Is it true that you can write out a cheque, without...?

Question

using a chequebook - legally?

I've heard you can write out a cheque on anything as long as certain details are included. How is that possible?

Answer 1

Yes it's true. An actual cheque is just a standardised form which can be electronically scanned by a bank and is universally recognised.

Answer 2

Never heard that before,every cheque goes off to a clearings house,so the information across the bottom of the cheque is read electronically or processed manually,you cannot possibly make up a serial number/cheque number,it has to be drawn on a bank using an authentic cheque book

Answer 3

All the bank needs is the routing number, account number, and your signature. Assuming this information is present and correct, the bank should honor your check no matter what it's written on. At least that's how it used to be. Many banks may have policies in place now which require preprinted checks with specific details in order to help prevent fraud.

The number's you're used to seeing at the bottom of a check are printed with a magnetic ink so they can be read by a machine - it's kind of an early version of the bar code that's still in use today.

Answer 4

A cheque is just a promisary note or IOU and can be wriiten on anything, currently you'll need to include all the bank details.
If you could get a tattooist to write the cheque on a cow it would still be a legally binding cheque - getting someone to accept it might be harder!

Answer 5

Yes its absolutely true.

A few yerars ago a customer bought a door into the Branch I worked at to be paid into his account.

It was a full sized internal fire door.

I was not directly involved in the transaction and can't remember what happened or how it was processed but it had all the relevant account information and had been genuinely signed by the account holder and was therefore a legal payment.

Answer 6

Yes, In the UK you can write a cheque on anything that can be written on, even a dead fish if someone's upset you enough (it's been done before). Of course you have to include all the relevant information; Bank name & address, sort code, account number, payee's name, your name & signature etc.

Answer 7

Yes it is true, I remember seeing some thing on TV years ago about some guy who wrote a cheque on the back of a pig.

Answer 8

a cheque is a written contract about promising an amaount of money. the the conventional cheque has your bank details printed on it to make it easier to process but other than that you can write one on the back of a matchbox and it would be legally binding

Answer 9

i dont see that as paoosible when you write a cheque the bottom has codes on it companies will scan your cheque and this codes will tell the company if the accunt(for the cheque you just wrote) is real or has been flagged as a bad check so atleast not in the states you must write out a valid cheque on a valid cheque.

Answer 10

Yes it is legla to write it on anything, in the past people ahve written them on the sides of cows. As long as they have the details of the account, sort code of the writers bank, and the amount of money, the payee and the signature then they cannot be refused.

Answer 11

It is true, but most places will not accept it. In fact, the only place I know of who will accept a check written on something irregular is the IRS. People send in their taxes written on anything (even toilet paper) and in anything (even mud) and the IRS is able to cash those checks.
But there are things that are necessary to write on the check. The account and routing transit number, and amount the check is for, written out (example: five hundred ninety three dollars and twenty-three cents) and your name and address.

It is very true.