To choose the right check paper, start with your printer, then decide how much of the check you want to print yourself. For most home and small business users the best fit is letter-size, 3-to-a-page blank check stock with security features, in a quantity you will use within a year. Everything else on this page helps you confirm that choice.
The wrong paper is an expensive mistake because check stock is sold in boxes of hundreds. The questions below take about ten minutes to answer and save you from buying a format your printer cannot feed or your workflow cannot use.
Step 1: Match the paper to your printer
Check paper has to travel through your printer without curling, jamming or smearing. A laser printer fuses toner with heat, so the stock must tolerate that heat. An inkjet needs a surface that accepts ink without bleeding and enough time to dry.
Many stocks are sold as laser-safe, inkjet-safe or both. Read the product listing rather than assuming. If you are not sure what your printer can handle, read Does Check Paper Work With Any Printer? before ordering, and see What Printer Is Best for Printing Checks? if you are still buying the printer.
Step 2: Pick the layout that fits your workflow
Most home and office check paper comes in one of a few layouts. The table summarizes them. For a deeper look at every format, see Types of Blank Check Paper.
| Layout | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 3-to-a-page, check on top | Most users. The check is at the top of the sheet and two stubs sit below it. | You use one third of the sheet per check unless you reuse the stub area for later runs. |
| 3-to-a-page, check in the middle or bottom | People whose software or habit expects the check in that position. | Your software layout setting must match the stock exactly. |
| 1-per-page | Occasional use, or a layout with one large stub on the same sheet. | Higher stock cost per check than 3-to-a-page. |
| Wallet-size personal checks | Replacing a bound checkbook. | Hard to print at home because they need a special feed. |
| Pre-printed check stock | Stock that already carries your bank details and MICR line. | Reordering takes time whenever anything changes. |
| Plain letter paper | Mobile deposits and one-off checks that you control. | Acceptance is up to each bank, so confirm with yours. |
If you are comparing top and middle positions, Top Check vs Middle Check Paper explains what changes in practice. If you want a basic definition of the stock itself, read What Is Blank Check Stock?.
Step 3: Decide how many stubs you actually need
The two stub sections on 3-to-a-page stock are optional extras for the payer and the payee. Businesses often print an invoice list or earnings detail there. A homeowner paying a few bills may never use them.
If you want detail on the stub, choose a layout whose stub area is large enough for it and confirm that your software can print into it. If you do not, any 3-to-a-page layout works and you can fold or tear the stubs off.
Step 4: Look for security features that matter
Blank check stock is a fraud risk because anyone holding it can print a check. Better stock makes alteration and copying harder. Features vary by product, but common ones include:
- A background pattern that shows VOID or COPY when photocopied or scanned.
- A watermark you can see when you hold the sheet to the light.
- Microprinting that blurs when copied.
- A chemical-reactive surface that shows staining if someone tries to wash or erase the ink.
- A security warning band on the back that lists the features, so a payee can verify the check.
You do not need every feature. Match the protection to how much money the checks carry and who handles them. A box used for $25 club dues needs less than a box used for $20,000 vendor payments.
Step 5: Compare cost per check, not price per box
Divide the box price by the number of usable checks, not the number of sheets. A box of 250 sheets of 3-to-a-page stock holds checks for 250 payments if each sheet prints one check, or more if you reuse the sheet for later runs and your printer feeds it reliably. For example, a $40 box with 250 usable checks costs $0.16 per check, while a $22 box with 100 usable checks costs $0.22.
Add the cost of your toner or ink, a locking drawer or cabinet and any envelopes. Those costs are small per check, but they are part of the real comparison with ordering from a bank.
Step 6: Buy a quantity you will actually use
A smaller box is often smarter than the biggest one, especially while you test your setup. Stock that sits for years can curl, collect dust or become obsolete if your bank changes account details. Many people order a box that lasts six to twelve months and reorder when they know their real volume.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying wallet-size checks because they look familiar, then discovering your printer cannot feed them.
- Choosing a layout your software does not offer.
- Skipping a test feed. Print a few plain-paper tests, then put one real sheet through first.
- Storing blank stock in an unlocked drawer.
- Buying MICR-ready stock for a printer that cannot print magnetic ink and assuming that is enough.
Check Writer 123 prints on blank check stock, on pre-printed check stock, or on plain letter paper, and you can pick top, middle or bottom for 3-to-a-page stock. It is made by the publisher of this site, so weigh that, but the checklist above applies whichever software you use.
Putting it together
Write down your printer type, the layout you want, how many checks you print per month and how secure the stock needs to be. Then buy a modest box of letter-size 3-to-a-page stock that matches those answers and run a test sheet. If the test feeds cleanly and lines up, you have the right paper. For details on printing the checks once you have the stock, see How to Print a Check on Blank Check Paper.