There are a few occasions where you might choose to cancel a check. Perhaps you lost the check, suspect the check has been stolen, sent the check to the wrong address, were a victim of a scam, or wrote a check that contains an error. For whatever reason, if you want to stop payment, you need to ask your bank or credit union to cancel the check. You’ll want to act quickly, before the check is cashed. Here’s how to cancel a check in five steps.
1. See whether the check has already cleared
In general, you can cancel a check — known as a stop payment order — only if your bank hasn’t paid it. Log in to your bank account and look through your transaction history to see if the check has cleared. If the check was stolen and the payment has gone through, it's important to report the fraud to your bank as soon as possible.
» Suspect fraud? Learn the four steps you should take if your account is at risk.
2. Gather a few pieces of information
There are several details you’ll need before you initiate a stop payment order with your bank:
- Your checking account number
- The check number
- The exact amount of the check
Other details you might need include the date on the check, the name of the recipient (the “payee”) and the person who signed the check, especially if you have a joint account and someone else wrote it.
3. Contact your bank
You must give your bank notice orally or in writing to request a stop payment. Generally you can make a request online through your bank’s website, at a branch or by calling the phone number on the back of your debit card.
If the check hasn’t already been cleared, the stop payment request should take effect once the bank authorizes it.
4. Approve any stop payment fees
A few banks and credit unions don’t charge customers to cancel a check, but others have fees as high as $30 or more that would be debited from your account.
The fee amount could vary depending on how you contact the bank. You may be charged more for requesting a stop payment over the phone instead of online, for example. You have to authorize the stop payment order to get your bank to process the fee.
Some institutions waive fees for customers who have premium accounts. For more details, read our list of fees banks charge for canceling a check.
5. Note the expiration date on the stop payment order
A stop payment order typically lasts about six months to keep whoever has your lost or stolen check from trying to cash it at different times and places. Whenever the order ends, you can renew it for another period but most banks aren’t required to cash a check that’s more than six months old.
Frequently Asked Questions
What about the payee?
Some banks offer stop payment orders for free, while others charge $30 or more.
Can I cancel recurring bill payments?
You can request stop payments for a series of checks and pre-authorized ACH debit transactions, such as recurring bill payments. Federal law requires you to make a request orally or in writing to your bank at least three business days before the transfer date. If you call, your bank may require written confirmation of the request within 14 days.
Can I stop payment on a cashier’s check?
Banks are not required to stop cashier’s checks, although they might in the case of fraud. This is because a cashier’s check is drawn directly from your bank funds when you order one.
What if a stolen check has cleared my account?
Contact the payee if necessary. In the event of an error or lost check, let the recipient know about the request to stop payment and arrange a way to send a new check.
