A check is typically good for six months, but you may still be able to cash one after that time period.
Granted, checks are not as popular a payment method as they were in the past. (In fact, it’s estimated that check writing has decreased 75% since the year 2000, according to CNN.) But they are still a widely used method for transferring funds. So you may sometimes need to cash a check that’s been sitting for a while. If you have, say, a tax refund check or one that your aunt sent you for your birthday, you may still be able to cash it after a half-year has passed. Learn the full story here.
But is a check still good if it’s not cashed right away? Learn the answers here.
Key Points
• Paper checks typically expire six months after the issue date, although some may have shorter void dates set by the issuer.
• Treasury checks have a longer validity period, expiring one year after issuance, making them more flexible than personal or corporate checks.
• Certified and cashier’s checks do not have a strict expiration date but can become unclaimed property if not cashed, depending on state laws.
• Money orders do not expire but may incur fees if not cashed in a timely manner, and they can usually be replaced if lost.
• It is advisable to cash checks promptly to avoid complications; contacting the issuer for a reissue is necessary if a check is stale.
How Long Is a Check Good for?
Both corporate checks and personal checks technically expire six months after the issue date. (There may be alternate void dates written on the check, such as 90 days, but that’s more of the issuer’s preference rather than a rule that’s etched in stone.) After six months, a bank considers it a stale check and isn’t legally required to cash it.
Here’s one reason why checks have expiration dates: If you wait too long to cash a personal check, there’s a fair chance that the issuer won’t have enough money in their checking account to cover the outstanding check. If this happens, the check bounces, and you’ll likely be charged a fee by the bank.
But consider the following:
• Even if the check doesn’t bounce, the bank can refuse to cash it after the six-month mark. When that happens, you’ll generally need to reach out to the issuer and ask for another check. In that case, the issuer may ask you to return the first copy so they can properly void it.
• In a best-case scenario, the bank could still honor the check. They’re not required to do so after six months by federal law, but they may accept it depending on the circumstances and their policies..
Expiration Dates for Different Types of Checks
Here’s a closer look at how long different kinds of checks are usually good for.
When Do Corporate and Personal Checks Expire?
Business and personal checks are typically good for up to six months after the date written on them. After that point, they may be considered a stale or stale-dated check. However, a bank may still cash them; it’s at their discretion.
When Do Local and State Checks Expire?
Checks issued by local and state governments may have varying expiration dates. Typically, these fall between six months and a year. In many cases, the expiration date will be printed on the check.
When Do US Treasury Checks Expire?
Checks from the U.S. Treasury usually don’t expire until one year after the date it’s issued, so you usually have more time to consider when and how to deposit these checks. Common types of Treasury checks include federal tax refunds, Social Security benefits, and Veterans Affairs benefits. If these checks expire, follow these steps:
• In order to get an expired check reissued, you must contact the paying agency directly and go through the check claims process and appropriate paperwork.
• You can avoid expired U.S. Treasury checks completely by signing up for electronic direct deposit or opting for a direct express card (designed for people without bank accounts). For those who receive federal benefits, like Social Security, receiving payments electronically is required by law.
When Do Cashier’s Checks Expire?
When you receive a cashier’s check from someone, the funds have already been withdrawn from their personal bank account and transferred into an escrow account with the issuing bank. The money sits there waiting until you cash the check. The bank may still place a void date on the check and no longer guarantee the funds after that point.
If you miss your window of opportunity, the bank may transfer the money to the state as unclaimed property.
Cashier’s checks are usually reserved for large amounts of money. When someone pays you with this method, it’s generally smart to cash it as quickly as possible. Plus, it can be very difficult to replace a hard copy of a cashier’s check if you lose it.
When Do Money Orders Expire?
A money order is another secure form of payment, but the issuer doesn’t transfer funds from their bank account. Instead, they can use cash, a debit card, or traveler’s check to pay for it. The money order then gets assigned a cash value and can be cashed or deposited.
Money orders never expire, but, depending on the terms of the money order, there may be fees incurred if it is not cashed in a certain amount of time.
When Do Certified Checks Expire?
With a certified check, the issuer’s bank guarantees the funds, but they remain in the individual’s account until you cash the check or deposit it to your checking or savings account. However, the bank puts a hold on the correct amount of cash so there’s no risk of the account being overdrawn before you deposit that check.
Still, there’s no hard and fast expiration date for a certified check. The main concern is that eventually, the bank may hand over the funds to the state in your name as unclaimed property if you fail to cash the check. Each state has its own process for reclaiming those abandoned funds, which you may learn more about from the state’s unclaimed property office.
Alternatively, you can visit MissingMoney.com, a multi-state database which may help you find your unclaimed cash from certified checks and other sources.
Recommended: What Is a Business Check vs. a Personal Check?
When Do Traveler’s Checks Expire?
Traveler’s checks are a sort of check that assumes cash value without ever expiring. You may choose to use them while traveling abroad to avoid carrying around large amounts of cash. When you arrive in your destination country, traveler’s checks can be exchanged for local currency.
If you have unused travelers check, you have options, since they don’t expire. You can save them to be used on a future trip, you can use them domestically, or you might be able to deposit them into your bank account.
What Happens If You Deposit an Expired Check?
If you deposit an expired check, there are a few options regarding what might happen:
• The bank your account is held at might or might not accept it.
• The bank the check is drawn upon might or might not pay it.
• The check might bounce, and you’d have to pay related bank fees.
You might want to check with your bank’s customer service prior to depositing an expired check to avoid any surprises.
Recommended: How to Write a Check to Yourself
What to Do With an Old Check
It’s not uncommon to dig through a pile of unopened mail or a stack of papers and discover a check that you never cashed. What’s next in this situation? Consider these tips:
• If it’s been less than six months for a conventional check, you can likely cash it as usual. Treasury checks are good for up to a year. Mobile deposit can make getting the funds into your bank account quick and easy.
• If it’s past the expiration date, you may check with your traditional or online bank and see if they will honor it. If they believe the funds are available, they just might cash it.
• If the check cannot be cashed, you will likely have to contact the issuer and request a new check. You may need to return the expired check as part of this process.
If you are the issuer of the check and see that six months have gone by and your check hasn’t been cashed, you may try reaching out to the payee to see if the check has been lost or stolen. If that is the case or they just let it sit uncashed, you may stop payment on the original check and reissue it as your next step.
Recommended: How to Sign Over a Check to Someone Else
The Takeaway
It’s wise to deposit checks quickly once you receive them. As a general rule of thumb, the six-month mark represents the strictest timeline. Cashing or depositing any check before then can help avoid problems with a check getting stale. Checks from the U.S. Treasury Department have a little more leeway — a full year from the issue date.
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FAQ
Why do checks have expiration dates?
Checks typically have an expiration date as a way to nudge the recipient to cash it sooner rather than later. When people hold onto uncashed checks, it makes it challenging for the issuer to know how much money they actually have in their account and keep their personal finances up to date. An expiration date, whether it’s six months or a year, can help them balance their books and not worry about someone cashing a check years later.
Can I cash an expired check?
It depends. Your bank may still cash a cash that’s past the expiration date if they believe the funds are available. But they do have the right to refuse it if six months have passed since the date it was issued or one year in the case of checks from the U.S. Treasury.
How can banks tell if a check is expired?
The date on the check tells you and your bank when the check was issued. A check typically expires six months after that date or, in the case of U.S. Treasury checks, a year later. Some companies print on their checks “void after 90 days,” but most banks will honor a check up to 180 days.
Can an expired check be reissued?
Yes, an expired check can likely be reissued. Contact the payor to request this.
Can you deposit a two-year-old check?
Yes, you can deposit a two-year-old check, but it may not be cashed. The bank could reject it or it could be returned unpaid since funds were not available.
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