler’s check only applies within the same state or country if you’re to use it. Don’t trash that traveler’s even though it’s old it can be used anytime anywhere within your country.

When Should a Check Payment Order Be Cancelled?

When the beneficiary isn’t reachable, the account holder will most likely cancel a check payment order. The stop payment order issued invalidates the outstanding uncashed check.

In most cases when an outstanding check is canceled it reduces fraud-related risks. Therefore, if a check payment order has been canceled a check is rejected in case you want to cash it.

And you also incur a fee to the bank just in case you want to issue a stop payment order on an uncashed check.

How Can I Go About Not Dating a Written Check?

You might be among the many that usually want to work things fast, right? Many use checks for different reasons for example to process or make payments.

But sometimes people do forget about some fields like the date in writing a check while in a rush. When writing a check, always ensure that it’s thoroughly filled to avoid any inconveniences.

If you’re issued a check that isn’t dated it’s then your responsibility to ensure that you fill in the date. Gotten a check that is not dated? It shouldn’t worry you after all you can enter the date yourself.

And then you can also determine how long it can last before it expires. It’s however up to you to decide whether you cash the check immediately or not given it has no date.

If you’re that someone who writes checks without dating them you may find issues in balancing the checkbook and the checking account. The best practice is to ensure that you write checks thoroughly well such that all fields are covered.

How To Make a Check Void with Best Practice?

Voiding and canceling a check are two different terms in practice. If a check is removed from a register, it’s not used in any state or location hence defining the term void check.

And in most cases, a void check is labeled VOID and then kept away on file for ease of identification. On voiding a check ensure to make good use of the checkbook and record the check number.

If you don’t keep a record possibly you may fail to account for checks written during a certain period. In case you’ve been not conversant with voiding a check, I guess in this guide there’s something to learn.

When it gets to canceling checks again it’s a different case. Normally canceling a check happens after it has been issued and more so if it’s lost or delayed to be processed.

You can direct the bank to cancel the check number hence it won’t be cashed. Having canceled the check, even though it lands in the hands of the wrong people the account holder is safe.

And it avoids any issues that would arise when a check is cashed by people not entitled to the money. Writing a new check when the previous one is canceled is a better option.

Though, at times canceling a check can cost you some money depending on the service provider you’re using. Therefore, voiding a check isn’t canceling, and canceling isn’t voiding hence they’re different in meaning.

Voiding and canceling are explained, right? It’s nothing but applicability matters.

Check Is Not Signed, what are The Implications?

Sometimes a person who writes a check might forget to put a signature on the signature line. When a signature isn’t put on a check the bank doesn’t cash the check.

If a check isn’t signed it’s like a blank check since it can’t be cashed until when it’s signed by the check writer or rightful person. Compared to a check without a date and it can be entered by the person to whom it’s addressed at any time but a check without a signature can only be signed by the check writer.

It’s by law not acceptable to fill in the signature line no matter how urgent you may need the check to be cashed if you’re not the account holder. And when it’s found out that you duplicated someone’s signature, you’re most likely to be subjected to legal action.

It’s fair practice when both the check writer and the person to whom it’s addressed ensure all check fields are well written. However, electronic payments are also an option just in case you find a hard time working with checks.

Most people nowadays find electronic payments much more convenient than using checks which are queried most times. With electronic payments, you don’t have to worry about things like the signature, date, name, and some other errors after all everything is digitized.

Financial institutions are also now embracing digitized payments since they are very well optimized for effective user experience. Physical checks and electronic payments can both serve but people are nowadays looking for convenience most importantly.

Always put it in mind that when a check isn’t written well it won’t serve its purpose on time like delayed bills, salaries, and more. When somebody receives a check that is not signed it’s a good idea to ensure that it’s sent back to the account holder to sign it.

And if necessary, it would be good to write it again in case it’s left with little time to expire given it was dated in the first place.

Do I Need to Monitor the Progress of a Written Check?

It’s best practice to monitor uncashed checks about the account as this helps you keep a record of written checks over time. Monitoring progress enables you properly appropriate and allocate money in the best way possible.

Some recipients don’t immediately deposit checks hence you need to track progress such that money in the account isn’t diverted. At times some recipients will communicate about any issues concerning the progress of the check which is fine.

But others don’t hence the writer has to take responsibility and ensure that the check is cashed on time by the bank. As the account holder play your part to talk to the recipient about the check’s progress, talk to the bank, and in case you have to write another check please do.

Checks VS Online Payments

In reality today, online payments are dominating checks if am to say. It’s clearly shown by the number of transactions financial institutions undertake using checks compared to online payments.

Most people nowadays prefer online payments to checks in making purchases hence very few people and institutions use checks. But way back payments mainly were done using checks through the checking account.

The invention of credit cards and debit cards is one of the factors that are leading to the meltdown of checks in circulation. Honestly, there are many conveniences in using electronic funds transfer compared to checks.

Yes, online payments are getting stronger every other day. Checks vs Online payments are subject to discussion though it tells where the comparison heads us.

You can’t tell what tomorrow shall bring but with checks, as time goes on, they are decreasing in circulation as opposed to electronic fund transfers. However, despite the decline in checks but there’re still some businesses that prefer checks most.

Though, in time to come most businesses will have to switch to online payment systems to cope with technological developments.

Both checks and electronic fund transfers have advantages and disadvantages but one carries more weight than the other. This is why online payments are preferred nowadays to checks.

Conclusion

Even though a check is old and blank with all the fields seen more so the account details, can still serve its purpose. Yes, a blank check can last for quite some time compared to a dated check and you need to know how long you have to cash a check before it expires

There’s no reason as to why you get charged for a checkbook yet you have an old blank check, blank checks don’t expire.